THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES MEMOIR OP THE EXPEDIENCY OF AN ECCLESIASTICAL ESTABLISHMENT roil BRITISH INDIA. MEMOIR OF THE EXPEDIENCY OP AN ECCLESIASTICAL ESTABLISHMENT FOR BRITISH INDIA; BOTH AS THE MEANS OF PERPETUATING THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION AMONG OUR OWN COUNTRYMEN; AND AS A FOUNDATION TOR THE ULTIMATE CIVILIZATION OF THE NATIVES. BY THE REVEREND CLAUDIUS BUCHANAN, M. A. ONE OF THE CHAPLATNS AT THE PllESIDENCY OF FORT WILtlAM IN BENGAL, VICE PROVOST OF THE COLLEGE OF FORT WILLIAM, AND PROFESSOR OF CLASSICS IN THE same; and MEMBER OF THE ASIATIC SOCIETY. LONDON : PRINTED FOR T. CADELL AND W. DAVIES, STRAND; BV W. BULMER AND CO. CLEVELAND-ROW, ST. James's. 1805. iisr TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, JOHN, LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. MY LORD, I. It is with propriety that a Work, embracing such objects as those professed by the following Memoir, should be inscribed to the Primate of the Church of England. An appeal to the nation is certainly intended ; but that appeal would not have been thus made with the sanction of your Grace's name, had we not been encouraged by the authority of your Grace's * This Dedication was written before the death of the late most Reverend Prelate was known at Fort William, -507558 HISTORY ii DEDICATION. opinion. It has been communicated to us in India, that your Grace has already declared the expediency of giving an Ecclesiastical Establishment to the British Empire in the East. In support of such opinion, we here offer the evidence of facts which are incon- trovertible ; and which demonstrate that the measure proposed, while it is recommended by religion, is demanded by justice and humanitv. New sources of information on all Oriental sub- jects, have been opened by the College of Fort William in Bengal Those persons who have held official situations in that institution during the last four years, have had constant opportunities of ob- serving the conduct, and of learning the opinions, of the most intelliQ;ent natives. There are attached to the college, at this time, upwards of one hundred learned men, who have arrived, from different parts of India, Persia, and Arabia. In such an assemblage, the manners and customs of remote regions are dis- tinctly described ; and their varying sentiments, religious and political, may be accurately investi- gated and compared. DEDICATION*. ill Of the learned Hindoos who have been employed as teachers, there were lately two from the Deccan, who profess the Christian f^iith ; and comport them- selves according to Christian manners. Two Pro- testant missionaries have also been attached to the institution ; one of whom is lecturer in the Bengalee and Shanscrit department ; and has been for many years employed in preaching in the Bengalee lan- guage to the natives in the North of Hindoostan. The other is a teacher of the Tamul or Malabar language ; and has been long attached to a mission in the South of the Peninsula. More desirable means of obtaining accurate and original intelligence could not have been presented to any one, who wished to investigate the state of the natives of India, with a view to their moral and religious improvement. It was the authenticity of this information, which chiefly prompted me to record it in this Memoir. I should however have hesitated to submit it to the Public, had I not been honoured with a communi- a 2 iv DEDICATION. cation from the Bishop of London, who expresses his " conviction of the indispensable necessity " of a Religious Establishment for our Indian " Empire." II. In the presence of the learned body of Asiatics assembled at the College of Fort William, the Chris- tian Scriptures have been exhibited for translation into the Oriental tongues. When Ptolemy Philadelphus, three hundred years before the Christian aera, invited to Alexandria in Egypt, seventy-two learned natives of Judea, to translate the Scriptures into the Greek language,* he could not have foreseen that his translation was divinely intended to be the means of the world's civilization, by diffusing the knowledge of the true God; or that the Messiah promised therein, would in a future age quote its language, as the canonical version of the sacred original. This illustrious act of an heathen Prince, acknow- * The expense of which is computed by Pritleaux to have amounted to two millions sterling. DEDICATION. tr ledged, as it has been, by heaven, and celebrated amongst men, has yet been rarely proposed by Christian nations, as an example for their imitation. Under the auspices of Marquis Wellesley, who, by favour of Providence, now presides in the government of India, a version of the holy Scrip- tures may be expected, not in one language alone, but in seven of the Oriental tongues ; in the Hin- doostanee, Persian, Chinese, and Malay; Orissa, Mahratta, and Bengalese ; of which the four former are the primary and popular languages of the Con- tinent and Isles of Asia. In the centre of tJie Pagan world, and at the chief seat of superstition and idolatry, these works are carried on ; and the unconverted natives assist in the translations. The Gospels have already been translated into the Persian, Hindoostanee, Mahratta, Orissa, and Malay languages ; and the whole Scrip- tures have been translated into the Bengalee lan- guage. One edition of the Bengalee Bible has been distributed amongst the natives ; and a second is in Vi DEDICATION. the press for their use. A version of the Scriptures in the Chinese language (the language of three hundred millions of men) has also been undertaken ; and a portion of the work is already printed off.* III. The publication of an important part of this Memoir was suggested by the perusal of certain letters, addressed by a King of England to the Christian instructors of the Hindoos, In the fol- lowing pages, your Grace will find letters written by King George the First, to Protestant mission- aries in India ; in which his Majesty urges them to a zealous and faithful discharge of their ministry, that they may lay a foundation for the civilization of the nations of Asia; and " that the work may " not fail in generations to come." When I first saw these royal epistles, and re- flected on the period of time at which they were written, and the circumstances of the people to whom they were addressed, I perused them with emotions of reverence and admiration. When further * See Appendix M. DEDICATION, VU I liad called to mind the happy effects they had contributed to produce, in enlightening a region of Paganism not less in extent than Great Britain, it seemed to me, that a circumstance so honourable to our country ought not to be concealed, and that the Hindoos ouQ;ht to send back these letters to the English nation. Another letter accompanies them, of equal cele- brity in India, written by the Archbishop of Can- terbury in the reign of the same Prince. This letter, often since recorded in Oriental tongues, is sent back by the evangelized Hindoos to your Grace, and to the " Society of Bishops and Clergy for pro- " moting Christian Knowledge," as a record of the honourable zeal which at so early a period distin- guished that illustrious body ; and as a proof, that when the appointed means are used, the blessing of God will follow. " Behold," say the Hindoos, " the " divine answer to the prayer in that letter! Behold " the fruit of your rational endeavours for our con- " version ! Our dark region having enjoyed, during Viii DEDICATION. " the period of a whole century, the clear and " steady light of your Society, has now become " itself the source of knowledge to the surrounding " heathen." IV. Our present most gracious Sovereign, who has reigned, for so many years, in the hearts and affections of his subjects, both in Britain and in India ; and who, by strengthening the bands of true religion in a dissolute and unbelieving age, has exhibited so perfect an example of the duty, con- duct, and glory of a Christian King, will doubtless receive with satisfaction, from the hands of the Hindoos, these letters of his illustrious predecessor; and having perused the testimonies of the divine blessing on the righteous and kingly work, will finish what has been so auspiciously begun, by making a religious Establishment for his Eastern Empire, the crowning act of his own most glorious reign. To their Soveheign they look ; to Him, the su- preme head of the Church, his Indian subjects look, DEDICATION. j'x for those religious blessings, which, by the divine favour, are in his right hand to bestow. I have honour to be» My Lord, Your Grace's most faithful and devoted Servant, Calcutta, March l£th, 1805. CLAUD. BUCHANAN. INTRODUCTION. Jdy the reduction of the Mysorean and Mahrattu empires, the greater part of India falls under the dominion or influence of the British Government, and looks submissively for British civilization. Bv this event also, in connection with the other late cessions and conquests, the number of Brit- ish subjects in India will be very considerably increased. Were we in the vicinity of Britain, the British Parliament would not withhold from us any bene- ficial aid it could afford, and we should enjoy religious advantages in common with our country- men at home. But these advantages have been liitherto denied, because we are remote. An annual account of the revenual state of India, or the oc- currence of some splendid event, engages the b5 xU INTRODUCTION. attention for a time ; but the ordinary circumstances of the people, European and native, are not ahvays in view ; and any casual or indistinct notice of their situation, fails to excite those national senti- inents of humanity and Christian duty, which, in other circumstances, would be constantly alive and efficient. It may be presumed that India has of late occu- pied more of the public attention than formerly, and that the minds of men are now gradually con- verging to the consideration of the subjects of this Memoir. Our extensive territorial acquisitions within the last few years, our recent triumph over our only formidable foe; the avowed consequence of India in relation to the existing state of Europe ; and that unexampled and systematic prosperity of Indian administration, which has now consolidated the British dominion in this country ; — e^ery cha- racter of our situation seems to mark the present rera, as that intended by Providence, for our taking into consideration the moral and religious state of our subjects in the East ; and for Britain's bringing up her long arrear of duty, and settling her account honourably, with her Indian Empire. INTRODUCTION. xiii The perpetuity of the Christian Faith amongst Europeans in India, and the civilization of the natives, must rest equally on a foundation which, as yet, we have not ; and that is, an Ecclesiastical Establishment. The first part of this Memoir shall be wholly confined to a consideration of the means of preserving the Christian religion among our own countrymen. CONTENTS. PART I. ox THE MEANS OF PRESERVING THE PROFESSION OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION AMOxVG OUR COUNTRYJIEN IN INDIA. CHAPTER I. Present state of the English church in India, - page 1 CHAPTER II. Of the establishment of the Romish church in the East, p. 4 CHAPTER III. Of the extent of the proposed Ecclesiastical Establishment for Bri- tish India, - - - - - - p. 9 CHAPTER IV. Considerations deduced from the propriety or necessity of an Ecclesiastical Establishment, - - - p. 1 1 CHAPTER V. Objections to an Ecclesiastical Establishment considered, p. 15 PART II. CIVILIZATION OF THE NATIVES. CHAPTER I. On the practicability of civilizing the Natives, - p. 21 KVl CONTENTS, CHAPTER II. On the policy of civilizing the Natives, - - p. 28 CHAPTER III. On the impediments to the civilization of the Natives. — The phi- losophical spirit of Europeans formerly au impediment to the civilization of the Natives, - - - - p. 43 CHAPTER IV. The sanguinary superstitions of the Natives an impediment to their civilization, - - - - p. 47 CHAPTER V. The numerous holydays of the Natives an impediment to their civilization, - - - - - p. 51 PART III. OF THE PaOGKESS ALREADY MADE IN CIVILIZING THE NATIVES OF INDIA. CHAPTER I. Of the extension of Christianity in India, under the influence of episcopal jurisdiction, - - - - p. 55 CHAPTER II. Of the extension of Christianity in India, by the labours of Pro- testant Missionaries, - - - - p. 63 CONTENTS. XVll APPENDIX. A. Record of the superstitious practices of the Hindoos, now sub- sisting, which inflict immediate death, or tend to death ; deducted from the evidence of the Pundits and learned Brahmins in the College of Fort William, - p. 91 B. Notes on the practicability of abolishing those practices of the Hindoos, which inflict immediate death, or tend to produce death ; collated from the information and suggestions of the Pundits and learned Brahmins in the College of Fort William, - - - - - p. 97 C. A. D. 1802. Regulation VI. - - - p. 101 D. Report of the number of women who have burned themselves on the funeral pile of their husbands within thirty miles round Calcutta, from the beginning of Bysakh (15th April) to the end of Aswin (15th October), 1804, - p. 102 E. Religious mendicants, - - - - p. 105 F. Different Hindoo sects in Bengal, - - p. 106 G. Ancient civilization of India, - - - p. 108 H. Excessive polygamy of the Koolin Brahmins, - p. 1 1 1 I. Testimonies to the general character of the Hindoos, p. 1 1 3 K. Jewish Scriptures at Cochin, - - - p. 117 L. Shanscrit testimonies of Christ. - - p- 1 19 M. Chinese version of the Scriptures ; and Chinese literature, p. 121 MEMOIR, ^c. PART I. ON THE MEANS OF PRESERVING THE PROFESSION OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION AMONG OUR COUNTRYMEN IN INDIA. CHAPTER I. PRESENT STATE OF THE ENGLISH CHURCH IN INDIA. 1. 1 HE present establishment of English chaplains for the British empire in India, is not much greater than the factorial eslabhshment in the time of Lord Clive. 2. There are six military chaplains for Bengal, Bahar, Oude, the Dooab, and Orissa. There are three chaplains in the town of Calcutta, five at the Presidency of Madras, and four at the B [2] Presidency of Bombay. Nor is that list ever full. Two-thirds of the number is the average for the last ten years. 3. Some islands in the West Indies have a more regular church establishment, and more extensive Christian advantages than the British empire in the East. Jan)aica has eighteen churches; English India has three; one at Calcutta, one at Madras, and one at Bombay. 4. At the establishment of Bencoolen, at the factory at Canton, at the flourishing settlement of Prince of Wales's Island, at Malacca, at Amboyna, and at the other islands to the east- ward now in our possession, there is not a single clergyman of the English ciiurch, to perform the rite of Baptism, or to cele- brate any other Christian office. The two British armies in Hindoostan, and in the Dekhan, lately in the field, had not one chaplain. 5. The want of an ecclesiastical establishment has produced a system, not only of extreme irregularity in the discipline of our church, but of positive offence against Christian institution. Marriages, burials, and sometimes baptisms, by the civil magis- trate or by a military officer, are not only performed, but are in a manner sanctioned by a precedent of thirty years. 6. And as to the state oi religion among a people who have no divine service, it is such as might be expected. After a residence for some years at a station where there is no visible [3] church ; and where the superstitions of the natives are con- stantly visible, all respect for Christian institutions wears away; and the Christian Sabbath is no otherwise distinguished than by the display of the British flag. 7. Were we, on the other hand, to state particularly the regard paid by our countrymen to Christian instruction, where- ever it is regularly afforded, it would be an additional argument for granting the means of affording it. Wherever the Christian minister solicits attention, he finds an audience. In whatever part of British India he is stationed, there will be a disposition to respect the religion of early life, when its public ordi- nances shall have been revived. B2 [4] CHAPTER II. OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ROMISH CHURCH IN THE EAST. 1 HERE are three archbishops and seventeen bishops of the Romish church established in the East. The natives natu- rally suppose that no such dignity belongs to the English church. In Bengal alone there are eight Romish churches ; four Armenian churches; and two Greek churches. In con- firnialion of this statement, we shall subjoin an authentic Report of the Roman Catholic establishments, which has been trans- mitted by the Archbishop of Goa. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THE EAST. Archbishop of Goa, ISIetropolitan and Pri- mate of the Orient Archbishop of Cranganore in Malabar Bishop of Cochin, Malabar Bishop of St. Thomas, at Madras. His diocese includes Calcutta; where he has a legate _ _ _ - Bishop of Malacca - - - Bishop of Macao _ _ _ Bishop of Pekin - - - - Two bishops in the interior of China Bishop of Mozambique Presented by the > the King of Por- tugal. [5] Bishop of Siam _ _ _ Bishop of Pegu _ _ _ Bishop of Varapoli, Malabar Bishop of Bombay - - - Bishop of Thibet - - Prefect of the Romish Mission atNepaul*- One archbishop and three bishops at Ma- "i Presented by the nilla, and the Phihppine Islands - J King of Spain. "I Presented by the J Pope. Presented by the > College, De Pro- paganda Fide. Bishop of Pondicherry. Vacant ["Presented by the < late King of [ Fri ranee. CHURCHES IN BENGAL, AND NUMBER OF PRIESTS ATTACHED TO EACH. Church at Calcutta _ _ - Church at Seranipore Church at Chinsurah Church at Bandel Church at Cossim bazar Three churches at Chittagong Church at Backergunge Church at Bowal Three priests. One priest. One priest. Three priests. One priest. Three priests. One priest. One priest. See Paper by him in Asiatic Researches, Vol. II. [6] ARMENIAN CHURCHES. Church at Calcutta Church at Chinsurah Church at Decca Church at Sydabad Church at Madras Church at Bombay Church at Surat Three priests. One priest. Two priests. One priest. Three priests. One bishop and a priest. Two priests. Church at Calcutta Chapel at Dacca GREEK CHURCHES, Three priests. One priest. 1. The above establishments are at present full, with the ex- ception of the bishopric of Pondicherry, which was formerly pre- sented by the King of France ; and it is staled that the revenues are the same granted at the first endowment, with some excep- tions of increase. 2. On a view of the ancient and respectable establishment of the Romish church, we naturally desire to know its present character, and whether it can boast of a religious or civilizing efficiency. The Romish church in India is coeval with the Spanish and . [7 ] • Portuguese empires in the East: and tliough both empires are now in ruins, the church remains. Sacred property has been respected in the different revohitions ; tor it is agreeable to Asiatic principle to reverence rehgious institutions. The reve- nues are in general small, as is the case in the Roman Catholic countries at home; but the priests live every where in respectable or decent circumstances. Divine service is regularly performed, and the churches are generally well attended ; ecclesiastical discipline is preserved ; the canonical European ceremonies are retained ; and the benefactions of the people are liberal. It has been observed that the Roman Catholics in India yield less to the luxury of the country, and suffer less from the climate, than the English ; owing, it may be supposed, to their youth being surrounded by the same religious establishments they had at home, and to their being still subject to the observation and counsel of religious characters, whom they are taught to reverence. 3. Besides the regular churches there are numerous Romish missions established throughout Asia. But the zeal of conver- sion has not been much known during the last century. The missionaries are now generally stationary : respected by the natives for their learning and medical knowledge, and in gene- ral for their pure manners, they ensure to themselves a com- fortable subsistence, and are enabled to shew hospitality to strangers. [8] 4. On a general view of the Roman Catholic church, we must certainly acknowledge, that, besides its principal design in preserving the faith of its own members, it possesses a civiliz- ing influence in Asia ; and that notwithstanding its constitu- tional asperit}^ intolerant and repulsive, compared with the generous principles of the Protestant religion, it has dispelled much of the darkness of Paganism. [ 9 ] CHAPTER III. OF THE EXTENT OF THE PROPOSED ECCLESIASTICAL ESTAB- LISHMENT FOR BRITISH INDIA. A REGULAR ecclesiastical establishment for British India may be organized without difficulty. Two bishops might suffice, if India were less remote from Britain : but the inconvenience resulting from sudden demise, and from the long interval of succession from England, renders it necessary that there should be three or more men of episcopal dignity ; an archbishop and metropolitan of India, to preside at the seat of the supreme government in Bengal ; and one bishop at each of the two subordinate presidencies, Madras and Bombay. Tiiese three dioceses should embrace respectively all our continental pos- sessions in the East. To these must be added a bishopric for Ceylon, to comprehend all the adjacent islands, and also New Holland and the islands in the Pacific Ocean. The number of rectors and curates in each diocese must be regulated by the number of military stations, and of towns and islands contain- ing European inhabitants ; with an especial attention to this C [10] circumstance, that provision may be made for keeping the establishmentyi/W, without constant reference to England. The necessity of such provision will be illustrated by the following fact : In Bengal and the adjacent provinces there is at present an establishment of six military chaplains ; but that number is sometimes reduced one half. When a chaplain dies or goes home, his successor does not arrive, in most cases, till two years afterwards. [ 11 ] CHAPTER IV. CONSIDERATIONS DEDUCED FROBI THE PROPRIETY OR NECESSITY OF AN ECCLESIASTIC AL ESTABLISHMENT. 1. iiAS it ever been fully considered on what ground a religious establishment has been given to all the other dependencies of Great Britain, and denied to India ? It might be deemed as sacred a duty of the mother country to support Christian insti- tutions amongst us, as amongst the English in the West Indies ; and particularly in Canada and Nova Scotia, both of which provinces are honoured with episcopal institution. Our pecu- liar situation seems to give to us a yet higher title to such advantages. Living in a remote and unhealthy country, amidst a superstitious and licentious people, where both mind and body are liable to suffer, we have, it will be allowed, as strong a claim on our country for Christian privileges as any other description of British subjects. Of the multitude of our coun- trymen who come out every year, there are but a few who ever return. When they leave England, they leave their religion for ever. 2. It will not be an objection to a church estabUshment in C2 [12] India that it has the semblance of a Royal institution. Nor is it probable that it will be opposed on the ground of expense. By the late cessions and conquests, provinces have been added to our sovereignly, whose annual revenues would pay the whole ecclesiastical establishment of England many times over. 3. This is the only country in the whole world, civilized or barbarous, where no tenth is paid ; where no twentieth, no hundredth, no thousandth part of its revenues is given by go- vernment, for the support of the religion of that government; and it is the only instance in the annals of our country where church and state have been dismembered. We seem at present to be trying the question, " Whether religion be necessary for a state ;" whether a remote commercial empire having no sign of the Deity, no temple, no type of any thing heavenly, may not yet maintain its Christian purity, and its political strength amidst Pagan superstitions, and a voluptuous and unprincipled people ? 4. "When the Mahometans conquered India, they introduced the religion of Mahomet into every quarter of Hindoostan, where it exists unto this day; and they created munificent en- dowments for the establishment of their faith. The same country under our sovereignty, has seen no institution for the religion of Christ. 5. How peculiar is that policy, which reckons on the perpe- [ 1-3 ] tuity of an empire in tiie East, without the aid of leHgion, or of rehgious men ; and calculates that a foreign nation, annuUing all sanctity in its character amongst a people accustomed to reverence the Deity, will flourish for ever in the heart of Asia, by arms or commerce alone ! 6. It is not necessary to urge particularly the danger from French infidelity and its concomitant principles, as an argument for a religious establishment in India; for although these prin- ciples have been felt here, the danger now is much less than formerly. Under the administration of Marquis Wellesley, Frenchmen and French principles have been subdued. And nothing would now so consolidate our widely extended domi- nions, or prove more obnoxious to the counsels of our European enemies in their attempts on this country, than an ecclesiastical establisment ; which would give our empire in the East the semblance of our empire in the West, and support our English principles, on the stable basis of English religion. 7. The advantages of such an establishment, in respect to our ascendancy among the natives, will be incalculable. Their constant observation is, that " the English have no religion ;" and they wonder whence we have derived our principles of justice, humanity, magnanimity, and truth. Amidst all our con- quests in the East ; amidst the glory of our arms or policy ; amidst our brilliant display of just and generous qualities, the [ 14] Englishman is still in their eyes " the Cafir ;" that is, the Infidel. 8. The Scriptures have been lately translated into some of the vernacular languages of India. The natives read these Scriptures, and there they find the principles of the Knghsh. " But if these Scriptures be true," say they, " where is your church ?" We answer, « at home." They shake the head, and say that something must be wrong; and that although there are good principles in our holy book, they might expect some- thing more than internal evidence, if we would Avish them to believe that it is from God; or even that we think so ourselves. [15] CHAPTER V. OBJECTIONS TO AN ECCLESIASTICAL ESTABLISHMENT CONSIDERED. Is an ecclesiastical establishment necessary? Our commercial Indian empire has done hitherto without it." 1. Perhaps the character of our Indian empire has suffered by the want of a religious estabhshment. From whatever cause it proceeded, we know that the moral principles of our coun- trymen were, for many years, in a state of public trial before the tribunal of Europe, in relation to this commercial empire ; and that Indian immorality was, for a time, proverbial. 2. It w^as observed, in extenuation, at that period, that the case would have been the same with any other nation in our peculiar circumstances ; that India was remote from national observation ; and that seducements were powerful and nume- rous. All this was true. And yet we are the only nation in Europe having dominions in the East, which being aware of these evils, declined to adopt any religious precaution to prevent them. What then was to be looked for in a remote and exten- sive empire, administered in all its parts by men, who came [16] out boys, without the plenitude of instruction of EngUsh youth in learning, morals, or religion ; and who were let loose ou their arrival amidst native licentiousness, and educated amidst con- flicting superstitions ? 3. Since that period, the honour of the nation has been re- deemed, and its principles have been asserted in a dignified manner. An amelioration in the service, equally acknowledged in the character and prosperity of our empire, has auspiciously commenced, and is rapidly progressive. 4. But perhaps an objection will be founded on this acknow- ledged improvement. If so much, it will be said, can be done by wise administration and by civil institution, without a church, may we not expect that the empire will for the future, be propitiously administered, and flourish in progression, without the aid of a religious institution ? In answer to such an obser\ation, we might ask, what it would avail the English nation that it were swayed by the ablest policy for the next ten years, if during that period, youth were denied the advantages of religious instruction, and the national church were abolished ? Peculiar as is the administration of India as subject to Britain, no comparison can be instituted between its present consolidated empire, and its former factorial state; or between what was tolerable a few years ago, and what is expedient now. [17] 5. It cannot he justly objected to an ecclesiastical estaWish- mcnt ill India, that it will promote colonization. It will pro- bably have a contrary effect. It is to be hoped indeed that the clergy themselves will remain in the country to an old age, in order that they may acquire the reverence of fathers, and that their pious services may not be withdrawn, when those services shall have become the most valuable and endearing to their people. But it may be expected that the effect of their Christian counsel, will accelerate the return of others; by saving young persons from that course of life, Avhich is so often destructive to health and fortune. 6. What is it Avhich confines so many in this remote country, to so late a period of life ? The want of faithful instructors in their youth. What is it which induces that despondent and indolent habit of mind, which contemplates home without affection, and yet expects here no happiness ? It is the want of counsellors in situations of authority, to save them from debt, on their arrival in the country ; and to guard them against that illicit native connection, (not less injurious, it has been said, to the understanding than to the affections,) which the long absence of religion from this service has almost rendered not disre- putable. 7. Of what infinite importance it is to the state, that the Christian Sabbath should be observed by our countrymen here, D [18] and that this prime safeguard of loyal, as well as of religious principles, should be maintained in this remote empire. But how shall the Sabbath be observed, if there be no ministers of religion ? For want of divine service, Europeans in general, instead of keeping the Sabbath holy, profane it openly. The Hindoo works on that day, and the Englishman works with him. The only days on which the Englishman works not, are the Hindoo holidays : for on these days, the Hindoo will 7iot work with him. The annual investment sent to England, parr ticularly that belonging to individuals, has this peculiar to it, considered as being under the law of Christian commerce, that it is, in i)art, the produce of Sunday labour by Christian hands. 8. Does it not appear a proper thing to wise and good men in England, (for after a long residence in India, we sometimes lose sight of what is accounted proper at home,) does it not seem proper, when a thousand British soldiers are assembled at a remote station in the heart of Asia, that the Sabbath of their country should be noticed ? That, at least, it should not become what it is, and ever must be, where there is no religious restraint, a day of peculiar profligacy ! To us it would appear not only a politic, but a humane act, in respect of these our countrymen, to hallow the seventh day. Of a thousand soldiers in sickly India, there will generally be a hundred, who are in a declining state of health ; who, after a long struggle with the climate and [ 19 1 with intemperance, liave fallen into a dejected and hopeless stale of mind, and pass their time in painful reflection on their distant homes, their absent families, and on the indiscretions of past life ; but Avhose hearts would revive within them on their entering once more the house of God, and hearing the absolu- tion of the Gospel to the returning sinner. The oblivion of the Sabbath in India, is that which properly constitutes banishment from our country. The chief evil of our exile is found here; for this extinction of the sacred day tends, more than any thing else, to eradicate from our minds respect for the religion, and affection for the manners and institutions, and even for the local scenes, of early life. 9. Happy indeed it would be, were it possible to induce a learned and pious clergy to colonize in English India. They would be a blessing to the country. But let us rightly under- stand what this colonization is; for the term seems to have been often used of late without a precise meaning. If to colo- nize in India, be to pass the whole of one's life in it, then do ninety out of the hundred colonize; for of the whole number of Europeans Avho come out to India, a tenth ])arl do not return. 10. At what future period will a better opportunity offer for meliorating the circumstances of life in this country. Shall our Christian nation wait till centuries elapse, before she consider D2 [ 20 ] India otherwise than the fountain of luxury for the mother country ; ^vhilc her sons, in successive muUitudcs, sink under the inhospitable climate, or perish in defence of the empire, denied the means of religious instruction and consolation, com- mon to every other Christian people ! 11. The slightest investigation, before a competent tribunal, of the state of our church, and circumstances of our country- men in India, will confiim fully the statement in the preceding pages ; and will amplify the necessity of the measure proposed in the mind of every man who is a friend to his country's ho^ nour or prosperity. 12. It will be remembered, that nothing which has been ob- served is intended to imply that any peculiar provision should be made immediately for the instruction of the natives. Any extensive establishmciit of this kind, however becoming our national character, or obligatory on our principles, cannot pos- sibly be organized to efficient purpose, without the aid of a local church. 13. Let us first establish our own religion amongst ourselves, and our Asiatic subjects will soon benefit by it. AVhen once our nalional church shall have been confirmed in India, the members of that church will be the best (juahfied to advise the state as to the means by which, from time to time, the civiliza- tion of the natives may be promoted. [21] PART II. CIVILIZATION OF THE NATIVES. CHAPTER I. ON THE PRACTICABILITY OF CIVILIZING THE NATIVES. 1. SUPPOSING an ecclesiastical establishment to have been given to India, we shall now consider the result, in regard to the civilization of the natives.* No immediate benefit is to be expected from it in the way of revolution ; but it may be de-« monstrated by a deduction from facts, that the most beneficial consequences will follow, in the way of ordinary effect, from an adecjuate cause. 2. The expediency of encreasing our church estabhshment in India, and of communicating Christian instruction to our Asiatic sul)jecls, was debated in Parliament in the year 1793. The resolutions which recognise the general principle of " civiliz- ing the natives of India," were carried, and now stand on record * See Appendix G. [ 22 ] . in the Journals of the House of Commons. It was considered, however, as an inauspicious moment (at the commencement of a perilous war) to organize the necessary estal>lishment for India, and the bill was referred to future consideration. 3. Since tiial period ihc situation and circumslances of both countries are materially changed. The French revolution has imposed on us the duty of using new means for extending and establishing Christian principles. Our territorial possessions in the East have been nearly doubled in extent; and thence arises the duty of cherishing the religion and morals of the increased number of our countrymen, who occupy these possessions ; as well as of promoting the civilization of our native subjects by every rational means. 4. To civilize the Hindoos will be considered, by most men, our (liifi/ ; but is it practicable? and if practicable, would it-be consistent with a wise policy? It has been alleged by some, that no direct means ought to be used for the moral improve—^ ment of the natives; and it is not considered liberal or politic to disturb their superstitions. AVhelher we use direct means or not, their superstitions will be disturbed under the influence of British civilization. But we ouo-ht first to observe that there are mulliludcs who have no faith at all. Neither Hindoos nor IMussulmans, outcasts iVom every faith; they arc of themselves fit objects for the [23] beneficence of the Brilish Parliament. Subjects of the Biilish empire, they seek a cast and a rehgion, and chiim from a just government the franchise of a human creature. 5. And as to those wiio have a faith, that faith, we aver, will be disturbed, whether we wish it or not, under the influence of British principles : this is a truth confirmed by experience. Their prejudices weaken daily in every European settlement. Their sanguinary rites cannot now bear the noonday of English observation : and the intelligent among them are ashamed to confess the absurd principles of their own casts. As for extreme delicacy toward the superstitions of the Hindoos, they under- stand it not. Their ignorance and apathy are so extreme, that no means of instruction will give them serious offence, except positive violence.* 6". It is necessary to be explicit on this point; for it seems that, independently of its supposed policy, it has been ac- counted a virtue at home, not to remove the prejudices of the ignorant natives; not to reprove their idolatry; not to touch their bloody superstition ; and that this sentiment has been emblazoned by much eloquence and rendered very popular ; * The Christian missionary is always followed by crowds of the common people, who listen with great pleasure to the disputation between him and tiie Biahmiiis; and are not a little amused when the Biahinins depart, anil appoint another day fur the discussion. The people sometimes bring back the Brahmins by constraint, and urge them to the contest again. [24] just as if we were performing an act of charity by so doing; and as if it were so considered by the natives. It is not an act of charity on our part, nor is it so considered by ihcni. They thcmsehcs tell us plainly why we do not mind their religion ; " not because we fear to disturb their tranquillity, but because " we have no religion of our own." 7. A Hindoo may live with his Englisli master for twenty years, and never once hear him mention his religion, lie gives then his master no credit for his delicacy in not proselyting him. But he gives him credit for this, that he is a humane man, just in his conduct, of good faith in his promises, and indiflFcrent about his (the Hindoo'^) prejudices. The ver}' reverse of all which, was his predecessor the Mahometan. 8. Not to harass the natives unnecessarily on any subject is doubtless good policy : but in this case it is a cheap policy, for it is perfectly natural to us, and therefore has ever been maintained. Did we consider their moral improvement ecjual in importance to tribute or revenue, avc should long ago have attempted it. We can claim no merit then for this forbearancef for it arises from our own unconcern about the Christian religion. 9. But so great is the truth and divine excellence of our religion, that even the principles which flow from it remotel}', lead the heathens to en([uire into its doctrine, the fountain. [25] Natives of all ranks in Hindoostan, at their courts and in llieir bazars, behold an awful contrast between their base and illi- beral maxims, and our just and generous principles. Of this they discourse to each other, and enquire about the cause, but we will not tell them. ^Ve are ashamed to confess that these principles flow from our religion. We would indeed rather acknowledge any other source. 10. The action of our principles upon them is nevertheless constant ; and some aid of religious consideration, on our part, xvould make it effective. They are a divided people. 1 hey have no common interest. I'here is no such thing as a hierarchy of Brahminical faith in Hindoostan, fixed by certain tenets, and guided by an infallible head. They have no ecclesiastical polity, church government, synods, or assemblies. Some Brahmins are supported by hereditary lands gi'anted to a family or attached lo a temple, and pass their time in passive ignorance, without concern about pubhc affairs. Brahmins having no endowment, engage in lay offices, as shopkeepers, money-lenders, clerks, and writers ; or in other inferior and servile occupations. Others seek a religious character, and prosecute study at some of the Hindoo schools, of which there are a great number in Hindoostan. These are, in general, supported by the contri- butions of their students, or l)y public alms. The chief of these schools are Benares, Nuddeea, and Ougein. Benares has E [26] acquired a higher celebrity for general learning than the other schools. But a Brahmin of Nuddeea or of Calcutta, acknow- ledges no jurisdiction of a Brahmin at Benares, or of any other Brahmin in Ilindoostan. The Brahminical system, from Cape Comorin to Tibet, is purely republican, or rather anarchical* The Brahmins of one province often differ in their creed and customs from those in another. Of the chief Brahmins in the college of Fort AVilliam, there are few (not being of the same district) who will give the same account of their faith, or refer to the same sacred books. So much do the opinions of some of those now in the college differ, that they will not so much as worship or eat with each other. The Brahmins in general cannot read their sacred books. Their ignorance of writing and of the geography of the country is such, that there is no general com- munication among them, political or religious. 11. The natives of Hindoostan are a divided people. They have no common interest. To disseminate new principles among them is not difhcult. They are less tenacious of oj)inion than of custom. In no other country has there been such a variety of opinions on religious subjects, for many ages past, as in Hindoostan. The aborigines of the countr}", denominated Hindoos or Gcnloos, were not all followers of Brahma. Some Avcre worshippers of the deity Boodh. The numerous nation of • Sec Appendix H. [27] the Sieks, winch is a secession from Hinduism, forms another great class. The inhabitants of the hills to the soutli and north of the peninsula, (according to some, the oldest race,) are again diflferent from the former, and from each other. All these dif- ferent sects have their respective subdivisions, schisms, and contrarieties in opinion and in practice. And from all of them the Mahometans, who are now spread over all Hindooslan, are entirely distinct ; and from these again, differ the various rami- fications of the Christian faith. The sea coasts, for several centuries past, have been peopled by Portuguese, Armenian, Greek or Nestorian Christians ; and now the Protestant religion flourishes wherever it is taught. In no other country is there such a variety of religions, or so little concern about what true religion is, as in British India. A man may worship any thing or nothing. When one native meets another on the road, he seldom expects to find that he is of the same cast with himself. It has been calculated that there are an hundred casts of religion in India. Hence the Hindoo maxim, so grateful to the philo- sophers, that the Deity is pleased with the variety, and that every religion, or no religion, is right. To disseminate the principles of the Christian religion and morals throughout the provinces under our dominion, is certainly very practicable.* * See Appendix F. E2 [28] CHAPTER II. ON THE POLICY OF CIVILIZING THE NATIVES. 1. In governing conquered kingdoms, a Christian policy' may be exercised, or a Roman polic}'. A Roman policy sacrifices religion to every other considera- tion in the administration of the new empire. The religion of the native is considered as an accident or peculiarit}-, like that of his colour or form of body, and as being natural rather than acquired ; and therefore no attempt is made to change it. And this is correct reasoning, on the principle that all religions are human and equal. The policy therefore fovmdcd on this prin- ciple, professes to cultivate the intellectual powers of the native in every branch of knowledge, except religion. It is evident that the administration of India durins; the last forty years, has been conducted on the principles of the Roman policy. The religion of the natives continuing the same, they have been properly governed by their own laws. 2. A Christian policy embraces all the just principles of the Roman policy, but extends its aims of utility further by endea- vouring to iniprovc the mind of the native in religious knowledge. J [29] as soon as the practicability of the attempt shall appear ob- vious. The practicability will of course be retarded in some conquered heathen stales, by particular circumstances. But a Christian policy ever looks to the Christian religion for the perpetuity of empire; and considers that the knowledge of Christian principles can alone enable the natives to comprehend or to appreciate the spirit of Christian government. Our reli- gion is therefore inculcated for the following reasons generally : 1st. Because its civilizino; and benign influence is certain and undeniable. AVe have seen that it lias dispensed knowledge and happiness to every people, who have embraced it. 2dly. Because it attaches the governed to their governors ; and facilitates our intercourse with the natives. There can never be confidence, freedom, and atiection between the people and their sovereign, where there exists a difference in religion. Sdly. The Christian religion is inculcated on account of its ETERNAL SANCTIONS; and tlic solemn obligation of Christians to proclaim them, whenever an opportunity shall be afforded by Providence of doing it with probable success; it being by no means submitted to our judgment, or to our notions of policy, whether we shall embrace the 7neans of imparting Chris- tian knowledge to om- subjects or not; any more than it is submitted to a Christian father, whether he shall choose to instruct his fSmily or not. [30] These motives -svill accjuire additional weight, if, first, the natives be subject to an immoral or inhuman superstition ; and, secondl}^ if we voluntarily exercise dominion over them, and be benefited by that dominion. 3. The question of policy, regarding the instruction of our native subjects, the IVIahometans and Hindoos, is to be deter- mined by the consideration of their inoral state. The Mahometans profess a religion, which has ever been characterised by political bigotry and intemperate zeal. In this country that religion still retains the character of its bloody origin ; particularly among the higher classes. Whenever the Mahometan feels his religion touched, he grasps his dagger. This spirit was seen in full operation under Tippoo's govern- ment ; and it is not now extinguished. What was the cause of the alarm which seized the English families in Bengal after the late massacre of our countrymen at Benares, by the Maho- metan chiefs ? There was certainly no ground for apprehension ; but it plainly manifested our opinion of the people. — We have consolidated our Indian empire by our power ; and it is now impregnable ; but will the Mahometan ever bend humbly to Christian dominion ? Never, while he is a Mahometan. 4. Is it then good policy to cherish a vindictive religion in the bosom of the empire for ever? Would it not accord with the dictates of the soundest wisdom to allow Christian schools [31] to be established, where the children of poor Mahometans might learn another temper ; the good effects of which 'would be felt, before one generation pass away ? The adult Hindoo will hardly depart from his idol, or the Mahometan from his prophet, in his old age; but their children, when left destitute, may be brought up Christians, if the British parhament please. But as matters now stand, the follower of Mahomet imagines that we consider it a point of honour to reverence his faith and to despise our own. For he, every day, meets with Europeans, who would more readily speak with disrespect of their own religion, than of his. No where is the bigotry of this intolerant faith nursed with more tenderness than in British India. While it is suffering concussitm in every other part of the world, even to Mecca, its centre, (as by a concurring providence, toward its final abolition,) here it is fostered in the peaceful lap of Christian liberality. 5. A wise policy seems to demand that we should use every means of coercing this contemptuous spirit of our native sub- jects. Is there not more danger of losing this country, in the revolution of ages, (for an empire without a religious establish- ment cannot stand for ever,) by leaving the dispositions and prejudices of the people in their present state, than by any change that Christian knowledge and an improved state of civil society, would produce in them ? And would not Christianity, [32] more efl'eclually than any thing else, disunite and segregate our subjects from the neighbouring slates, who are now of the same rchgion with themselves ; and between whom there must ever be, as tliere ever has been, a constant disposition to confederacy and to the support of a common interest ? At present, there is no natural bond of union between us and them. There is nothing common in laws, language or religion, in interest, colour or countr}'. And what is chiefly worth}' of notice, we can approach them in no other way than by the means of our religion.* 6. The moral state of the Hindoos is represented as being still worse than that of the Mahometans. Those, who have had the best opportunities of knowing them, and who have known them for the longest time, concur in declaring that neither truth, nor honest}', honour, gratitude, nor charity, is to * " The newly converted Chiistians on the coast of Malabar are the chief " support of the J)iitch East India Company at Cochin ; and are al\va3's ready to " taive up arms in their defence. Tlie I-'agans and Mahometans are naturally " enemies to the Europeans, because they have no similarity to them ciliier in " their external appearance, or in regard to their manners, their religion, or iheir " interest. If the English therefore do not endeavour to secure the friendship of " the Christians in India, on whom can they depend? How can they hope to " preserve their possessions in that remote country ? — In the above observations " may be found one of the reasons why neither Ilyder Ali nor Tippoo Sultaa " could maintain their ground against the English and the king of Travancore " on tlie coast of Malabar. The great number of Christians residing there, " whom Hyder and his son every where persecuted, always took part with the " English." See Bartolomeo's Voyage, page 207, and note. " Ten thousand native Christians lost their lives during that war." Ibid. 149. [53] be found pure in the breast of a Hindoo. How can it be other- wise? The Hindoo children have no moral instruction. If the inhabitants of the British isles had no moral instruction, would they be moral ? The Hindoos have no moral books. What branch of their mythology has not more of falsehood and vice in it, than of truth and virtue? They have no moral gods. The robber and the prostitute lift up their hands with the infant and the priest, before an horrible idol of clay painted red, de- formed and disgusting as the vices which are practised before it.* 7. You will sometimes hear it said that the Hindoos are a mild and passive people. They have apathy rather than mild- ness; their hebetude of mind is, perhaps, their chief negative virtue. They are a race of men of weak bodily frame, and tliey have a mind conformed to it, timid and abject in the extreme. They are passive enough to receive any \icious * Tlie Hindoo superstition has been denominated lascivious and blooclj/. That it is bloody, is manifest from the daily instances of llie female sacrifice, and of the commission of sanguinary or painful rites. The ground of the former epithet may be discovered in the description of their religious ceremonies: " There is " in most sects a right-handed or decent path ; and a left-handed or indecent " mode of worship." See Essay on the Religious Ceremonies of the Brahmins, by 11. T. Colebrooke, Esq. Asiat. Res. Vol. VII. p. 281. That such a principle should have been ad- milted as systematic into any religion on earth, may be considered as the last effort of mental depravity in the invention of a superstition to blind the under- standing, and to corrupt the heart. [34] impression. The English government found it necessary lalcly to enact a hiw against parents sacrificing their own children. In the course of the hist six months, one hunched and sixteen "women were burnt aUvc with the bodies of their deceased husbands within thirt}' miles round Calcutta, the most civilized quarter of Bengal.* But, independently of their superstitious practices, the}- are described by competent judges as being of a spirit vindictive and merciless ; exhibiting itself at times in a rage and infatuation, which is without example among any other people.-f- But it is not necessary to enter into any detail * From April to October, 1804. See Appendix D, •f Lord Teigiimoulh, wliile President of the Asiatic Society in Bengal, delivered a discourse, in which he illustrated the revengeful and pitiless spirit of the Hin- doos, by instances which had come within his own knowledge while resident at Benares. In 17i)l 1 Soodishter Mecr, a Brahmin, liaving refused to obey a summons issued by a civil officer, a force was sent to compel obedience. To intimidate them, or to satiate a spirit of revenge in himself, he sacrificed one of his own familv. " On iheir approaching his house, lie cut off the head of his deceased son's widow^ " and threw it out." In I7iJ.'3, a Brahmin, named Balloo, had a quarrel with a man about a field, and, by way of revenging himself on ihis man, he killed his own daughter. " I " became anu;ry, said he, and enraged at his forbidding me to plough the field, " and bringing my own little daughter Apmunya, who was only a year and a half " okl, I killed her with my sword." About the same time, an act of matricide was perpetrated by two Brahmins, Beechuk and Adher. These two men conceiving themselves to have been injured by some persons in a certain village, they brought their mother to an adjacent rivulet, and calling aloud to the people of the village, " Bcechuck drew his scy- " luelar, and, at one stroke, severed his uiolher'a head from the body ; with the [35] to prove the degraded state of the Hindoos : for if it were de- monstrated that their moral depravity, their personal wretchedr ness, and their mental slavery, Avere greater than imagination can conceive, the fact Avould have no influence on those who now oppose their Chrislian instruction. For, on the same prin- ciple that they withhold instruction from them in their present state, they would deny it, if they were worse. Were the books of the Brahmins to sanction the eating of human flesh, as they do the burning of women alive, the practice would be respected. It would be considered as a solemn rite consecrated bj^ the ancient and sacred prejudices of the people, and the cannibal Avould be esteemed holy.* 8. During the last tiiirty years there have been many plans suggested for the better administration of the government of this country ; but no system Avhich has not the reformation of the morals of the people for its basis, can ever be effective. " professed view, as avowed both by parent and son, tliat llic motber's spirit " might for ever haunt those who had injured them." Asiut. Res. Voh IV. J). 337. Would not the princi()les of tlie Chrislian religion be a good substitute for tlie principles of these Brahmins of the province of Benares? It will, perhaps, be observed, that these are but individual instances. True : but they prove all that is required. Is there any other barbarous nation on earth which can exhibit sitc/i instances ? * It is a fact that human saciidces were formerly ofi'ered by the Hindoos ; and as it would appear, at that period which is fi.xed by some authors for the sera of their civilization and refinement, F2 [3C] The people are destitute of those principles of honesty, truth, and justice, which respond to the spirit of British administration ; they have not a disposition which is accordant M'ith the tenor of Christian principles. No virtues, therefore, no talents, or local qualification of their governors can apply the most j)crfect sj'slcm of government with full advantage to such subjects. Something may be done by civil institution to ameliorate their condition, but the spirit of their superstition has a continual tendency to deterioration. 9, The European who has been long resident in India, looks on the civilization of the Hindoos with a hopeless eye. De- spairing, therefore, of intellectual or moral improvement, he is content Avith an obsequious spirit and manual service. These he calls the virtues of the Hindoo; and, after twenty years ser- vice, praises his domestic for his virtues. 10. It has been remarked, that those learned men who are in the habit of investigating the mythology of the Hindoos, seldom prosecute their studies with any view to the moral or religious improvement of the people. Why do they not? It is because they think their improvement hardly practicable. In- deed the present circumstances of the people seldom become a subject of their investigation. Though such a number of women sacrifice themselves every year in the vicinity of Calcutta, yet it is rare that a Eiuopean witnesses the scene, or even hears of [37] the event. At the time that government passed the law which prohibited the droAvning of children, or exposing them to sharks and crocodiles at Saugur, there were many intelligent persons in Calcutta who had never heard that such enormities existed. Who cares about the Hindoos, or ever thinks of visiting a vil- lage to enquire about their state, or to improve their condition ! When a boat oversets in the Ganges, and twenty or thirty of them are drowned, is the event noticed as of any consequence, or recorded in a newspaper, as in England ? or when their dead bodies float down the river, are they viewed with other emo- tions than those Avilli which we behold the bodies of other animals ? 11. A few notices of this kind will at once discover to the accurate observer of manners in Europe, the degraded charac- ter of the Hindoos in our estimation, whatever may be the cause. AVhat then is the cause of this disregard of the persons and cir- cumstances of the Hindoos ? The cause is to be found in the superstition, ignorance, and vices of the Hindoo character; and in nothing else.* 12. Now it is certain that the morals of this people, though they should remain subject to the British government for a thousand years, will never be improved by any other means than by the principles of the Christian religion. The mond * See Appendix I. [58] example of the few English in India cannot pervade the mass of the population. What then is to be expected as the utmost felicity of British administration for ages to come ? It is this, that we shall protect the country from invasion, and grant to the inhabitants to manufacture our investments in solemn still- ness, buried in personal vice, and in a senseless idolatry. 13. Providence halli been pleased to grant to us this great empire, on a continent where, a few years ago, we had not a foot of land. From it we export annually an immense wealth to enrich our own country. What do we give in return ? Is it said that we give protection to the inhabitants, and administer equal laws ? This is necessary for obtaining our wealth. But what do we give in return ? What acknowledgment to Provi- dence for its goodness has our nation ever made ? What benefit hath the Englishman ever conferred on the Hindoo, as on a brother.'' Every argument brought in support of the policy of not instructing the natives our subjects, when traced to its source, will be found to flow from principles of Deism, or of Atheism, or of Polytheism, and not from the principles of the Christian religion. 14. Is there any one duty incumbent on us as conquerors, toward a conquered people, resulting from our being a Christian nation, which is not common to the ancient Romans or the modei'u French ? If there be, what is it ? The Romans and the [39] French observed such delicacy of conduct toward the con- quered, on ihc subject of rehgion, that they not only did not trouble iheni with their own religion, but said unto them, " We " sliall be of yours." So far did these nations excel us in the policy of not " disturbing the faith of the natives." Can any one believe that our Indian subjects are to remain for ever under our government involved in their present barba- rism, and subject to the same inhuman superstition ? And if there be a hope that they will be civilized, when is it to begin, and by whom is it to be efiected ? 15. No Christian nation ever possessed such an extensive field for the propagation of the Christian faith, as that afforded to us by our influence over the hundred million natives of Ilin- doostan. No other nation ever possessed such facilities for the extension of its faith as we now have in the government of a passive people; who yield submissively to our mild sway, reve- rence our principles, and acknowledge our dominion to be a blessing. Why should it be thought incredible that Providence hath been pleased, in a coure of years to subjugate this Eastern empire to the most civilized nation in the world, for this very purpose ? 16. " The facility of civilizing the natives," some will admit, " is great? but is the measure safe.'' It is easy to govern the « Hindoos in their ignorance, but shall we make them as wise [40] " as ourselves ! The supersitions of the people are no doubt " abhorrent from reason ; they are idolatrous in their worship, " and bloody in their sacrifices ; but their manual skill is cx- '■' quisite in the labours of the loom ; they are a gentle and " obsequious j)eople in civil transaction." In ten centuries the Hindoos will not be as wise as the Eng- lish. It is now perhaps nineteen centuries since human sacrifices Avere offered on the British altars. The progressive civilization of the Hindoos will never injure the interests of the East India Company. But shall a Christian people, acknowledging a Pro- vidence in the rise and fall of empire, regulate the policy of future times, and neglect a present duty; a solemn and impe- rious duty : exacted by their religion, by their public principles, and by the opinion of the Christian nations around them ! Or can it be gratifying to the English nation to reflect, that they receive the riches of the East on the terms of chartering im- moral superstition ! 17. No truth has been more clearly demonstrated than this, that the communication of Christian instruction to the natives of India is easy; and that the benefits of that instruction, civil as Avell as moral, will be inestimable ; whether we consider the happiness diffused among so many millions, or their consequent attachment to our government, or the advantages resulting from the introduction of the civilized arts. Every thing that can [41 ] brighten tlie hope or animate the policy of a virtuous people organizing a new empire, and seeking the most rational means, under the favour of heaven, to ensure its perpetuity; every consideration, mo aver, would persuade us to diffuse the bless- ings of Christian knowledge among our Indian subjects. [-^2] CHAPTER III. OS THE IMPEDIMENTS TO THE CIVILIZATION OP THE NA- TIVES. THE PHILOSOPHICAL SPIRIT OF EUROPEANS FOR- MERLY AN IMPEDIMENT TO THE CIVILIZATION OF THE NATIVES. 1. A CHIEF obstacle to the civilization of the Hindoos during the last fifty years, is accounted by some Lo have been the unconcern of Europeans in India, particularly the French, as to their moral improvement, and the apathy with which they beheld their superstitions. This has been called the philosophical spirit, but improperly ; for it is a spirit very contrar}' to that of true philosophy. The philosophical spirit argues in this man- ner: " An elephant is an elephant, and a Hindoo is a Hindoo. " Thev are both such as nature made them. We ou2;ht to *' leave them on the plains of Hindoostan such as we found " them." 2. The philosophical spirit further shews itself in an admira- tion of the ancient systems of the Hindoos, and of the supposed purity of their doctrines and morals informer limes. But truth [43] and good sense have for some years been acquiring the ascen- dancy, and are now amply vindicated by a spirit of accurate investigation, produced by the great encouragement which has been lately afforded to researches into Oriental literature. 3. The College of Fort William will probably illustrate to the world what India is, or ever was ; for all the sources of Oriental learning have been opened. The gravity with which some learned disquisitions have been lately conducted in Europe, and particularly in France, respect- ing Indian science and Indiau antiquity, is calculated to amuse us. The passion for the Hindoo Joqucs seems to have been first excited by a code of Gentoo laws, transmitted with official recommendation from this countr}'^, and published at home by authority; and yet not by the code itself, but by the translator's preface, in which there are many solemn assertions impugning the Christian revelation, and giving the palm to Plindoo anti- quity. The respect due to the code itself seems to have been transferred to this preface, which was written by a young gen- tleman, Avho observes, " that he was held forth to the public as " an author, almost as soon as he had commenced to be a " man;" that he could not translate from the Shanscrit language himself, " for that the Pundits who compiled the code, were to " a man resolute in rejecting all his solicitations for instruction G2 [ 44 ] " in this dialect; and that the persuasion and influence of the " Governor General (INIr. Hastings) were in vain exerted to " the same purpose." Having then translated the Gentoo Laws from a Pershm translation, he thinks himself justified in believ- ing " that the world does not now contain annals of more indis- " putabic anlicjuity than those delivered down by the ancient " Brahmins ; and that \vc cannot possibly find grounds to sup- " pose that the Hindoos received the smallest article of their " religion or jurisprudence from Moses ; though it is not utterly " in}possible that the doctrines of Hindooslan nxight have been " early transplanted into Egypt, and thus have become familiar " to Moses."* 4. These sentiments for the first time ushered on the nation under the appearance of respectable sanction, were eagerly em- braced. The sceptical philosophers, particularl}' in France, hoped that they were true : and the learned in general were curious to explore this sacred mine of ancient literature. " Omne ignolum pro magnifico." Strangers to the language, they looked into the mystical records of the Brahmins as into the mouth of a dark cavern of unknown extent, probably inac- cessible, perhaps fathomless. Some adventurers from the Asiatic Society entered this cavern, and brought back a report very unfavourable to the wishes of the credulous infidel. But the • Preface to Gcutoo Code. [45] college of Fort William holds a torch which illuminates ils darkest recesses. And the result is, that the former gloom, Avhich was supposed to obscure the evidence of our religion, being now removed ; enlightened itself, it reflects a strong light on the Mosaic and Evangelic Scriptures, and Shanscrit Record may thus be considered as a new attestation to the truth of Christianil3% granted by the divine dispensation, to these latter ages.* 5. The whole library of Shanscrit learning is accessible to members of the college of Fort William. The old keepers of this library, the Pundits, who would give no access to the trans- lator of the Gentoo code, or to the then governor of India, now vie with each other in giving every information in their power. Indeed there is little left for them to conceal. Two different grammars of the Shanscrit language are now compiling in the college, one by the Shanscrit professor; and the other by the Shanscrit teacher, without any communication as to each others system, so absolute is their confidence in a know- ledge of the language. 'J'he Shanscrit teacher proposed to the council of the college to publish the whole of the original Shasters in their own character, with an English translation. The chief objection to this was, that we should then publish many volumes, which i'cw would have patience to read. Such * See Appendix L. [46] parts of ilicm liowevcr as are of a moral tendency, or which illustrate important facts in Eastern history or science, were recommended for publication. 6. It docs not appear that any one work in Shanscrit litera- ture has yet been discovered, which can vie in antiquity with the poem of Homer, on the plain ground of historical evidence, and collateral proof. It is probable that there may be some work of an older date; but we have no evidence of it. If ever such evidence should be obtained, the world will soon hear of it. As to the alleged proof of antiquity from astronomical calculation, it is yet less satisfactory than that from the Egyptian zodiac, or Brydone s lava.* What use shall we make of the illustration of these facts, but to urge, that, since the dark traditions of India have confirmed the truth of divine Revelation, the benefits of that Revelation may be communicated to India. * Tlie editors of the Asicitic Rcserirches in London have availetf themselves of the occasion of that work's being republished at home, to prefix a preface to the fifth volume, containing sentiments directly contrary to tliose professed and published by the most learned members of the Asiatic Society. They will be much obliged to the London editors of that work to take no such liberty in future; but to allow the Society to write its own prefaces, and to speak for itsdf We are far off from France liere, Tlie Society professes no such philosophy. [47] CHAPTER IV. THE SANGUINARY SUPERSTITIONS OF THE NATIVES, AN IMPEDIMENT TO THEIR CIVILIZATION. 1. Another impediment lo the civilization of the natives is tlie continuance of their sanguinary superstitions, by which we mean those practices which inflict immediate death, or tend to produce death. All bloody superstition indurates the heart and affections, and renders the understanding inaccessible to moral instruction. No ino;enuous arts can ever humanize the soul addicted to a sanguinary superstition. We shall not pollute the page with a description of the horrid rites of the religion of Brahma. Suffice it to say that no inhu- man practices in New Zealand, or in any other newly-disco- vered land of savages, are niore offensive to natural feeling, than some of those which are committed by the Hindoo people. It surely has never been asserted that these enormities cannot be suppressed. One or two instances may be men- tioned, which will shew that the IJindoo superstitions arc not impregnable. 2. It had been the custom from time immemorial, to immolate [48] at the island of Saugor, and at other places reputed holy on the banks of the Ganges, human victims, by drowning, or destruction by sharks. Another horrid practice accompanied it, which was the sacrifice of the firet born child of a woman, who had been long barren,* The Pundits and chief Brahmins of the college of Fort A\ illiam were called upon to declare, by what sanction in their Shasters, these unnatural cruelties were committed. They alleged no sanction but customy and what they termed " the " barbarous ignorance of the low casts." On the first intimation of the practice to the Governor General Marquis AVellesley, it was abolished,'!- Xot a murmur followeJurnutle, ten miles inland i'lova. i^orca. 12 [60] correct, and would do honour to any Protestant church in Europe* 7. The climate of Malabar is delightful ; and the face of the country, which is verdant and picturesque, is adorned by the numerous churches of the Christians. Their churches are not, in general, so small as the country parish churches in England. Many of them are sumptuous buildings,]- and some of them arc * At certain seasons, the Agapac, or love feasts, are celebrated, as in primitive times. On such occasions they prepare delicious cakes, called Appam, made of banawns, honey, and rice-flour. The people assemble in the church-yard, and, arranging themselves in rows, eacii spreads before him a plantain leaf. W'lieu this is done, the clergyman, standing in the church-door, pronounces the bene- diction ; and the overseers of the church, walking through between the rows, gives to each his portion. " It is certainly an affeclitig scene, and capable of elevating " the heart, to behold six or seven thousand persons, of both se.\cs and of all ages, " assembled and receiving together, with the utmost reverence and devotion, " their Appam, the pledge of mutual union and love." Bartolomeo, page 424. Compare the amiable lives and character of these Christian Hindoos with the riles of their unconverted countrymen in Bengal, described in Appendix- B. •f- " The great number of such sumptuous buildings," says Mi'. Wrede, '.' as the " St.Thom^ Christians possessed in the inland parts of theTravancore and Cochin " dominions, is really surprising; since some of them, upon a moderate caleula- " tion, must have cost upwards of one lack of rupees, and few less than half that " sum." Asiat. Res. Vol. VII. p. 380. " Almost all the temples in the Southern " Malabar, of which I had occasion to observe more than forty, were built in the " same style, and nearly on the same plan. The fagade with little columns (evi- " dcnlly the style of architecture prevalent in Asia Minor and Syria) being every " where the same." Ibid. S79. In the j'car I7y0, Tippoo tiie Mahometan destroyed a great number of the Christi.in churches, and a general conflagration of the Christian villages marked the progress of his destroying host, 'len thousand Christians lost their lives during the war. Bartolomeo, page I49. C 61 ] visible from the sea. Tliis latter circumstance is noticed inci- dentally by a writer who lately visited the country : " Having kept as close to the land as possible, the whole ^' coast of Malabar appeared before us in the form of a green " amphitheatre. At one time we discovered a district entirely *' covered with cocoa-nut-trees ; and, immediately after, a river *' winding through a delightful vale, at the bottom of which it *' discharged itself into the sea. In one place appeared a mul- *' titude of people emplo^^ed in fishing ; in another,' a snow-white «« church bursting forth to the view from amidst the thick-lea\ ed '" trees. While we were enjoying these delightful scenes with •*' the early morning, a gentle breeze, which blew from the shore, *' perfumed the air around us with the agreeable smell wafted *' from the cardamon, pepper, beetel, and other aromatic herbs *' and plants."* A snow-white church bursting on the view from amidst the trees! Can this be a scene in the land of the Hindoos; where even a church for Europeans is so rarely found ? And can the persons repairing to these snow-while churches be Hindoos ; that peculiar people who are supposed to be inca« pable of receiving the Christian religion or its civili;!:ing prin- ciples? Yes, they are Hindoos, and now " a pecuhar people," some of them formerly l^rahmins of INIalabar; who, before * Baitolonieo, p. 425. [62] means were used for their conversion, may have possessed as invincible prejudices against the rehgion of Christ as the Brahmins of Benares, or of Jaggernaut. Whatever good effects have been produced by the Christian religion in Malabar, may also be produced in Bengal, and in every other province of Iliudoostan. [63] CHAPTER II. OF THE EXTENSION OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA BY THE LABOURS OF PROTESTANT MISSIONARIES. 1. In the bill brought into Parliament in 1793 for communi- cating Christian instruction to our Asiatic subjects, there was a clause for an " Establishment of Missionaries and Schoolmas- ** ters." Such an establishment (if it ever should be necessary) might seem more properly to follow, than to precede, the recog- nition of our national church in Ilindoostan. It is probable, however, that the proposition for sending missionaries was less favourably received on account of the reigning prejudice against the name and character of " missionary." In England it is not professional in church or state. No honour or emolument is attached to it. The character and purpose of it are doubtful, and the scene of action remote. Even the propriety of sending missionaries any where has been called into question. 2. It is not, however, those Avho send missionaries, but those to whom they are setity who have a right to give an opinion iu this matter. [64 1 The same spirit Avhich scut missionaries to Britain in tfie fourth century will continue to send missionaries to the heathen world to the end of time, by the established church, or by her reliirious societies. 3. Wherever the Christian missionary comes, he is well re- ceived. Ignorance ever bows to learning: but if there be a desire to impart this learning, what barbarian will turn away? The priests will murmur Avhen the Christian teacher speaks as one having authority ; but " the common people will hear him *' gladly." AVhether in the subterranean hut of frozen Green- land, or under the shade of a banian-tree in burning India, a Christian missionary surrounded by the listening natives, is an interesting sight ; no less grateful to humanity than to Christian chanty. 4. But who is this missionary ? He is such as Swarlz in India, or Brainerd in America, or the Moravian in Labrador; one who leaving his country and kindred, and renouncing honour and emolument, embraces a life of toil, difficulty, and danger; and contented with the fame of instructing the ignorant, " looks *' for the recompense of eternal reward." There is a great difference between a civilizing mechanic and an apostolic missionary. A mechanic of decent morals is na doubt useful among barbarians. The few around him learn something of his morals with his trade. And it is the duty of [65] civilized states to use such means for improving the barbarous portions of the human race. But the apostohc missionary, who has studied the language and genius of the people, is a blessing of a higher order. His heavenly doctrine and its moral influence extend, like the light of the sun, over multitudes in a short time ; giving life, peace, and jo}"^, enlarging the conceptions, and giving birth to all the Christian charities. How shall we estimate the sum of human happiness produced by the voice of Swartz alone 1 Compared with him, as a dispenser of happiness, what are a thousand preachers of philosophy among a refined people ! 5. Some of the English think that we ought not " to disturb *' the faith of the natives." But some of the Hindoo Rajahs think differently. The King of Tanjore requested Mr. Swartz to disturb the faith of his wicked subjects by every means, and to make them, if possible, honest and industrious men. Mr. Swartz endeavoured to do so, and his services were acknow- ledged by the English government at jSIadras,* as well as by the King of Tanjore. In the year 1787, " the King of Tanjore " made an appropriation for ever of land of the yearly income " of five hundred pagodas, for the support of the Christian " missionaries in his dominions."-!- * By Lord Macartney and General Coote. t See Account of Proceedings of Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, for 1788. K [66] 6. In the debate in 1793, on the proposal for sending mis- sionaries to India, some observation was made on Mr. Swartz, honourable to himself as a man, but unfavourable to his objects as a missionary. The paper containing this speech reached Mr. Swarlz in India, and drew from him his famous Apology, published by the Society for promoting Christian knowledge. Perhaps no Christian defence has appeared in these latter ages more characteristic of the apostolic simplicity and primitive energy of truth, than this Apology of the venerable Swartz. Without detailing the extraordinary success of himself and his brethren in converting; thousands of the natives to the Christian religion, a blessing which some may not be able to appreciate ; he notices other circumstances of its beneficial in- fluence, which all must understand. His fellow missionary, " Mr. Gericke, at the time the war " broke out at Cuddalore, was the instrument, in the hands of " Providence, by which Cuddalore was saved from jilunder " and bloodshed. He saved many English gentlemen from be- " coming prisoners to Hyder Ali, which Lord Macartney kindly " acknowledged." Mr. Swartz twice saved the fort of Tanjore. When the cre- dit of the English was lost, and when the credit of the Rajah was lost, on the view of an approaching enemy, the people of the country refused to supply the fort with provisions; and the [67] streets were covered with the dead. But Mr. Swartz went Ibrtli and stood at the gale, and at his word they brought in a plentiful supply. Mr. Swartz, at different times, aided the English government in the collection of revenues from the refractory districts. He was appointed guardian to the family of the deceased King of Tanjore; and he was employed repeatedly as mediator be- tween the English government and the country powers. On one occasion, when the natives doubted the purpose and good faith of the English, they applied to Mr. Swartz; " Sir, if you " send a person to us, send a person who has learned all your " Ten Commandments."* 7. Some of the English think that we ought not to disturb * See Society Proceedings for 1792, page 114. Sliould Mr. Swartz's naiiie be mentioned in any future discussion, the honour of the English nation is pledged to protect his fame. The bishops and clergy of England, in their account of Proceedings of the " Society for promoting Christian Knowledge," for 1792, have sanctioned tiie following character of Mr. Swartz : *■' He is an example of all that is great and good in the character of ji Christian " missionary. He hath hazarded his life through a long series of years for the " name of our Lord Jesus Christ. His behaviour, while it has endeared him to " the common orders of men, has procured him admission before the throne of " the proudest monarch of the East. There do we find this vvorUiy servant of " God, pleading the cause of Christianity, and interceding for his mission ; and " doing it without offence. There do we find him renouncing every personal. " consideration ; and, in the true spirit of the divine Lawgiver, choosing rather " to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy any pleasures or dis- " tinctions which this world could afford him ; esteeming the reproach of Christ K2 [68] the faith of the Hindoos ! After the apostohc Swartz had la- boured for fifty years in evangehzing the Hindoos, so sensible Avere they of the blessing, that his death was considered as a public calamity. An innumerable multitude attended the fu- neral. The Hindoo Rajah " shed a flood of tears over the body, " and covered it Avith a gold cloth."* His memory is still blessed among the people. The King of Tanjore has lately written to the bishops of the English church, requesting that a monument of marble may be sent to him, " in order," he adds, " that it " may be erected in the church which is in my capital, to per- " petuate the memory of the late Reverend Mr. Swartz, and to " manifest the esteem I have for the character of that great and " good man, and the gratitude I owe to him, my father and my " friend." 8. But whence was this Swarly. ? and imder what sanction " and the advancement of lease; the present emperor and his court profess one. APPENDIX. 125 feith, and the people another. They are a curious and inquisitive race, and would most certainly read any neu- hook ■which should be put into their hands " The press in China," says Mr. Barrow, " is " as free as in England, and the profession of printing open to " every one. It was the press in Europe that opened a free access " to the doctrines of that religion, which of all others, is best cal- " culated for the promotion of individual happiness and public " virtue."* The copies of the bible would soon be multiplied in China. If an individual (a prime mover of the revolutionary opinions in Europe) found means to send his " Rights of Man"" to China,! shall not our national zeal in the defence of truth and of social happiness, urge us to diifuse among that people a code of nobler principles r There are no arguments against this measure of a benign philosophy and true philanthropy, but those Avhich are contained in the books of Voltaire and Rousseau. 6. The British nation, though so intimately connected with China by commercial negociation, has no institution for instruction in the Chinese language at home or abroad. The consequences of such disadvantage, on our injiuciice, our character, and our commerce at Canton, are well illustrated by an authentic historian, who had the best opportunities of obtaining information on the subject.;]; If it be possible any Mhere to furnish to Europeans the means of regular instruction in the Chinese language, it may be expected at the College of Fort William in Bengal ; our propinquity to China affording opportunities of obtaining a constant supjjly of teachers and books ; and of maintaining a regular correspondence with its learned men. Our territories on the continent are contiguous to the Chinese frontier ; and our islands are resorted to by the Chinese people. ♦ See Barrow's Travels, page 392. t Ibid. 3S6- J John Barrow, Esq. Secretary to Lord Macartney's Embassy. Sec his Travels in China, p gc 6l6. Mr. Bdiiow is the only writer from Kircher downwards, who has illustrated China. 126 APPENDIX. The French arc at this time cultivating the Chinese language with great assiduity; and no doubt with a prospect of certain ad- vantage. We have in India satisfactory evidence that they meditate an embassy to China, or a descent on Cochin China, as soon as peace in Europe shall give them opportunity.* " The French," says Mr. Barrow, "aware of the solid advantages that result from the know- *' ledge of languages, are at this time holding out every encou- *' ragement to the study of Chinese literature ; obviously not " without design. They know that the Chinese character is under- " stood from the gulf of Siam to the Tartarian Sea, and over a very " considerable part of the great Eastern Archipelago; and that the " Cochin Chinese, with whom they have already firmly rooted *' themselves, use no other writing than the pure Chinese character, " wliich is also the case with the Japanese. It is to be hoped there- " fore that the British nation will not neglect the means of being ** able to meet the French, if necessary, even on this ground."'!" • During the sliort interval of tlie last peace, this expe.lition was talked of publicly at the Mauritius; and mentioned to the English there as a project of France, to which th« British government could not possibly have any objection. t Barrow's Travels iu China, page 6X5. Tim END. Printed by W. Biilmcr ind Co. ClevcUud-Row, St. Jamn'i.. DISSERTATION ON THE PROPAGATION OF CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. IN TWO FARTS. IMPRIMATUR, Coll. Ball. Jan. 9, 1808. J. PARSONS, Vice-Can. DISSERTATION ON THE PROPAGATION OF CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. IN TJVO PARTS. TO WHICH IS PREFIXED, A BRIEF HISTORIC VIEW OF THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL IN DIFFERENT NATIONS SINCE ITS FIRST PROMULGATION ; ILLUSTRATED BY A CHRONOLOGICAL CHART. BY THE REV. HUGH PEARSON, M. A. OF ST. John's collkge, oxford. Toy ■srgoo'e^ovTa ^govov, uiv 'Egarai, xaigov 8(8ouf. PiND. OXFORD, AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS FOR THE AUTHOR : Sold by J. Parker ; by J. Hatchard, Piccadilly, and by MeflVs. Rivingtox, St. Paul's Church Yard, London. 1808. TO THE REV. CLAUDIUS BUCHANAN, D. D. VICE PROVOST OF THE COLLEGE OF FORT WILLIAM IN BENGAL, THE FOLLOWING DISSERTATION IS INSCRIBED, WITH SENTIMENTS OF UNFEIGNED RESPECT AND ESTEEM, BY THi: AUTHOR. Extras from a Letter of the Rev. Claudius Buchanan, D. D. Fice-Provofl of the College of Fort JVtUiam in Bengal, to the Rev. the Vice- Chancellor of the Univerfify of OxJ'ord, dated June 4, 1805. "SIR, " I HAVE the honour to propofe to the Univerfity of Oxford the fol- " lowing SubjetSls of Prize Compofition. " For the bell Work in Englifh Profe embracing the following Sub- " jects : " I. The probable Defign of the divine Providence in fubjedling fo *' large a portion of Alia to the Britifh dominion. " II. The Duty, the Means, and the Confequences of tranflating the " Scriptures into the Oriental Tongues, and of promoting Chrillian know- *' ledge in Afia. " III. A Brief Hiftoric View of the Progrefs of the Gofpel in different " nations, fince its firfl; promulgation ; illuflrated by Maps, fhewing its lu- " minous tracSl throughout the world ; with chronological notices of its " duration in particular places. The regions of Mahomedanifm to be " marked with red, and thofe of Paganifm with a dark colour. ;C500. " The Candidates to prefix fuch Title to the Work as they may think « fit." The determination of the Prize was directed to be announced on the fourth day of June, 1807, and a Copy of the Work to be prefented by the Univerfity to the King. A Convocation being holden on the thirteenth of December, ISOS, it was agreed to accept the faid Propofal ; and on the fourth of June, 180/, being the day appointed for that purpofe, the Prize was adjudged to the Rev. Hugh Pearson, M. A. of St. John's College. i PREFACE. 1 H E extenfive dominions which Great Britain has acquired in the Eaft are fo intimately conneAed with her general power and profperity, that no inquiry concerning them can be deemed alto- gether deftitute of importance. The fubjeAs of the following Diirertation are, therefore, entitled to no fmall ftiare of attention and regard, fince they relate to the higheft interefls both of India and of Britain. The diredlion, which has of late been given to the public mind with refpedl to them, will be applauded by all who conlider, that the firft duty, as it is the undoubted policy, of every government, is to provide for the civil and religious welfare of its fubjeds. Much difculTion has, in confequence, been already produced ; and it cannot be doubted, that a full and fair invelliga- tion of thefe points will iflue in a general convidion of the ne- ceffity of diffufing Chriftianity in Alia. The Author of the following pages is fully aware of the diffi- culty of fuch an inveftigation, and of the imperfeft manner in which he has conducted it. He could have wiihed, that his work b had X PREFACE. had been more worthy of the dilliiiguiflied approbation with which it has been honoured. He trufts, however, that he has evinced the probable Dcfign of the divine Providence in lubjeAing fo large a portion of Afia to our dominion ; that he has eftablifhed the Obligation of the Britifli government to promote the propaga- tion of the ChrilHan religion in that quarter of the world ; that he has recommended INIeans, the adoption of which would eventually fecure that objecf ; and that he has pointed out the beneficial Con- fequences which would probably refult from its attainment. It may perhaps be alted, why the Author fliould, in one parti- cular, have reverfed the order in which the fubjefts were arranged by Dr. Buchanan, in prefixing, infiead of fubjoining, the Brief Hiftoric View of the Progrefs of Chriftianity ? In reply to fuch a ffueftion, it may be obferved, that the view of the general propa- gation of the Gofpel from its fidl promulgation, ought naturally to precede the confideration of any meafures for its cxtenfion yet further in any particular country ; in order that the experience of patl ages might direcl us in the prefent, and that the means now propofod to be adopted might be fandlioned by former exam- ples. It may, however, be thought, that this Ililloric View, though as concife as the very extenfive nature of the fubjedl would allow, detains the reader unnecelTarily from the fubfequent difcullions, and bears an undue proportion to the reft of the work. Such an objedion, the Author conceives, derives its principal force from the extraordinary attention, which the queftion relative to PREFACE. xi to the propagation of Chrillianity in India has lately attraded. Under other circuniftances, the Hiftoric View of its progrefs would have appeared fufficiently interefting, to have authorized the aflignment of a larger fpace than it at prefent occupies. The Author does not prefent the annexed Chart to the public as anfwering his own wiihes, or as fulfilling the intention of Dr. Buchanan, in requiring maps for the illullration of the progrefs of the Gofpel. Its defign is to defcribe the prevalence of Chrilli- anity, Mohammedifm, and Paganifm, in different ages, through- out the world, fince the Chriftian aera ; and by a reference to the Hiftoric View, every part of it may be fufficiently explained. It would have been defirable to have exprelTed the extent and popu- lation of the countries, in which the religions in queftion feverally predominate. But, after much reflexion, the Author found, that this was an objedl, which could not be attained within the limits of the time appointed by Dr. Buchanan for the completion of the work. With refped to his fources of information, the fituation of the Author was, in general, unfavourable. He ought at the lame time to acknowledge, that, in fome parts of his Dillertation, he had the advantage of the fuggellions of one dillinguilhed per- fon, whofe fentiments on every point connected with Oriental po- licy are entitled to the higheft confideration. b2 It XI) PREFACE. It only remains for tlic Author, in difniifling the following flieets, to exprefs his cordial wifli, that they may in fome meafure be inftrumental in promoting the great objedl, which the benevo- lent Propofer of the prcfent inquiry has in view ; and in the ac- complifhment of which the Author feels deeply interefted, being firmly convinced, that it would be eminently conducive to the glory of God, the happinefs of his fellow creatures, and the prof- perity of his country. EiMDOK, Warwickshire. CON- CONTENTS. Page A Brief Hlftorlc View of the Progrefs of the Gofpel iti all 7ui- tionsfince itsfirfl promulgation ----- i A Dtffertation on the Propagation of Chrijlianity in Afia. Part I. On the probable Dejign of the divine Providence infubjeB- ingfo large a portion of Afia to the BritiJIi dominion - - y i Part II. On the Duty, Means, and Confequences of tranjlatmg the Scriptures into the Oriental languages, and of promoting Chri/fian knowledge in Afia. Chap. I. The Duty of tranflating the Scriptures into the Oriental languages, and of promoting Chriflian knozvledge in Afia - n ^ Chap. II. The Means of tranflating the Scriptures into the Orien- tal languages, and of promoting Chriflian knowledge in Afia. Sect. T. Tranflation of the Scriptures ----- jj? Sect. 2. An Ecclcfiajltcal FflabVijhment - - _ . j cq Sect. 3. Miffions -----... j^^g Sect. 4. Schools ...-.__. jg. Chap. III. The Confequences of tranflating the Scriptures into the Oriental languages, and of promoting Chriflian knowledge in Afia 1 03 Notes 21; BRIEF HISTORIC VIEW OF THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL IN DIFFERENT NATIONS SINCE ITS FIRST PROMULGATION. 1^ w Hi .tr^uii/uiiifui . ( — ^ — ___ liiusia . - ~~~~ - Hotlnitti, Xrthcrltiin/.t, ntiff Sivitzei'i'fititf. Piilotiti ii/i/f I'riisjiti — - ^■liutfinii Oominittiis. _S- - yraiire . " -, ^ — - .fpaiii, miff Poi-tiif/al . 1 n/ tJle ^efiitprralU'/ifi . - TiirL-ey X .luri Jli/uir, or A'/i/n/i/r -__ Pn/i'.rtiiir, diitl f/ir X.^ (ftherTurkhhUornimotu. - - Arahi/i . Fri-.iui . Intfiii , tfiffiin tfir (innflr.r. - Iiifliti. bevoiu( rtif C/iiim Triititry . I ,/ftfitiii . K'07'' XiiliKi, mu/ .lliv.isiiiiti . Stati:r ofHai/xtiy. _______ ^_____ — -^ Coast of' (riihioi rmi/jo ^ Mi>iufi/\ / / ^ ^ _J. / vw ^ ' Alt/ li tin . 1 Hijl 11/ t/ii- /iiti'i iiir. / -______^ < (rree/ilniit/ . / A'f'tr liritnifi . I.ii/iiiiitnr. OI^ ( / f'niini/n . ' yova Srottn . \ rnitrti Jta/rj. 1 i Islands i/i i/fifjal . \ 1 Mr.xico and Floridn. ! o ./ mo !i'i> v* >fl -fOfi -J ■•• .. .,. 1^ 7 V. Hi i> ,Orti - ^m - ■V :rrT ^ r.f , , , jjm> /.,-"" '""" '7' I! ' /fl/>n b ~ ~~~ . ^____ = . — t.Wit/ Jirifam ami - — , — ^_. anrl Sttitze'i'ttntt. Fo/im/t fi/if/ HnjJhi 1 (iei-mtim\ Olid ffie "~- — , ft-ancf -. _ .fpniii. (utti Poi-tiujitl ^'^^ ^ ^^___^ Jra(\: lUtti Jjltmifj --^ - — __, TuH-ey ^-—^ 1 -— < •X < ^hm Minor, or A 'fito/ia —-- ^-_____ r— —- ^ Fa/fjtiiir. find tJir irjt t'f .fvittt . 1 ^-— - --^ OthfrTurkifh Oomi/iii>tu ^ -- ^— - . Irufm. utffim tJi. Gan^AT. - ' : . Indidt. hri'oiid du- — rhmn 1 ' ^j:^ ^ Japan _, . ._ ^ — Xulnn. and .thwtsinin ^^^ZT ^""^ StittiJ vf' Btir/itiry ■^ - — ^^ (htur of'Ouhtea ' ' ' - — ffn/ffi , .^ & --- Afoni'mi'/ii/m or Morttituu/n A ^ Ihiihutn / CHR O.YOZ O GJCAL CHAR T \, Zttnijurhftf . / -C ' ' Xif/rittn . 7 ' JirJt t.f die Liti-i iiii ■ _ y iLiXiuniuii^ lue ivise aiici ii ogress , - *** (hcfjtiaitd ^ Zn/inidi>r _ OF CHRISTIANITY AND OF ^lOHAMMEDIhiSl fmuuhi 1 TJJRO rcHO UT Tim n "orl n , ~"-^,^ Xfiva Sct'tift . / \ -^.^ Fnitnl .itiitej //ir I*i'ffff/r/ff'f />/ ^^-~.^_^ Ijliuidj in oefirral . / ///J'/ r//d/ij//i' t f ///'un/y^// J)\' / -——___ ilf.nfo and F/oridn ///////'/ .\ff>/f/imm/v/icni /;i' //id' t'd'// ^'* /i\' fiit< //du-l' A'fi/i//d ■~ tUiyannJWti, (hdi ///(" /'r/i/i/i//ii/irr /•/' Pf///a///.wi - Btxud. \ : — f— -^-jfil- "^~"- Vr . -^^ ^l^_ L - ' BRIEF HISTORIC VIEW OF THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL IN DIFFERENT NATIONS SINCE ITS FIRST PROMULGATION. Abufque Eoo cardine ad ultimam Metam occldentis fidera permeans Obllqua, vitali calore Cunfta creatque, fovetquc, alitque. G. Buchanan. A HE flate of the world at the introdudlion of Chri ll:ia nit j vs^as State of the fuch as at once evinced its neceffity, and prefented the nioft fa-^u°s'^todw '' Yourable opportunity for its extenllve propagation. coming of The various nations, of which the Roman empire was com- pofed, were funk in the groliell fuperdition, and debafed by the prevalence of the moll pernicious vices'. The utmoft of what mere human wifdom could do towards the moral improve- ' See note A. B ment 2 BRIEF HISTORIC VIEW ment of the world had been fairly tried during the long courfe of four tlioufand years ; and the refult of that protracted trial had ferved to prove, that the world by its own wifdom knew not God, and was unable to difcover and enforce the principles of true religion and virtue. The Jews, the only people to whom a divine communication had been made, were in a ftate of degene- racy and corruption : it was time therefore that the fupreme Go- vernor of the univerfe, who for wife though myfterious reafons had fo long permitted this ignorance, fliould at length introduce fome clearer and more efFe(H:ual manifellation of his will, to cor- real the errors of mankind, and to refcue them from the corrup- tions and mifery in which the}'^ were involved. For the fuccefsful promulgation of fuch a divine revelation, the political Jit itation of the greater part of the world afforded peculiar advantages. Nations differing widely from each other, both as to their language and their manners, were comprehended within the vail limits of the Roman empire, and united together in ibcial in- tercourfe. An eafy communication %\as thus opened to the re- moteft countries; and the moll ignorant and barbarous people had gradually felt the civilizing influence of the laws, the commerce, and the literature of the Romans. At the birth of Chriil, the em- pire was, moreover, in a Hate of greater freedom from wars and difl'enfions, than it had been during many preceding years ; as if the tranquillity which it then enjoyed had been deligned not only to facilitate the progrcfs of his religion, but to be defcriptive of the benign and peaceful effe6ts which it was intended to produce among mankind. Birth and For fuch bcneficcnt purpofes, and at fuch an aufpicious period, Clirift7 ° ^^^ ^^" ^^ ^^^ defcended upon earth, and ali'umed our nature. It would be foreign to the purpofe of this brief view of the pro- grefs OF THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL. 3 grefs of Chrillianity, to dwell on the fucceeding hiftory of Chrill himfelf. Suffice it to fay, that, during the courfe of his miniftry upon earth, our Lord demonftrated the truth of his divine milTion by a feries of unqueftionable miracles ; delivered to his Difciples the leading dotlrincs and precepts of his religion; and, fliortly after his afcenfion, qualitied them, by the effufion of the Holy Ghoft, for the great and important work of propagating his religion through- out the world. It was the exprefs command of Chrift, that " repentance and CENT. " remiffion of fins fliould be preached in his name among all na- '■ " tions, beginning at Jerufklem." This is a paflage ot Scripture, cimrch firii which, as it has been jutlly obferved'', at once points out what the j^^^^^^^^^ "* Chriftian religion is, and where we may look for its commence- ment. The lirll Chriilian Church was accordingly ellablilhed at Jerufalem ; but within a lliort time after the memorable day of Pentecoll, many thoufands of the Jews, partly natives of Judaea, and partly inhabitants of other Roman provinces, were converted to the faith of Chrill:. The perlecution which foon after fucceeded the death of the proto-martyr St. Stephen was the occafion of propagating the Gofpel throughout Paletline. The Apoftles alone And through- ventured to remain at Jerufalem. The reft of the Difciples dif-°" perfcd themfelves into the fevcral parts of Judcea, Galilee, and Sa- maria ; and wherever they went, they fuccefsfully preached the do6lrine of Chrift. While the Apoftles and others were thus diligently employed in converfionof propagating the Gofpel, Saul of Tarfus was perfecuting the infant '' '^" ' Church. But in the midll of his career, he was fuddcnly con- ^ Milner's Church Hiftory, chap, i, B 2 verted 4 BRIEF HISTORIC VIEW CENT, verted to the faith of Chrill, and commiflioned as his Apoftle to '■ the Gentiles. Independently of the miraculous gifts with which this extraordinary man was endowed, his natural talents were of the highelt order, and he had made conllderablc attainments both in Hebrew and Grecian learning. He polVefled alfo a fpirit of in- defatigable labour, and of invincible fortitude and patience, which admirably qualified him for the arduous office to which he was called. To the eminent abilities and exertions of this great Apo- flle mull: accordingly be attributed much of the unparalleled fuc- cefs of the Gofpel at its firll: publication. About this time, the Churches throughout Juda?a, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed an interval of repofe from the perfecution of the Jews, and were in confequence confiderably ftrengthened and en- larged. At this favourable conjun6lure, Saint Peter leaving Jeru- falem, where, with the reft of the Apoftles, he had hitherto re- mained, travelled through all quarters of Paleftine, confirming the difciples, and particularly vifited I>ydda, Saron, and Joppa, the inhabitants of which places almoft univerfally received the Gof- pel <=. Admiffion of Hitherto Chritlianity had been preached to the Jews alone; but into the the time was now arrived for the full difcovery of the divine pur- chnftian p^^g ^^ extend the knowledge of it to the Gentiles. This im- portant event took place at Ciefarea, the refidence of the Roman Governor, about feven years after the afccnfion of our Lord. During the tranfaclions which have been juft related, fome further circumftances took place refpeding the extenfion of Chriftianity. When the Difciples, who were driven from Jeruliilem on the death of St. Stephen, had palled through Judiea and Samaria, they * A&.6 ix. 35. travelled OF THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL. 5 travelled as far as Phoenice, Cyprus, and Antioch, as yet confining <" ^ ^' T. their labours to the Jews. At length, however, feme of them, '■ — on their arrival at Antioch, addrefled themfelves to the Greek ^ in- habitants of that city, and a great number of them were in con- fequence converted to the faith. Intelligence of this event being communicated to the Church at Jerufalem, the Apoftles immedi- ately fent Barnabas, to confirm the work of their converfion ; who, finding fo promifing a field for Apofi:olical labours, went to Tarfus, and brought back with him the converted Saul. At An- Saul and Ear- tioch they continued a year, forming and cfiablifliing the firft lioJ;,^"/'' '^"' Chriftian Church among the heathen ; and in this city the Difci- ples were firft denominated Chrijiiam. The fubfequent hifiory in the A6ls of the Apollles is alnioft Travels of exclufively confined to the travels of St. Paul and his fellow- labourers, which are fo univerfally known, tliat it would be fuper- fluous to enter into any minute detail of them. It may be fuffi- cient to obferve in the words of the Apoftle himfelf, that " from " Jerufalem, and round about unto Illyricum, he fully preached " the Gofpel of Chrill:." This comprehenfive circuit included Sy- ria, Phoenicia, the rich and populous provinces of Afia Minor, and of Macedonia and Greece ; in which extenfive dilirids, the cities of Antioch, Lyllra, and Derbe, of Theifalonica and Philippi, of Athens, Corinth, and Ephefus, particularly witnefled his zeal and activity in the Chriftian caufe. Nor were thefe the boundaries of his miniftry. Rome itfelf, and, according to Clement and others'^, the countries weft of Italy, including Spain, and pof- fibly the fliores of Gaul and Britain, were vifited by this great ' i. e. Heathens. Sec the various reading. ' Wells's Hiftorical Geography of the Old and New Teftament, vol. ii. p. 298. Apoftle, ff BRIEF HISTORIC VIEW CENT. Apoftle, till his various labours in the fervice of Ch rift were at '■ — length terminated by his martyrdom near Rome in the year 64 or 65. Travels of the other Apoftles. Of tlie travels of the reft of the Apoftles, and of the further pro- pagation of Chriftianity during the remainder of the firft century, but very fliort and iniperfedl accounts remain. St. Peter was more particularly fuccefsftil amongft his countrymen the Jews. The laft hiftorical notice in Scripture of this zealous Apoftle pre- fents him to us at Antioch. After this, he was probably engaged in preaching chiefly to the Jews of the difperfion in Pontus, Gala- tia, Cappadocia, Afia proper, and Bithynia, to whom his firft Epiftle is addrelTed; and about the year 03, he is fuppofed to have left thofe provinces, and to have proceeded to Rome'; where he is reported to have received the crown of martyrdom in the fame year with his illuftrious fellow-apoftle St. Paul. St. John is faid to have continued in Paleftine till near the com- mencement of the Jewifli war, (A. D. 66.) at which eventful pe- riod he quitted that devoted country, and travelled into Afia. lie fixed his refidence at Ephefus ; which celebrated city and the neighbouring territory were the great fcene of his miniftry during the remainder of his long extended life. St. Matthew, according to Socrates ^, preached in the Afiatic Ethiopia. Egypt, according to Eufcbius and St. Jerome, was vi- ftted by St. Mark, who founded a Church at Alexandria. The extenfive field which is atrigncd to St. Thomas by Origen and So- phronius is Parthia, Media, Carmania, Baftriana, and the neigh- bouring nations. Socrates records St. Andrew to have preached in Scythia, and St. Bartholomew in India. f Eufeb. Hift. Eccl. lib. iii. Ilift. Eccl. lib. i. c. 19. Befides OF THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL. 7 Befides the dillricls which are thus alhgned by eccleflaftical c E N T. tradition to thefe Apoftles, there are others, in which Chrillian '■ — Churches were unqueftionably planted, and which are incidentally mentioned in Scripture ; as Cyrene and its neighbourhood, and the whole northern coall of Africa ; Cyprus, Crete, and the illands of the ^gean fea. It is, however, impoffible to trace with accu- racy the travels of the Apoftles and their various fellow-labourers in the great ^^'ork of propagating Chriftianity throughout the world. Yet it is evident from the narrative of St. Luke, from the Epi- General pro- files of St. Paul and St. Peter, from the teftimony of ecclefiaftical fia'^ji^?, durin'r writers, and occafionally even of heathen authors themfelves '', ''"^ /^''^ """ that the Gofpel was preached in almoll every quarter of the Roman empire, and even far beyond its boundaries, within the fpace of thirty years after our Lord's afcenlion ; and that in moft of thofe parts great numbers were " daily added to the " Church i." Before we purfue the hillory of its progrefs during the fubfe- Cauii-softhe quent ages, it may not, however, be irrelevant to the defign of "gj,, of the this brief Iketch of the fubje6t, to advert to the caiifes of the rapid tJo'pei- extenfion of the Gofpel which has been juft exhibited, and to the effc^s which it produced in the world. Various have been the attempts of Antichrillian writers to account for the extraordinary propagation of Chriftianity at this period from the operation of '■ See particularly Tacit. Annal. lib. xv. C. Plin. Trajano Imp. lib. x. Ep. 97. with Paley's remarks on thofe paffages, Evid. vol. ii. p. 234. ' Col. i. 6, 23. The extraordinary progrefs of Chriftianity during the firft cen- tury is admirably dcfcrlbed by Bifliop Pearfon, in his Expofition of the Creed, Art. Chr'ijl; and by Dr. Palcy, Evidences, vol. ii. p. aao — 327. See alfo note B. caufes 8 BRIEF HISTORIC VIEW CENT, caufes merely human. One ingenious and laboured effort of this '■ kind was particularly made by a late celebrated hillorian •', whofe unhappy prejudices againft the religion of Chrift led him to attri- bute its rapid fuccefs to certain caufes, which he reprefented as being wholly unconnedled with any divine interpofition. It cannot be denied, that the wifdom of Providence had or- dained the introduction of Chriftianity at a period, when the Hate of the world was peculiarly favourable to its fuccefsful propaga- tion ; and to thele we liave already briefly adverted. Yet, not- withlianding the moral neceffities of mankind, and the extent, union, and peace of the Roman empire, Chrillianity had to contend with ditficulties, M'hich no mere human fupport could have enabled it to furmount. It was diredly oppofed to the moll inveterate prejudices of the Jews, and to the prevailing principles, cuftoms, and inclinations of the Gentiles. Its myf- terious and humiliating dodlrines were calculated to offend the pride of the philofopher ; the limplicity of its worthip but ill accorded with the multiplied fuperrtitions of the vulgar; and the purity and llridnefs of its moral precepts were alike irreconcile- able to the vicious difpolitions and pradices of all. In addition to thcfe difficulties, Chriliianity had to encounter, both amono- Jews and Gentiles, the machinations of interefted pricfts, and the jealous and oppreffive policy of princes and magillrates ; and actually fuf- taincd a feries of perfecutions from its firll: introdudion to its elta- blilbment as the religion of the Roman empire, which were alone fufficient to have overwhelmed and extinguithed a fyftem not ^ Hift. of ihe Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol. i. chap. 15. For fa- tlsfaftory replies to the reafonings and infinuations of the fceptical hirtorian, fee the BiOiop of Llandaff 's Apology for Chriftianity, and the Tracls of Lord Hailes and Mr. Milner. founded OF THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL. Q founded in truth, and fupported only by human wifdom and CENT. power. '■ — - That Chriftianity, as is univerfally acknowledged, fhould tri- umph over thefe accumulated difficulties, and, within the firft cen- tury after its introdudlion, become widely diffufed, not only in rude and barbarous countries, but among the moll civilized and polithed nations of the world, that is, under circumftances w^hich muft have proved fatal to the moll artful impofture, is a fad: unparal- leled in the hillory of mankind, and can only be fatisfadorilv ac- counted for on the ground of its divine origin, and of fome fuper- natural interpofition in its favour. And fuch interpolition, ac- cording to the exprefs promife of their divine Mailer, a6lually ac- companied the minillry of the Apoftles ; " They went forth and " preached every where, the Lord working with them, and con- " firming the word with figns following '." The various miracu- lous gifts which they publicly exercifed, and communicated to' others, irrelillibly engaged the attention of mankind, and indif- putably confirmed the divine origin and truth of their dotlrine. But, befides thefe more extraordinary and fenfible attcllations to their minillry, there were both in their inllructions themfelves, and in the manner in which they were conveyed, and in their ge- neral difpofitions and condu6l, as real, though not as linking, marks of divine agency and guidance. They difplayed in the moft fimple yet forcible manner the intrinfic excellence of Chrillianity, the perfection of its morality, the purity and llrength of its mo- tives, the awful nature of its punifliments, and the fublimity of its rewards. They were, above all, examples in their own perfons of the truths which they laboured to inculcate upon others, exhibit- ing in their uniform practice the fublimeft virtues of our holy re- ligion. ' Mark xvi. 20. c Nor ir> BPxIEF HISTORIC VIEW CENT. Nor was the rel'ult of their endeavours to inllru6l and reform — ;^— — mankind lefs eminently fuccefsful than might jullly be expected fluence oi froHi the Operation of fuch powerful caufes. The change which Clinihanity. ^.^g gradually eifeded in the moral condition of the world by the labours of the firft preachers of Chrillianity, is univerfally allowed to have been, in the higheft degree, beneficial and important. The ftate of fuperttition and vice, in which both Jews and Gentiles were involved previous to the introdudlion of Chriftianity, has been al- ready mentioned ; but a llriking difference immediately appears wherever either were converted to that heavenly religion. The accounts which may be derived from the A6ls of the Apollles and from the Epillles of St. Paul, confirmed as they are incidentally by the teftimony of an impartial witnefs ", exhibit the moll pleaf- ing and fatisfadlory view of the pure and elevated principles, dif- pofitions, and manners of the primitive Chriftians. The influence of Chriflianity was, it is true, at firft confined to individuals, and chiefly to the middle and lower clafles of fociety. But as the numbers of the Difciples are uniformly reprefented to have borne, at an early period, no inconfidcrable proportion to the rell of the people, and were every where daily increafing, the beneficial con- fequences of their principles and conducl were felt in public as well as in private life. jNIany immoral and cruel practices were difcontinued, and at length aboliflied ; the condition of the lower orders of the people was gradually ameliorated, and the general " See the letter of Pliny already referred to, in which the blanielefsnefs and purity of charader which difiinguiflied the firft difciples of Chrift are diftinAIy acknowledged. The ancient Apologifts, alfo, of the Church conflantly appeal to their virtuous condu6l, and to the beneficial effedls of Chriflianity, as an evidence in their favour, with a confidence which nothing but a confcioufnefs of its truth could have infpired. ftate OF THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL. 1 1 ftate of the Roman empire became in the courfe of a few cen- cent. tunes vifibly and efl'entially improved ". — But to refume our account of the progrefs of Chriftianity. cent. During the fecond century the boundaries of the Chriftian Church ' were confiderablv enlarged. It is, indeed, by no means eafv to ^'^"S^fs dur- . . ' , •' ing the le- determme, with any degree ot certamty, the different countries cond century into which the Gofpel was firll introduced in this age. Juftin the 'sL^rGaui ' martyr, who wrote about the year 106 after the afcenfion of our ^"'^ ^"'^i"' Lord, fpeaks of its extenfive propagation in thefe remarkable words : " There is not a nation, either of Greek or Barbarian, or " of any other name, even of thofe who wander in tribes and Uve " in tents, amongft whom prayers and thankfgivings are not of- " fered to the Father and Creator of the univerfe by the name ot " the crucified Jefus°." Thefe expreffions of the eloquent Father may be admitted to be fomewhat general and declamatory ; yet it is obvious, that his defcription mull, in a confiderable degree, have correfponded with the truth. Undoubted teftimonies remain of the exiftence of Chriftianity in this century in Germany, Spain, Gaul, and Britain. It is poffible, as we have already feen, that the light of the Gofpel might have dawned on the Tranfalpine Gaul before the conclufion of the Apoftolic age ; but the eftablifliment of Chriftian Churches in that part of Europe cannot be fatisfaclo- rilv afcertained before the fecond century P. At that period, Po- ■ See, on the fubjeft of the beneficial influence of Chriftianity, Paley's Evi- dences, vol. ii. chap. 7. and the Biniop of London's late Eftay. See alfo Mr. Nares's Sermon on the Tranllation of the Scriptures into the Oriental Languages, note 17. ° Dial, cum Tryph. p See note C. Mofticim fuppofes, that fome preachers in the firft ages might have laboured in Gaul, but with little fuccefs. And with this opinion Tillcmoiit c 2 nearly 12 BRIEF HISTORIC VIEW CENT, thinus, in concert with Irenaeus and others from Afxa, laboured lb II. fuccefstully in Gaul, that Churches were founded at Lyons and V'ienne. From Gaul Chrirtianity appears to have palVcd into that part of Germany which was fubjecl to the Romans, and from thence into our own country. By Tertullian alfo it is related, that the Moors and Gretulians of Africa, feveral nations inhabiting the borders of Spain, various provinces of France, and parts of Britain inaccefllble to the Romans, and alfo the Sarmatians, Daci, Germans, and Scythians, received the Gofpel in this age 1. To- wards the end of the century, Pantjenus, a philofopher of Alex- andria, is faid by Eufebius"" to have preached in India, and to have found Chrillians in that country. But although there is reafon to believe that India had already partially received the light of Chrillianity, it is more probably fuppofed, that the labours of Pan- tasnus were directed to certain Jews of Arabia Felix, who had been previoufly inllrucled by St. Bartholomew the Apoftle^. Caufei. Tliefame caiifcs, which produced the extraordinary and rapid fuccefs of Chrillianity in the firll century, contributed to its pro- grefs in the fecond. The gift of tongues was, indeed, beginning to be withdrawn from the preachers of the Gofpel ; but other mi- raculous powers were undoubtedly continued during this century; nearly agrees. See Moftieim. Comment, de Rebus Chriftianis ante Conftantinum, fed. 3. The late reception of Chriftianity in Gaul is argued from Sulp. Sev. lib. ii. cap. 32. " Ac turn primum inter Gallias niartyria vifa ; ferius trans Alpes " religione Dei fufcepta." Tlicfe were the martyrs of Lyons. ■s Ad Jud. c. 7. ' Hift. Eccl. lib. V. cap. 10. • See Mofheini, cent. ii. part i. Other ecclefiaftical writers, however, inter- pret this account of Eufcbius as literally referring to India, particularly Jortin and Milner. though OF THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL. 13 though, as the number of Chrillian Churches increaled, they were C E NT. Tf gradually diminilhed. In addition to thele divine and lupernatu- ■ ral caufes of the propagation of Chrillianity, one of a more ordi- nary nature may be mentioned, as having contributed materially to this important efFed. This w^as the tranjlation of the New TeJ- tanient into different languages, more efpecially into the Latin, which was now more univerfally known than any other. Of the Latin verfions, that which has been diflinguiflied by the name of the Italic ' was the moil celebrated, and was followed by the Sy- riac, the Egyptian, and the Ethiopic, the dates of which cannot, however, be accurately afcertained. In the third centurij the progrefs of Chrillianity in the world CENT. was very confiderable, though, with refped; to the particular coun- '■ — tries into which it was introduced, the fame degree of uncertainty prevails as was noticed in the fecond. The celebrated Origen, hav- ing been invited from Alexandria by an Arabian prince, fucceeded in converting a tribe of wandering Arabs to the Chriftian faith". The fierce and warlike nation of the Goths, who, inhabiting the Converfion 1 • ^ of the Goths. countries of JNIcena and Ihrace, made perpetual incurfions into the neighbouring provinces, and fome likewife of the adjoining tribes of Sarmatia, received the knowledge of the Gofpel by means of feveral Bifliops, who were either fent thither from Afia, or had become their captives. Thefe venerable teachers, by the miracu- lous powers which they exercifed, and by the fandity of their lives, became the inrtruments of converting great numbers, and, in procefs of time, of foftening and civilizing this rude and barba- rous people. ' The origin of this denomination is uncertain. See, hovveverj fome obferva- tions upon it in the Chrillian Obferver for May 1807, p. 283. " Eufeb. Ilift. Eccl. lib. iv. cap. 19. p. 331. In 14 BRIEF HISTORIC VIEW CENT. III. Progrefs in Fiance. In France, during the reign of the Emperor Deeius^, and in me niidfl of his perfccution, the Chrillian Churches, which had hi- therto been chiefly confined to tlie neighbourhood of Lyons and Vienne, were confiderably increafed. By the labours of many pious and zealous men, amonglt whom Saturninus, the firfl Bifhop of Touloufe, was particularly dilUnguiflied, Churches were founded at Paris, Tours, Aries, Narbonne, and in feveral other places. From thefe fources, the knowledge of the Gofpel fpread in a fliort time through the whole country. In the courfe of this century, Chrillianity flourilhed in Germany, particularly in thofe parts of it which border upon France. Maternus, Clemens, and others, founded, in particular, the Churches of Cologne, Treves, and Metz. No pofitive account has been tranfmitted relpecfting the progrel*s' intheBritifhof Chrillianity in the Britifh ifles during the third century. The hillorians of Scotland contend, indeed, that the Gofpel tfien firft vifited that country; and there is reafon to believe that their ac- count may be true J^ ille: ;i.>- Caules. In this century, the clemency and mildnefs of feverat oftlie Roman emperors, and the encouragement which fome of them gave to Chrillianity, tended materially to augment its influ- ence ; and though the number of miracles was confiderably dimi- nifhed, fome extraordinary powers were flill continued to the Church. The piety and charity of the Chrillian difciples conti- nued alfo to excite the notice and admiration of the heathen ; and the zealous labours of Origen and others in the tranllation and difperfion of the New Teftament, and in the compofition of dif- ferent works in the defence and illullration of Chriftianitv, con- * A. D. 250. y See Uflier and Stillingfleet, Antiq. et Orig. Eccl. Brit. tri bated OF THE PROGRESS OF TFIE GOSPEL. 15 tributed to increale the number of Chriftians, and to extend the cent, boundaries of the Church. — — — Hitherto Chriftianity had been eftabHflaed and propagated in the cent. world, not only independently of all human contrivance and fup ~ — port, but in oppofition to every fpecies of worldly authority. During the long courfc of three hundred years, the Church had been expofed to the malice and power of its numerous and for- midable enemies. It had fuflained the fiery trial of ten perfecu- tions, and the various efforts which had been made to extinguilli or deprefs it. But, inflead of finking under the weight of thefe calamities, the numbers of the difciples were every where multi- plied, q^nd the limits of Chriftianity were progrefTively enlarged. Early, however, in the fourth century a different fcene began to be prefented. About the year 312, Conflantine the Great, having Comerfion of defeated the tyrant Maxentius, granted to the Chriflians full liberty SieSt!" to live according to their own inllitutions ; and fbon afterwards himfelf embraced the Chriftian religion. Various realbns might concur in producing this important event. The Chriflians were, at this period, the mofl powerful, though not the mofl numerous party. Arnobius % who wrote immediately before Conllantine's acceffion to the imperial throne, fpeaks of the whole world as filled with the do6lrine of Chrifl, of an innumerable body of Chrif- tians in diftant provinces, and of their progrefTive increafe in all coun- tries. The evident tendency of Chriftianity to promote the fiability of government, by enforcing the obedience of the people, and the general pra6tice of virtue, doubtlefs, alio, contributed to increale this favourable imprefTion on the mind of Conffantine. And, what is moi-e to his honour, it is probable, that, in procefs of time, ^ Arnob. in Gentes, lib. i. he l6 BRIEF HISTORIC VIEW CENT, he acquired more extenfive views of the excellence and importance IV. . . '■ — of the Chriftian religion, and gradually arrived at an entire con- viction of its divine origin. About the year 321, when, in confe- quence of the defeat and death of Licinius, he remained fole lord of the Roman empire, ConlLintine openly avowed his oppofition Zeal of Con- to Paganifm. From that period, he earneftly exhorted all his fub- feme of his jects to embrace the Golpel ; and, at length, towards the cloie or uuceiors. jjjg reign, zealoufly employed the refources of his genius, the au- thority of his laws, and the influence of his liberality, to complete the dell:rud:ion of the Pagan fuperftitions, and to ertablifli Chrifti- anity in every part of the empire. ' The fons of Conltantine imitated the zeal of their father, as did all his fuccellbrs in this century, with the exception of the apoftate Julian, whofe infidious attempts to reftore the rites of Paganifm occafioned a fliort interruption to the triumphant progrefs of Chriftianity. Thefe were, however, fpeedily counter- balanced by the renewed eflbrts of Jovian, and the fucceeding em- perors, to the time of Theodofius the Great ». The activity and determination of this illulirious prince were exerted in the moll efleclual manner, in the extirpation of Pagan idolatry and fuper- rtition, and in the ertablilhment and advancement of Chriflianity ; fo that towards the dole of this century the religion of the Gentiles leemed to be fall tending towards negleft and extindion ''. The fevere edidls, and the violent means \\hich were otherwife em- ployed to efFedl this important purpofe, mull unquellionably be condemned. But it mud be remembered, that Chrillianity cannot be julUy chargeable with the errors of its friends, and that the » A. D. 379. ^ The language of St. Jerome flrongly conveys this idea. " Solitudineni patU " tur et in urbc gentilitas. Dii quondam nationum, cum bubonibus et notftuis, in " folis culminibus remanferunt." Jcr. ad Lc6l. Kp. 57. wife OF THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL. 17 wife and tolerant maxims which are now lb generally acknow- cent. ledged, were not then fufficiently known, or were erroneoully — ~ — deemed inapplicable to the grofs fuperftition of the Gentiles. But if fuch were the zeal of Conftantine and his fucceflbrs in the caufe of Chrirtianity, we cannot be furprifed at its fuccefsful extenfion amongft many barbarous and uncivilized nations. During this century, the province of Armenia, which had pro- Progrefa of bably been, in fome meafure, vifited with the light of Chrillianity J;,'''^^^'",^. at its firft rife, became completely illuminated. This change was chiefly produced by the labours of Gregory, commonly called the EjiUghtener. In Perfia alfo, which is fuppofed to have contained Perfi*. many Chrillians even in the firlt and fecond centuries, the Gofpel was during the prefent more extenfively propagated. Towards the middle of this century", Frumentius, an inhabitant Abyffmia. of Egypt, carried the knowledge of Chrillianity to a people of Ethiopia, or Abylfinia, whofe capital was Auxumis. He baptized their king, together with feveral perfons of the highell rank in his court; and, returning into Egypt, was confecrated by St. Athana- fius the firft Biftiop of that country, where he afterwards preached with great fuccefs. The Church thus founded in Abyflinia con- tinues to this day, and tlill confiders herfelf as a daughter of Alex- andria. Chrillianity was introduced into the province of Iberia, between Iberia. the Euxine and the Cafpian feas, now called Georgia, by means of a female captive, during the reign of Conllantine, whofe pious ' A.D. 333. D and, 18 BRIEF HISTORIC VIEWlTIT HO C F. N T. and, as it is aflerted'', miraculous endowments lb deeply imprefled IV. the king and queen, that they abandoned idolatry, and lent to Conftantinople for proper perlbtis to inltrud; them and their fub- jedls in the knowledge of the Chriftian religion. TheHomeri- Soon after the death of Conftantine, his fon Conftantius fent an embalTy to a people called Honieritae, fuppofed to have been the ancient Sabaeans, and the pollerity of Abraham by Keturah, dwelling in Arabia Felix. One of the principal ambafladors was Theophilus, an Indian, who in his youth had been fent as aa hoftage to Conllantine from the inhabitants of the illand Diu, and i»tif«;) fettling at Rome led a monallic life, and obtained great reputation for fandity. By this miirionary the Gofpel was preached to the Homeritre ; the king and many of the people were converted, and Chrillianity was crtabliflied in their country. After this, Theophi- lus went to Diu, and in his way pafled through many regions of India, where the Gofpel was already received, and where he redi- fied fome irregularities in practice. Both Theophilus, however, and thefe Indian Chrillians, were Arians'. ^uJa Among the During the reign of the Emperor Valens, a large body of the Goths, who had remained attached to their ancient fuperftitions, notwithftanding the previous converfion of fome of their country- men, were permitted by that prince to pals the Danube, and. to inhabit Dacia, INIoefia, and Thrace, on condition of living fubjed: to the Roman laws, and of embracing Chrillianity : this condi- tion was accordingly accepted by their king Fritigem. The cele- "i By Rufinus, and after liim by Socrates, Sozomen, and Theodorct. See Jortin, Eccl. Remarks, vol. ii. 73. ' Jortin, vol. ii. brated ^*?*kV :■ I OF THE PROGRESS OP THE GOSPEL. 19 brated Ulphilas, Bilhop of thofe Goths who dwelt in Moefia, con- CENT, tributed greatly to their improvement, by travjlatbig the four — ^^L— Gq/'pels into the Gothic language. Notwithftanding the utmoft efforts of the Chriftian Bidiops in the European provinces of the empire, great numbers of Pagans Hill remained. In Gaul, however, the labours of the venerable i" Gaul. Martin of Tours were fo fuccefsful in the deftrudion of idolatrv and fuperftition, and the propagation of Chriftianity, that he julUy acquired the honourable title of the Apojlle of the Gauls. 'jn. iioThe authority and the examples of Conftantine and his imperial Caufes. lucceflbrs probably tended greatly to the progrefs of the Chrillian religion during this century. But it is, at the fame time, undeni- able, that the indefatigable zeal of the BiJ/iops, and other pious men, the fandity of their lives, the intrhific excellence of Chrijli- anity, the various tranflations of the facred writings, and the fu- pernatural powers which, though greatly diminiflied, probably Hill exilted, in fome meafure, in the Church, mull be allowed to have moll materially contributed to this extraordinary fuccefs*^. . lAt the beginning of the fffh century the Roman empire was cent. divided into two diftincl fovereignties, under the dommion of Ar- '■ — cadius in the Eaft, and of Honorius in the Weft. The confufions and calamities which about this period attended the incurfions of the Goths, the temporary pofleflion of Italy by Odoacer, and the fubfequent etlablifliment of the kingdom of the Ollrogoths, were undoubtedly prejudicial to the progrefs of Chriftianity. The zeal of the Chriftian emperors, more efpecially of thofe who Progrefs of Chrilliaaitj'. f See note D. D 2 reigned 20 BRIEF HISTORIC VIEW CENT, reigned in the Eaft, was, not withft:inding, luccefsfully exerted in V. extirpating the remains of the Gentile fuperllitions, and the Church continued daily to gain ground on the idolati-ous nations in the empire. In the Eaft, the inhabitants of Mount Libanus and Antilibanus were induced, by the perfuafions of Simeon the Stylite, to embrace the Chriftian religion. By his influence, alfo, it was introduced into a certain diftrift of the Arabians. Indians on About the middle of this century, the Indians on the coaft of Malabar. Malabar were converted to Chrillianity by the Syrian Mar-Tho- mas, a Neltorian, who has been confounded by the Portuguele with the Apoftle St. Thomas^. Some ecclefiaftical writers^ in- deed, place the arrival of this millionary in India during the feventli century. But it is, perhaps, more correal to refer this lat- ter event to the confirmation of the Church already in a flourifli- ing ftate, by the labours of two other Syrians, Mar-Sapor and Mar-Perofis, during that century''. To thefe inftances of the pro- grefs of Chriftianity in the Eaft, may be added the converfion of a confiderable number of Jews in the ifland of Crete, who had beeii previoufly deceived by the pretenlions of the impoftor Moles Cre- German na- tenfis. In the Weft, the German nations, who had deftroyed that divifion of the empire, gradually embraced the religion of the con- quered people. Some of them had been converted to the Chriftian faith before their incurftons upon the empire ; and fuch, amongft others, was the cafe of the Goths. It is, however, uncertain at what time, and by whofe labours, the Vandals, Sueves, and Alans K See Afiatic Refearches, vol. vii. Account of the St. Tliome Cliriflians on the coaft of Malabar, by F. Wicde, Efq. Thefe Cliriftians will again be noticed in a fubfequent part of this work. '' See note E. were tions OF THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL. 21 ^rere evangelized. The Burgundians, who inhabited the banks of cent. the Rhine, and who palled from thence into Gaul, received the '■ — Golpel, hoping to be preferved by its divine Author from the ra- vages of the Huns. And, in general, thefe fierce and barbarous nations were induced to embrace the Chrillian religion by the de- fire of living in greater fecurity amidft a people who, for the molt part, profefled it ; and from a perfuafion that the dod:rine of the majority mull be the bell. -fit was on fimilar principles that Clovis, king of the Salii, a na-The Franks. tion of the Franks, whofe kingdom he founded in Gaul, became a convert to Chrillianity, after a battle with the Alemanni in the year 496, in which he had implored the affillance of Chrill. This prince, pro%'ing viclorious, was baptized at Rheims by Remigius, Bifliop of that city ; and the example of the king was immediately followed by the baptifm of three thoufand of his fubje6ls. It is fcarcely necefl'ary to obferve, that there was probably but little of convidlion or fincerity in either. In Britain, Chrillianity was al- moft extinguiflied by the predatory incurfions of the Scots and Pie Turks, of the eighth century, the Turks, the delcendants of a tribe of Tartars, rufhed from the inacccllible wilds of Mount Caucafus, overran Colchis, Iberia, and Albania, purfued their rapid courfe from thence into Armenia, and, after having fubdued the Sara- cens, turned their victorious arms againll the Greeks ; whom, in procefs of time, they reduced under their dominion. During the laft twenty years of this century, the provinces of Afia Minor, which had been the fplendid fcene of the firft Chriltian triumphs, were ravaged by the impious arms of the Caliphs, and the inhi- bitants opprefled in the moll barbarous manner. (itf [} ^nni'h CENT. While, however, the fuccefs of the Mohammedan arms was — — '— thus fubjedling lb large a part of the Eaftern empire, and obfour- ing, as far as their influence extended, the glory of the Clirillian Church, the Neftorians of Chalda^a carried the faith of the Gofpel, Progrefs of fxich as thcv profcflcd, to the Scythians, or Tartars, who were Chriftianity ^ ,.,.",,.•/- a r i i in Tartary. ICated Wlthui tllC llUUtS ot jNlount ImaUS '. -..iv.jiU juj In Europe, feveral unenlightened nations were, during the eighth centi/T'i/, brought to the knowledge of Chriftianity; The In GciTOany. Germans, who, with the exception of the Bavarians, the Eall Frieflanders, and a few other nations, had hitherto refilled every attempt to inllrud: them, were at length converted to the faith of Chrift, by Winfrid, an Englilh Benedidine monk, and afterwards known by the name of Boniface. By the indefa- tigable exertions of this celebrated miflionarv, the Chriflian re- ' This exprcfTion comprehends Turkiftan and Mongul, the Ulbeck, Kalmuck, and Nagaian Tartary, which were peopled by the Baftrians, Sogdians, Gandari, Sacae, and Maflagetes. ligion OF THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL. 27 ligion was fuccefsfully propagated throughout Friefland, Hefle, c E N T. Thuringia, and other diftrifts of Germany. During the fame pe ^ ' ' riod, Corbinian, a French Benedidline monk, laboured affiduouflj amongll the Bavarians. Rumold, a native either of England or Ireland, travelled into Low^er Germany and Brabant, and difFufed the truths of Chriftianity in the neighbourhood of Mechlin. Fir- min, a Gaul by birth, preached in Alface, Bavaria, and Switzer- land. Liefuvyn, a Briton, laboured with the moll ardent zeal, though with but little fuccefs, to convert the Belga^ and other neighbouring nations ; whilll Willebrod, and others, perfevered in the work which they had fo happily begun in the preceding cen- tury. To the account of the acceflions to the Chrillian Church during this century, mull finally be added the converfion of the Saxons, a numerous and formidable people, who inhabited a con- fiderable part of Germany, and of the Huns in Pannonia, by the warlike zeal of Charlemagne. The violent methods, which were uled by this great prince for the accomplilhment of his defign, dellroy both the merit and genuinenefs of his fuccefs, although the ultimate effect of it undoubtedly tended to the propagation o( Chriftianity. *A^ arnul We are now advancing into thofe dark and fuperftitious ages, CENT. IX. in which the light of Chriftianity could fcarcely be diUinguillied, even in the countries which already nominally polfelled it. About the middle, however, of t/ie ninth century, Cyril and Methodius, Progrefs of two Greek monks, were the inllrnments of converting the Moe- amon<^ft the fians, Bulgarians, and Chazari, to the Chriftian faith. Their la- ^^'^*'^"'* bours were afterwards extended to the Bohemians and Moravians, Bohemians, at the requell of the princes of thofe nations, who, with many of their fubjefts, fubmitted to the rite of baptifm. E 2 About CENT. IX. 28 BRIEF HISTORIC VIEW About the year 867, under the reign of the Emperor Bafilius the Macedonian, the Sclavonians, Arentani, and others, inhabit- In Daimatia. aiits of Dahnatia, fent an cmbaHy to Conllantinople, declaring their refolution of fubmitting to the Grecian empire, and of era- bracing the Chrillian rehgion ; and requelting.to be fupplied with fuitable teachers. Their requeft was granted, and thofe provinces were included within the pale of the Church. In Ruffia. The fierce and barbarous nation of the Ruffians, inhabitants of the Ukraine, embraced the Gofpel under the reign of the lame emperor. The obfervations, however, which were made at the clofe of the fixth century, refpecling the nature of fuch convetf fions as have been jull related, muft conftantly be borne in mind. In the cafe of numbers of individuals, the profeffion of Chrillianity was, no doubt, fincere ; but as to the great body of the people, it was probably merely formal. In the courfe of this century, Chriltianity began to be preached in the frozen regions of Scandinavia'", and on the Ihores of the Baltic, which had hitherto been involved in the groflelt Pagan Jutland. darkncfs. In the year 826, Harold, king of Jutland, being ex- pelled from his dominions, implored the protection of the Empe- ror Lewis, the fon and fuccellbr of Charlemagne. That prince promifed him his affiftance, on condition that he would embrace Chrillianity, and permit the minifters of that religion to preach in his dominions. To this the Danilh prince contented. He was ac- cordingly baptized, and returned to his own country, attended by two eminently pious ecclefiallics, Aulcarius and Aubert, monks of ■" This term commonly Includes the three kingdoms of Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. Corbie. OF THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL, 29 Corbie. Thefe venerable miffionaries laboured with remarkable cent. fuccefs durino; two years, in converting the rude inhabitants of Cimbria and Jutland. On the death of his eompanion, the zealous and indefatigable Aufcarius went into Sweden, A. D. 828 ; where Sweden. his exertions were alfo crowned with fuccefs. After having been raifed, in the year 831, to the Archbifliopric of Flamburgh, and of the whole North, to which charge the fuperintendance of the Church of Bremen was afterwards added, this admirable Chril^ian miffionary fpent the remainder of his life in travelling frequently amongtl: the Danes, Cimbrians, and Swedes, to form new Churches, to confirm and eftablifli thofe which had been already planted, and otherwife to promote the caufe of Chrillianity. He continued in the midft of thefe arduous and dangerous enterprifes till his death in the year 865. Rembert, his fucceflbr in the fuperintend- ance of the Church of Bremen, began, towards the clofe of this century, to preach to the inhabitants of Brandenburgh, and made fome progrefs towards their converfion. ^^^^iIIl: thefe acceffions to the Chriliian Church were making inPiogrefsof the north of Europe, the Saracens, ^^ ho were already mafters of ''' ' nearly the whole of Afia, extended their conquefts to the extre- mities of India, and fubjecled the greatell part of Africa, as then known, to their dominion. Sardinia alfo, and Sicily, fubmitted to their yoke ; and towards the conclufion of the century, they fpread terror even to the very gates of Rome. Thefe defolating incurfions not only obftrudled the propagation of Chrillianity, but produced in great numbers of Chrillians a deplorable apollaly from the faith. mans. The European Chrillians fufFered almoll equally from the ra- The Nor- vages of the Pagan Normans from the coafts of the Baltic ; who not CENT. IX. 30 BRIEF HISTORIC VIEW not only infcfted the fliores and illands of the German ocean, but at length broke into Germany, Britain, Friefland, Gaul, Spain, and Italy, and forcibly feated themfelves in various provinces of thofe kingdoms. By degrees, however, thefe favage invaders became civili/.ed by their fettlemcnt among Chriftian nations, and were gradually perfuaded to embrace the religion of the Gofpel. ' • CENT. In the tenth century, the Chriftian Church prefented a deplor- '■ — able fcene of ignorance, fuperftition, and immorality. Amidft the darknefs, however, which univerfally prevailed, fome rays of light occafionally appear. The Neftorians of Chalda'a, whofe zeal, not- withftanding their errors, is deferving of commendation, extended Progrefs in the knowledge of Cliriftianity beyond Mount Imaus, to Tartar}*-, properly fo called, whofe inhabitants had hitherto remained ignd- rant and uncivilized. The fame fuccefsful milfionaries afterwatid^ introduced it amongft the powerful nation of the Turks, or Tar- tars, which was denominated Karit, and bordered on the nofthefn part of China. The Hungarians and Avari had received feme irti'- perfedl ideas of Chriltianity during the reign of Charlemagne; but, on his deceafe, they relapfed into idolatry, and the Chriftian reK^ gion was almoft extinguilhed amongft them. On thebanks Towards the middle of this century, two Turkilh chiefs, Bolo- nube!^ "" gudes and Gylas, whofe territories lay on the banks of the Da- nube, made a public profeflion of Chriftianity, and were baptized at Conftantinople. Of thefe the former foon apoftatized ; the other fteadily perfevered, received inftrudion from Hierotheus, a Biftiop who had accompanied him from Conftantinople, and en- couraged the labours of that Bifliop amongft his fubjecls. Sarolta, In Hungaiy. the daughter of Gylas, being afterwards married to Gevfa, the chief of the Hungarian nation, he was by her perfuaded to em- brace OF THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL. 31 brace Chriltianity. Geyfa, however, ftill retained a prcdilec- CENT. tion for his ancient fuperllitions, and was only prevented from '- — apoftatizing by the zeal and authority of Adalbert, Archbifhop of Prague, who vifitcd Hungary towards the conclufion of this cen- tuf}'. But however imperfed: might be the couverfion of the king, the moft ialutary confequences followed the reception of the Gofpel by his fubjed;s. Humanity, peace, and civilization, began to iiourifli amongrt a fierce and barbarous people ; and under the patronage of Stephen, the fon of Geyfa, Chrillianity became com- ftletely ellabliflied in Hungary. ■"i>.; (,r^prhe inhabitants of Poland were, during this century, blelled Poiand. witji the knowledge of Chrillianity. Some Poles, travelling into Bohemia and Moravia, were llruck with the preaching of the Gofpel, and, on their return, earneftly recommended it to the at- tention of their countrymen. The report at length reaching the ears of INIicillaus, the Duke of Poland, he was induced to divorce his (even wives, and married Dambrouca, the daughter of Bolef- laus, Duke of Bohemia. He was baptized in the year 965, and, by the zealous efforts of the Duke and Duchefs, their fubjedls were either perfuaded or obliged, by degrees, to abandon their idolatry, and to profefs the religion of ChrilL .oloa , ' ^^h^^converfions which had taken place in Ruffia during the Progref, in preceding century were neither fincere nor permanent. But in "''■^' the year 961, Wolodomir, having married Anne, filler of the Greek Emperor Bafilius the Second, was prevailed upon by that princefs to receive the Chi'illian faitli. He was accordingly bap- tized in the year 987. The Ruffians followed, without compul- fion or reluiilance, the example of their prince ; and from that time 32 BRIEF HISTORIC VIEW CENT, time RufTia received a Chriftian eftabliftiment, and confidered her- '■ — lelt'as a daughter of the Greek Church. In Scandina- via. If we turn our attention towards Scandinavia, we find, that Clirirtianity, which had been fo fuccefsfully introduced during the preceding century, had met with a fevere check in Denmark un- der the reign of Gormo the Third, who laboured to extirpate it entirely. At length, however, he was compelled by Henry the Firft, called the Fowler, the predecellbr of Otho the Great, to per- mit the profeffion and propagation of Chrirtianity in his domi- nions; and under the protedion of the Emperor, Unni, then Arch- bifliop of Hamburgh, with fome other ecclefialtics, came into Denmark, and formed many ChrilHan Churches in that kingdom. On the death of Gormo, his fucceflbr Harold, being defeated by Otho the Great, A. D. 949, by the command of his conqueror, though not unwillingly, embraced the Gofpel, and zealoully fup- ported and propagated it amongft his fubjeds during his reign. Suen-Otho, however, his fon and fucceflbr, entirely renounced the Chriftian name, and perfecuted his Chriftian fubjccls in the moft cruel manner. At length, being driven from his throne, and forced into exile amongft the Scots, he was led to refled on his Chriftian education, and to repent of his apollaly ; and being re- ftored to his kingdom, fpent the remainder of his life in the moft fincere and earneft endeavours to promote the caufe of Chriltianity in his dominions. In Sweden, an almoft entire extinction of the Gofpel had taken place, Unni, animated by his fuccefs in Den- mark, determined therefore on attempting a revival of it in that country. His pious exertions were rendered profperous, and he had the happinefs of confirming the Gofpel in Sweden, and of planting it even in the remoter parts of that northern region. It OF THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL. 33 It was during this century that Norway firft received the Chrif- CENT. X. tlan faith. Several attempts were previoully made in the early part of it, which were altogether unfuccelsful. The barba- rous Norwegians refifled both the exhortations of the Englilli miffionaries, and the more forcible endeavours of their princes, to convert them from their idolatry, till the year Q45 ; when Haco, King of Norway, who had been driven from his throne, was reftored by Harold, King of Denmark ; and having been converted by that prince during his exile, publicly recom- mended Chrirtianity to his fubjeds. The impreffion, however, which was thus made upon their minds, was but flight ; nor were they entirely perfuaded to become Chriftians till the reign of his fucceflbr Glaus. At length Swein, King of Denmark, having con- quered Norway, obliged his fubjecls univerfally to renounce ido- latry, and to profcfs the Gofpel. Amongrt the miffionaries whofe labours were rendered fuccefsful in this work, Guthebald, an Englifli priell, was the moll eminent both in merit and authority. From Norwa}', the falutary light of Chriftianity fpread into the Orkney iflands, which were then fubjedl to that country, and pe- netrated, in fome degree, even into the remote regions of Iceland and Greenland. So that in this century the triumph of Chrifti- anity was complete throughout Scandinavia. In Germany, the exertions of the Emperor Otho contributed, in ^» Germany, a fignal manner, to promote the interefts of Chriftianity, and to eftablifli it on the moft firm foundations throughout the empire. At the earneft requeft of the Rugi, a remarkably barbarous people, who inhabited the country of Pomerania, between the Oder and the Wipper, and the ifle of Rugen in the Baltic, that zealous prince fent Adalbert amongft them, to revive the knowledge of Chriftianity, which had formerly exifted, but was then extin- F guiflaed. 34 BRIEF HISTORIC VIEW CENT. X. guiflied. The miffion, however, was unluccclsful. But Adalbert, being afterwards appointed the firft Archbilliop of Magdeburgh, was fucccfsful in converting groat ninnbcrs of the Sclavonians. The Sara- cenii. Throughout this century, the Saracens in Afia and Africa fuc- cefsfully propagated the dodrines of Mohammed, and muhitudes even of Chrillians were the victims of their dehifions. The Turks, ahb, received the religion of the Arabian impoftor ; and, turning their arms againll the Saracens, began to lay the foundations of that powerful empire which they afterwards eftablillied. Normans. CENT. XI. Progrefs in Tartary. In the Weft, Chridianity was perfecuted by the barbarous ef- forts of the unconverted Normans, Sarmatians, Sclavonians, Bohe- mians, and Hungarians ; while the Arabs in Spain, Italy, and the neighbouring illands, opprefled and plundered its followers. Tiie zeal of the Ncftorian Chrillians continued to be confpicuous in the eleventh century. In Tartary and the adjacent countries they fucceeded in converting great numbers to the profeffion of Chriftianity. In the provinces of Cafgar, Nuacheta, Turkillan, Genda, and Tangut, metropolitan prelates, witli many inferior bifliops, were eftablifhed ; from which it evidently appears, that Chriltianity muft have flourilhed to a conflderable extent in thofe countries which arc now the feat of Mohammedifm and idolatry. inthenortii The light wliicli had been ditfufed during the preceding centu- oi Europe. j,|^g amongll the Hungarians, Danes, Poles, and Ruffians, was con- fiderably increafed and extended during the prefent by the zealous endeavours of their princes, and of the miffionaries who laboured amongrt them. An ineJfedual attempt was made to convert the Sclavonians as a nation, (great numbers of individuals having em- braced OF THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL. S5 braced Chriftianity during the preceding century,) the Obotriti, CENT. xr. whofe capital was Mecklenburg, the Venedi, who dwelt on the banks of the Viftula, and the Pruflians. But thefe barbarous na- tions continued, in a great meafure. Pagan throughout this cen- tury. Boleflaus, King of Poland, attempted to force his fubjedls into a profeflion of Chriftianity, and fome of his attendants ufed the more evangelical methods of admonition and inftrudlion. In a benevolent undertaking, however, of this kind, Boniface and eighteen other perfons were barbaroufly malfacred by this fierce and intraAable people. The Prulfians, indeed, feem to have been among the lall of the European nations who fubmitted to the yoke of Chriftianity. In Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and Nor- w^y^ the labours of Englifli mifiionaries were particularly diftin- guiilied in this century. Chriftianity had now been preached during three centuries in Effefts of Scandinavia, and the effects which it produced on the manners of;,, tiieNortii. the rough and uncultivated inhabitants of thofe northern regions were in the higheft degree beneficial. " That reftlefs people," Mr. Hume obferves, " feem about this time to have learned the ufe of " tillage ; which thenceforth kept them at home, and freed the " other nations of Europe from the devallations fpread over them " by thofe piratical invaders. This proved one great caufe of the " fettlemcnt and improvement of the fouthern nations "." This obfervation of the celebrated hiltorian reprefents, with his ufual perf})icuity, the advantages which rcfulted from the civiHzalion of the North, but it is filent as to the true cuiije of that important change. To the propagation of Cluijl'ianity it mull unqueftion- " Hume, vol. i. chap. 5. F 2 ably CENT. XL 36 BRIEF HISTORIC VIEW ably be chietly referred. It was the influence of this divine reli- gion which gradually foftened the manners of thofe barbarous na- tions, induced them to abandon their former piratical habits, and to cultivate the arts of induftry and peace. Chrillianity, be it re- membered, while it conveys to individuals the moft important knowledge, and imparts to them the richell bleflings, ditFufes the falutary precepts of order, trancpiillity, and happinefs, throughout fociety and the world at large. During this century, the illand of Sicily was recovered from the Saracens. But in part of Alia, and in Spain, the Chrirtians were feverely opprefled both by the Saracens and the Turks ; great numbers were, in the mean time, feduced by flatteries and delu- five offers into apollafy from the faith. In Hungary, Denmark, the lower parts of Germany, and in other European nations, the Chriftians were, alfo, much haralled and perfecuted by the idola- trous Pagans ; whole violence was, however, at length cficc- tually relirained by the powerful interference of the Chri(Har» princes. The Cru- fades. It was at the dole of this century ° that the iirft of thofe ro- mantic expeditions, dillinguiflied by the name of Crufades, was undertaken. Whatever motives of a religious nature might have a6luated their promoters, there can be no hefitation in determin- ing, that they contributed neither to the fupport nor advance- ment of Chriftianity. " Non tali auxilio, nee defenforibus illis — " But the conlideration of thefe enthufiallic undertakings belongs not to our prefent fubjedl. A. D. 1096. The OF THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL. 37 The propagation of the Gofpel was fuccefsfully continued in cent. the twelfth ceiitiinj, chiefly in the north of Europe. Boleflaus, ProCTiefs in Duke of Poland, having taken Stetin, the capital of Pomerania, hj j|[p°J^j.(|,'"j ftorm, and laid wafte the furrounding country, compelled the van- Europe. quiflied inhabitants to fubmit at difcretion ; and impofcd upon them, as a condition of peace, their reception of Chriftianity. The conqueror fent Otho, Bithop of Bamberg, in the year 1 124, to in- ftru6l his new fubje(fi:s in the dodlrines of the Gofpel. Many of them, among whom were the Duke and Duchefs, and their at- tendants, Vk'ere converted by his exhortations ; but great numbers of the idolatrous Pomeranians refilled his utmoft efforts, and obfli- nately adhered to the fuperftitions of their anceflors. In a fecond vifit in the year 1 126, the venerable Bifliop was more fuccefsful, and Chriftianity was ellabliflied in Pomerania on a folid founda- tion. In the year 1 168, Waldemar, King of Denmark, who was fore- moft among the northern princes of this century by his zeal in the propagation and advancement of Chriflianity, having fub- dued the ifland of Rugen, which lies in the neighbourhood of Pomerania, obliged its rude and piratical inhabitants to lillen to the inftru6lions of the milTionaries who accompanied his army. Among thefe, Abfalom, Archbifliop of Lunden, a man of fnperior talents and virtue, was eminently diltinguiflied ; and by his ex- ertions, Chriftianity was firmly feated in this ifland, which had hitherto baffled every attempt to enlighten it. The Finlanders, whofc chanidler refemblcd that of the inhabit- Finland. ants of Rugen, and who infefted Sweden with their predatory in- curfions, received the Gofpel in a fimilar manner. Eric, King of Sweden, having totally defeated thefe barbarians, fent Henry, Arch- 88 BRIEF HISTORIC VIEW CENT. Arclibifliop of Upfal, to evangelize them. His fuccefs was fo '■ — great, that he is called the Apojlle of the Finlandcrs ; yet he was at length ailatrinateJ by feme of thefe refradlory people, on ac- count of a heavj' penance which he had impofed on a perfon of great authority. Livonia. In Llvonia, the propagation of Chriftianity was carried on to- wards the clofe of this century with a violence and cruelty alto- gether abhorrent from the mild and benevolent fpirit of our holy reliefion. The labours of Mainard, the firll milhonarv who at- tempted the converhon of that barbarous people, having proved unfucccfsful, the Roman PontitF, Urban the Third, who had con- lecrated him Bilhop of the Livonians, declared a crufade againll them, which was zealoully carried on by that ecclefiallic, and by his fucccflbrs, Berthold and Albert. Thefe warlike aportles, at the head of great bodies of troops raifed in Saxony, fucceflively en- tered Livonia, and compelled the wretched inhabitants to receive Chrirtian baptifm. mans. The Sclavo- The Sclavonians, notwithlianding fome partial converfions among them, had hitherto as a nation flievvn a remarkable aver- llon to Chrillianity. This excited the zeal of the neighbouring princes, and of certain mifllonaries, who united their efforts to conquer their prejudices, and to convert them to tlie Chriftian faith. The moll fuccefsful of thefe teachers was Vicelinus, a man of fingular learning and piety, who was, at length, appointed Bi- fhop of Oldenburg, which fee was afterwards transferred to Lu- bec. This excellent man fpent the lall thirty years of his life in the inrtrucflion of the Sclavonians, amidll great difficulties and dangers ; and his benevolent labours were conducted with fo much w ifdom, that they were attended with a fuccefs which could OF THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL. S9 could fcarcely have been expefted amongll that untradable cent. people. — - — '■ — The revolution, which, at the beginning of this century, took Decline of place in Aliatic Tartary, on the borders of Cathay'', by the fuc- jn'^j-j™' ^ cefsful enterprifc of the celebrated Neftorian, Prefter John, proved for many years highly beneficial to the Chriltian caufe. Towards the clofe of it, however, the viftorious arms of Genghis Khan overturned the kingdom which he had eltabliflicd, and Chrilti- anity in conlequence loll much of its credit and authority. It continued gradually to decline, until at length it funk entirely under the weight of opprelTion ; and was fucceeded partly by the errors of Mohammedifm, and partly by the fuperftitions of Pa- ganifm. In Syria and Paleftine, the Chridians were, during the whole of this century, engaged in contelb with the Moham- medans. Scenes of perfecution and cruelty were exhibited on both fides, and Chriftianity fuffered almoll equallj' from her ene- mies and her friends. Notwithftanding the victories of the fucceflbrs of Genghis cent. , XIII Khan, by which they had fubdued a great part of Afia, and had '— involved in great calamities the Chrillian inhabitants of China, State of India, and Perfia, it appears from undoubted authorities that both ;„ ^^^{^^^ j^^j in China, and in the northern parts of Alia, the Neftorians conti- 1'""-^'"/- nued to have a flourilhing Church, and a great number of ad- herents in the thirteen fh century. Even in the court of the Mogul emperors there were many who profelfed Chriftianity ; but the enfnaring influence of the religion of Mohammed gradually un- dermined it, and left fcarcely a vellige of Clirillianity amongtl ' Cathay was fituated on the north well border of China. them. 40 BRIEF HISTORIC VIEW CENT. XIII. tl.em. In conlequcnce of the incurfions which were made by the Tartars into Europe in the year 1241, feveral embaffics were fent by the Popes Innocent the Fourth and Nicholas the Third and Fourth, which were the means of converting many of the Tartars to the Chriftian faith, and of engaging confiderable numbers of the Nellorians to adopt the doctrine and difcipline of the Church of Rome. Several Churches were aho erecled in dilFerent parts of China and Tartary ; and, in order to facihtate the propagation of Chriltianity, a tranllation was made by Johannes a Monte Corvino, the amballador of Nicholas the Fourth, of the New Teftament and the Pfalms, into the language of Tartary. The affairs, liowever, of the Chrillians in the Eall during this century, in confequence of the conquefts of the Tartars, and of the unfortunate illue of the feveral crufades which were undertaken in the courfe of it, and which were the lajl of thofe infatuated expeditions, were, upon the whole, in a very deplorable condition. The kingdom of Jeru- falem, which had been ellabliflied at the clofe of the eleventh cen- tury, being entirely overthrown, many of the Latins remained ilill in Syria, and retiring into the dark and folitary recefles of Mount Libaiuis, lived there in a wild and favage manner, and gradually loll all traces both of religion and civilization. The defcendants of thefe unhappy Europeans, called Deruli, or Drufi, iHU inhabit the fame uncultivated wilds, and retain nothing of Chrillianity but the name. Convcrfion of the Prufliaiis and Lithua- nians. In fome of the northern parts of Europe, the religion of the Gofpel had not yet triumphed over the fiercenefs and fuperllitions of Paganifm. The Pruflians Itill retained the idolatrous worthip of their ancellors, nor was any impreflion made on the minds of this people by the various milfionaries who had been fent amongft them. Their obftinacy at length induced Conrad, Duke of Maf- fovia. OF THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL. 41 fovia, to have recourfe to more forcible methods of converting CENT. them. For this purpofe, he apphed in the year 1230 to the Teu ^— tonic Knights of St. Mary, who, after their expuhion from Palef- tine, had fettled at Venice, and engaged them to undertake the conqueft and converfion of the Pruffians. They accordingly ar- rived in Pruffia, and, after an obllinate contefl of fifty years, they fubdued its refolute inhabitants, and eftablifhed their own domi- nion and the profelTion of Chriftianity amongll them.. The Knights purfued the fame unchriliian methods in the neighbour- ing countries, and particularly in Lithuania, the inhabitants of which provinces were thus conttrained to profefs a feigned fub- miffion to the Gofpel. ■II. \< ' ^"fh ^pain, Chriftianity gradually gained ground. The kings of Projrefs in Caftile, Leon, Navarre, and Arragon, waged perpetual war with the Saracen princes, who ftill retained the kingdoms of Valentia, Granada, and Mercia, together with the province of Andalufia. This conteft was carried on with fuch fignal fuccefs, that the Sa- racen dominion declined daily, and was reduced within narrower bounds ; while the pale of the Church was extended on every fide. Among the princes who contributed to this happy revolution, James the Firfl: of Arragon was particularly diftinguiflicd by his zealous efforts in the advancement of Chrillianity, and the con- verfion of his Arabian fubjeds after his recovery of Valentia, in the year 1236. In the fourteenth century, the caufe of Chriftianity greatly de- CENT. clined in the Eaft. The profclTion of it was, indeed, ftill retained p-;;;:^— ^ in the contracted empire of the Greeks, of which Conftantinople chriitianity was the metropolis. But in Alia, the Turks and Tartars, who "" ^'" ^'''^• extended their dominions with allonifliing rapidity, deftroyed, G wherever 42 BRIEF HISTORIC VIEW CENT, wherever they went, the fruits of the labours of the Chriltian mif- '■ — fionaries during the preceding century, and fubftituted the impof- ture of Mohammed for the religion of Chrift. In China, Chrifti- anity feemed to be almoft totally extirpated by the jealoufy of the reigning powers ; while the celebrated Tamerlane, after having fubdued the greated: part of Ada, and triumphed over Bajazet, the Emperor of the Turks, and even filled Europe with the terror of his arms, perfecuted all who bore the Chrirtian name with the moft barbarous fevcrity, and compelled multitudes, by his cruel- ties, to apoftatize from the faith. Attempts were made in this century to renew the crufades, but without effect. It is obvious, however, that, had they even fucceeded, they were but ill calcu- lated to revive Chriltianity in the Eaft. Progrefs in The boundaries of ChrilVianity had, in the mean time, becii gra- dually extending in Europe. Jagello, Duke of Lithuania, was al- moft the only prince who retained the Pagan worfliip of his an- ceftors. At length, in the year 1386, having become a competi- tor for the crown of Poland, and his idolatry being the only ob- llacle to his fuccefs, he embraced the Chrillian faith, and per- fuadcd his fubjcd;s to follow his example. The Teutonic Knights continued their perfecution of the Pagan Prullians and Livonians, and completed in this century the violent work which they had commenced during the preceding. Great numbers of the Jews in feveral parts of Europe, more particularly in France and Ger- many, were in a fimilar manner compelled to make a profelfion of Chrirtianity. And in Spain, a plan was formed by the Chriftian princes for the expulfion of the Saracens, which afforded a pro- fpedl of at length uniting that whole country in the faith of Chrill. TTte Lithuania. OF THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL. 43 The fucceeding century accordingly witnelfed the entire OTcr- CENT, XV. tlirow of the Saracen dominion in Spain, by the conqueft of Gra- nada, in the year I4g2, by Ferdinand the Catholic. Shortly after this important revolution, that monarch publilhed a fentence of banilhment againft the Jews in his dominions, great numbers of w hom, to avoid this fevere decree, feigned an aflent to the Chrif- tian religion. The Saracens, who remained in Spain after the de- llrudion of their empire, refifled both the exhortations, and the more violent methods of prolelytiihi, which were aftervtards re- commended by the celebrated Cardinal Ximenes, and perfevered in their attachment to the Arabian impoftor. The people of Samogitia, in the neighbourhood of Courland and The Samogi- Lithuania, remained Pagan till the lifteenth century ; when Ula- dillaus, King of Poland, demoliflied their idols, founded fome Churches among them, and afterwards fent Ibme pj-ielts to inftrud: them. But his fuccefs in their convcrfion was by no means con- liderable. The maritime enterprifes of the Portuguefe towards the clofc of Difcovcry of , - , • 1 1 1 • America. this century, and, above all, the dilcovcry ot the lUands and conti- nent of America by Columbus, in the year i 192, opened, however, a new and extenfive field for the exertion of Chrillian benevolence. The firll attempt of this kind was made by the Portuguefe, rrogrefs of amongll the Africans of the kingdom ot Congo ; who, togetlier on the comI with their king, were fuddenly converted to the Romifh faith in "' -^*"'^''' the year 1191 ; in what manner, and with what efi'ecl, it is not difficult to determine. After this fingular revolution in Africa, Pope Alexander the Sixth, who had arrogantly divided the continent of America be- tween the Spaniards and the Portuguefe, earnelUy exhorted thefc G 2 two 44 BRIEF HISTORIC VIEW CENT, two nations to propagate the Gofpel amongft the inhabitants of '■ — thofe immenfe regions. A great number of Francifcans and Do- Iti America minicaus were in confequence fent out to America and its iflands; who, with the alliftance of the cruel invaders of thofe countries, fpeedily converted numbers of the wretched natives to the nomi- nal profelTion of a corrupt and debafed form of Chriftianity. Decline of But the decline of the Chriftian religion in the Eaft during this in theEaft^ century unhappily more than counterbalanced thefe acceflions in the Weft. Aliatic Tartary, INIogul, Tangut, and the adjacent provinces, where ChritHanity had long flourifhed, were now be- come the feats of fupcrllition, which reigned triumphant in its moft degrading forms. Except in China, where the Neftorians ftill preferved fome faint remains of their former glory, fcarcely any traces of Chriftianity exifted in thole immenfe tracts of coun- try ; and even thefe did not furvive the century. Deftruftion A ncw fourcc of Calamity to the Chriftian Church, both in cian empire Europe and Afia, was opened, by the deftruclion of the Grecian by the Turks. gj^pjj.g^ and the Capture of Conftantinople, by the Turks, under ^Mohammed the Second, in the year 1453. By this difal^rous event, befides the provinces which had been already fubdued by the Ot- toman arms, Epirus and Greece fell under the dominion of the Crefcent, and Chriftianity became gradually'' buried under the refift- lefs torrent of Mohammedan ignorance and barbarilhi. In Con- ftantinople and the neighbouring cities, in Thellulonica, Philippi, and Corinth, where Chriftianity had once lb eminently flouriflied, moft of the Churches were converted into mofques, and the Chrif- tians were forced at length to retain their religion in fecret and in ' See note F. ftlence. OF THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL. ^ filence. Yet even this tremendous ruin, the juft confequence of CENT. the corrupt Hate of the Grecian Church, was eventually, by the providence of the fupreme Governor of the world, rendered fub- fervient to the moft important and beneficial purpofes. The emi- gration of learned men from the Eaft was one of the principal means of reviving the ll:udy of literature in Europe, and the re- markable concurrent difcovery of the art of printing in the year 1440 contributed both to the produdlion and the fuccefs of that memorable revolution, which in the fucceeding century changed the face of the Chrillian world. ■-' This great event was tJie Reformation from the errors and fu- cent. ^ . XVI. perftitions of the Romifli Church, which commenced in Saxony by the magnanimous exertions of the juiWy celebrated Martin Lu- .^iQ„ ther, and which forms the moll: prominent feature in the hillory of the Jixtcenth ceutiiri/. Europe at this time, with very few ex- ceptions, was converted to the public profellion of Chriftianity, though fcarcely any thing fliort of the ruin which had over- whelmed the Eallern Church could be more deplorable than the ftate of the Wertern, at the commencement of this period. The thick darknefs \\'hich had gradually overfpread it was be- ginning to be difpelled, by the revival of literature and philofo- phy during the preceding century ; but at the glorious a^-i of the Reformation, the pure light of moral and religious truth flionc forth with renovated lullre, and produced the moft important ef- feds on the general ftate of Europe. The profelfion of Chrilli- anity, which now pervaded almoll every part of that quarter of the world, nccelTarily precluded any further propagation of it, and reftrained its European hiftory to that of the contells between the Reformers and the Church of Rome. For 46 BRIEF HISTORIC VIEW CENT. For the extenfion, therefore, of the pale of the vifible Church — - — '—: during this century, we mull chiefly look to the newly difcovered crhniHanity regions of America. The Spaniards and Portuguefe, if we may ill America -^ credit to their hiftorians, exerted thcmfelves with the utnioft and elle- o where by the vigour and fucccfs in propagating the Gofpel amongft the barba- Wnugueie. rous nations of the new world. It cannot, indeed, be difputed, that they communicated Ibmc faint and imperfe", " is the predominant paffion of the Hindu ; " and all his wiles, addrefs, cunning, and perfeverance, of which " he is lb exquifite a mafter, are exerted to the utmoft in fulfilling " the dilates of this vice." The crime of perjurij is fo remarka- bly prevalent among them, that Sir William Jones, notwithftand- ing his llrong prejudice in their favour, after long judicial ex- perience, was obliged relu6lantly to acknowledge this moral de- pravity of the natives of India. Thefe concurring teftimonies are decifive of the queftion ; and may ferve to correct the millaken opinions which the enthuliaftic reprefentations of theoretical writers have diffeminated in Europe, and to remove one of the moll prevalent and powerful objections againll any attempt to improve the natives of Hinduftan. The caiifes of this debafed ftate of the moral character in the Hindus may evidently be traced partly to the defpotic form of the government under which they have lived, but principally to their ' See the Preface to Mr. Gilchrid's Englifli and Hinduftan'i Diclionary, and a Letter from an intelligent Refident in India to Dr. \'incent, in the Proceedings of tlie Society for promoting Chriftian Knowledge for the year 1800. ™ Mr. Orme. " Hiftorical Fragments of the Mogul Empire." The general im- preffion which was left on the mind of this impartial writer, after a minute expo- (ition of the charafter and inflitutions of the Hindus, is expreffed in the follow- ing linking and dignified language : " Chriftianity vindicates ail its glories, all " its honours, and all its reverence, when we behold the moft horrid impieties " avowed amongft the nations on whom its influence does not fliine, as adlions " neceffary in the common conduft of life : I mean poilonings, treachery, and af- " faflination among the fons of ambition, rapine, cruelty, and extortion in the *' minifters of juftice. I leave divines to vindicate, by more faniSlified reflexions, " the caufe of their religion and their God." ignorance. CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. 103 ignorance, idolatry, and fuperftition. However lublinie foine of the ideas may be concerning the fuprenic Being, which have been found in the facred writings of the Hindus, the reprefentations of the gods, before which the Brahmin and the multitude indifcrimi- nately worftiip, are but too defcriptive of the nature of the fuper- ftition with which their idolatry is conneded. Every part of the Hindu mythology, however it may contain fome velliges of prim- eval tradition, is compounded of falfehood and immorality ; and their religious rites confill of little more than licentioufnefs and cruelty, llic former, by the very fymbols of their deities, is ad- mitted as a fyftematic principle in the ceremonies of the Hindus, as it was in the myfteries of the Greeks and Romans ; and is up- held by the profligate ellablifhments of fome of their moll facred temples ; " the lall effort," as it has been julHy obferved, " of " mental depravity, in the invention of a fuperllition, to blind the " underftanding, and to corrupt the heart." Of the cruelty of the Hindu fuperftition, the proofs have been too long before the public, to require any additional confirmation. Dreadful as the rites of other idolatrous nations have been, they have been equalled, if not exceeded, by thofe which are prad:ifed amongft the natives of Hinduftan. Even at the very period, which fome authors have fixed upon as the asra of their civilization and refinement, it is certain, that human facrifices were offered by the Hindus ; and although thefe have nominally ceafed ", they ftill adhere to many fuperftitious pra6lices, which either inflict imme- diate dear>bn9m Previoufly, however, to thefe, the Hindullani, as the moil ex ten - fively known, and therefore the moll generally ufeful, claims our attention. This elegant language, derived from the ancient Hindi, and enriched or enlarged by the acceffion of innumerable terms from the Perfian and the Arabic, is the common vehicle of collo- quial intercourfe among all the well-educated natives of India. The Mohammedans almoll univerfally underlland and fpeak it. Every Hindu of any dillin6lion, connedled either with the Mo- hammedan or Britilh government, is converfant with it ; and it is the general medium of communication between foreigners in In- dia. In the armies its ufe is nearly univerfal. Throughout the vail extent of country from Cape Comorin to Kabul, a trad: 2000 miles in length, and l4oo in breadth, within the Ganges, there are but few of the large villages or towns which have been con- quered or frequented by the Mufelmans, in which fome perfons will not be found who are fufficiently acquainted with the Hin- dullani language; and in many places beyond the Ganges it is cur- rent and familiar. The 134 MEANS OF PROPAGATING The Bengali is the language fpoken in the provinces of which the ancient city of Gaur was once the capital. It Hill prevails throughout Bengal, except perhaps in fome of the frontier dif- tricls, and is copious, aiid regularly formed. It is written, not in the Dcva-nagari, but in a peculiar character adopted by the in- habitants of Bengal. The importance of this language is evident, from its prevalence throughout the richeft and moft valuable por- tion of the Britiih polfellions in India. The language of the province of Orilfa, and the character in which it is written, are both called Urija. It is faid to contain many Sanfcrit and Arabic terms, borrowed through the medium of Hindullani, together with others of doubtful origin. That which prevails from Madras fouthward, over the greater part of the extremity of the peninfula, and in the north of Ceylon, is the Tamel, to which Europeans have improperly given the name of Malabar. The proper Malabar, a dialed; dirtin6l from the Tamel, is vernacular in Malayala, comprehending the moun- tains, and the whole region vsithin them, from Cape Comorin to Cape lUi. The Maharaflitra, or Mahr'atta, is the language of a nation which has greatly enlarged its ancient limits, although its progrefs has of late been checked by the afcendancy of the Britiih power. The language of the Mahr'attas is now widely fpread, but is not yet become the vernacular dialed!: of any provinces which are fituated far beyond the ancient boundaries of their country. Carnata, or Carnara, is the ancient language of Carnataca, a province which has given name to dillricls on both fides of the penin- CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. 135 peninlula. This dialed: llill prevails in the intermediate moun- tainous trad, but feems to be fuperfeded by other provincial tongues on the eaftern coaft. Jo ' ■. 1 Telinga, or Tilanga, is at once the name of a nation, of its lan^ guage, and of the character in v^'hich that language is written-. It is widely fpread in the adjacent provinces on either bank of the Chrifna and Godaveri, and thofe fituated on the north-eaftern coafl of the peninfula. Such are, briefly, the ten principal languages of India, to which a copious lill might be added of diale6ts, forming the third of the dalles into which they were faid to be dillributed. But of thefe it is only necellary to mention that of the Panjab, a province wa^ tered by the five celebrated rivers which fall into the Sind'hu, and now in the polleffion of the Seiks. Two other languages, of the firll importance in Alia, remain, how- ever, to be noticed; the Perlian and the Arabic. The Perlian lan- guage, befides the extent of it in the empire which bears its name, is generally known throughout India °. The court of Delhi, after the eftabliflmient of the Mogul authority, having adopted the ufe of the Perfian language in all the tranfaftions of government, the Mohammedans, in general, in or above the middle clafs, are in- flru<5led in it ; and the Hindus, who afpire either to employment in our fervice, or to the recommendation of a liberal education, are under the neceffity of learning it. The knowledge of this po- " The pure Perfian is only fpoken in the fouthcrn part of that empire. It is, however, the written language over a great part of Eallein Tartary, and is faid to be fpoken in Bucharia. liflied 136 MEANS OF PROPAGATING lifhed and elegant language thus extends to millions, and through its medium the Scriptures may be widely difFufed in Hindurtan. The importance of the Arabic is ftill greater. Independently of its dirtufion throughout Africa, a continent, which, though not immediately conneded with our prefent inquiry, may yet be juttly taken into collateral confideration, this celebrated language, the copioufnefs and elegance of which have been fo highly ex- tolled, and fo eloquently defcribcd by Oriental fcholars, furniflies a vehicle by which the records of our holy faith may be ad- vantageoufly conveyed, not only to the Mohammedans of India, but to thofe of Arabia, Tartary, and Afiatic Turkey, and in gene- ral throughout the Turkilh dominions ; where, though not com- monly fpoken, it is taught in the fchools, and univerfally ftudied by men of letters, as the learned languages are in Europe. In quitting the immediate confideration of Hindutlan, the three Afiatic languages, which are the molt important, are the Chinefe, the Malay, and the Tartarian. The two firll of thefe, together with the Hindullani and the Perfian, are the four primary and po- pular languages of Afia. Of the importance of the Chinefe it is only necefiary to oblerve, that it is the language of three hundred millions of men ; that the Chinefe charader is underllood from the Gulf of Siam to the Tar- tarian Sea, and over a very confiderable part of the great eaftern Archipelago ; and that the inhabitants of Cochin China, as well as the Japanefe, ufe no other waiting ^ The expediency of tranf- ' See Barrow's China, p. 615. See alfo the Rev. Mr. Mofeley's intcrefting Memoir on the introduftion of the Scriptures into Cliina ; Firft Report of the So- ciety for Miflions to Africa and the Eaft. lating CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. 137 lating the Scriptures into the Chinefe language at this time, may be argued from the faciHties which now prefent themfelves '' ; the (pirit of innovation which is fpreading throughout the eaftern part of that empire ; the inquifitive charafter of the Chinefe; and the freedom of their prefs, by which copies of the Bible might fpeedily be multiplied and difperfed. '^ The Tartarian language is probably fpoken over a wider ex- tent of country than any other in the world, except the Chinefe. It would not, perhaps, be difficult to prove, that it is preva- lent even among greater numbers than the Chinefe. The Caftan Tartars have been incorporated into the Chinefe fince the year 1644; and about the year 1 7 7 ], there were remarkable emigra- tions of Tartars from RufTia to China. The Tartarian language is fpoken throughout the whole extent of Tartary ■", and the greatefl part of Perfia ^ From this imperfed: fketch of the principal languages of Afia, it will be neceflary to proceed to the adual ftate of tranllations of the Scriptures into any of them at this time. It is well known, that the Bible has long fince been extant in the Arabic tongue, and is contained in the Englilli Polyglot. This verfion was probably compofed by fome of the motl learned men of Syria and Egypt, at a time when Arabic literature was at its 1 Thefe are hereafter mentioned. ' The Calmuks have a peculiar language of their own ; and in the neighbour- hood of Aftracan, thofe who pretend to learning write the Turkidi language, which is little more than the Tartar, refined aiid enriched by Arabic and Perfian words. • See note on page 135. T zenith. 138 MEANS OP^ PROPAGATING zenith. It has been termed by one celebrated Orientalill S " ver- " fio elegans quidem et antiqua ;" and by another", " nobilifli- " mum totius Tertamenti exemplar :" and Ibmc progrels was made by the late Profeflbr Carlyle of Cambridge towards repub- lilliing it, for the purpofe of being circulated in Alia. It has been ■Jrterted, indeed, by a writer, whofe authority is too rcfpedable to be lightly qucftioned ^, that the republication of the prefent Arabic Bible could never be ufeful as a popular work in Arabia, being compofed in the clalTic, and not in the vernacular, dialedl of that country. For a fimilar reafon, he adds, the old Perfian tranflation is of no ufe in Perfia ). As to the Arabic, however, there are extant other tranllations of the whole or of parts of the Scriptures, from which, and from that of the Polyglot, a new one of fufficient accuracy and utility might be publilhed ^. In the year 1719, Bartholomew Ziegenbalgius, the firil Pro- teftant miffionary to India, completed a tranllation of the whole Scriptures into the Tamel tongue, from which feveral other ver- fions have proceeded. The Bible has alfo been tranilated into the Bengali language by jNIr. Carey '', the Sanfcrit teacher in the College of Fort William; and two editions of it have already been dirtributed amongft the natives of Bengal. From the reprcfentations of Dr. Buchanan, it appears, that the four Gofpels have been tranilated into the Perfian, Hindullani, Mahr'atta, Orilla, and !Malay languages, either by members of the ' Erpenius. " Gabriel Sionita. ' See Dr. Buchanan's Memoir, note M. '" See note P. * The Author has omitted in this enumeration the Syriac and Armenian ver- fions, as too well known to require particular notice. » See note Q. College CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. 139 College of Fort William, or by the learned natives attached to that inftitution. One other verfion, alfo, of the highert import- ance has been attempted, that of the whole Scriptures into the Chinefe language, and parts of the Book of Genelis and the Gof- pel of St. Matthew had, early in the year 1805, been adually printed off. A more recent communication from the Rev. David Brown, Pi'ovoft of the fame College, announces very confiderable further progrefs in this important work. Ten different verfions are mentioned as being in various ftages of forwardnefs, amongfl which is one in Sanfcrit. The two firft Gofpels in this ancient language were expetfted to be ready by the end of the latt year ; and it is added, that the Sanfcrit and Chinefe (apparently the mod difficult of accefs) had been difcovered to be the moft practicable of all the languages yet undertaken. There is every reafon, therefore, to prefume, that thefe aufpicious beginnings will be progreffively continued ; and that the tranllations will, in procefs of time, and under the encouragement of the Britilli government, be extended to all the Afiatic languages. At Karafs, on the frontiers of Ruflia and Circaffia '', Mr. Brun- ton, the Proteftant milfionar}', who has been already mentioned, has made confiderable progrefs in tranllating the Scriptures into the Turkifli language. To this objedf he has devoted much of his time and attention ; and he thinks that he has fucceeded in mak- ing fuch a tranllation as will be underllood, not only by the Turks, but alfo by the Tartars. Such, according to the prefent ftate of our information, is the a6lual progrefs which has been made in tranllating the Scriptures * See Brief Hiftoric View prefixed. T 2 into 140 MEANS OF PROPAGATING into the Oriental tongues. With the exception of the ancient Arabic and Perfian verfions, of the Tamel tranflation, of the Ben- gah Bible, and of the undertaking of Mr. Brunton, the feveral im- portant verfions which have been before enumerated were en- tered upon under the hberal and enlightened aufpices of the Mar- quis Wellefley, and under the direction of the College of Fort William. That thus in the very centre of the Pagan world, and at the chief feat of Brahminical fuperftition and idolatry, works fub- verfive of their inveterate errors lliould not only be carried on, but be undefignedly forwarded by fome of the unconverted na- tives themfelves, is furely a very ftriking proof of that admirable direction of the divine Pro-vidence, which has been already no- ticed, by which the enemies of Chriftianity are made the uncon- fcious inrtruments of its propagation and fuccefs. And that they ihould be undertaken amidd the urgent and diverfified affairs of the Britilh government in India, retleAs the higheft honour on the noble Patron, and the learned and laborious perfons who have been engaged in the execution of them. In confidering the bejl mcann of tranflating the Scriptures into the Oriental tongues, it appears to be chiefly neceflary to refer to the fads which have been jurt Hated. After the progrefs which has been already made in the great work of Eaftern tranflation, but little doubt can be entertained as to the mott eligible means of continuing and completing it. Few perfons will, perhaps, be found, who would venture to re- commend the undertaking fuch a work in England, in preference to India. Whatever be the country into the language of which it is CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. 1 4 1 is propofed to tranflatc the Scriptures, it requires no laboured ar- guments to prove, that, without the aid of learned natives who may write that language, or hear it read by the tranllator, no work of this kind can be profecuted with any confidence of its utility. As to this point, the reafoning of Dr. Buchanan, with regard to the projected tranflation of the Scriptures into the Chinefe language, will probably be confidered as unanlu erable. What that learned writer has obferved relpefting the Chinefe verfion may, in fome de- gree, be applied to all other tranflations into the languages of Ada. The College of Fort William may with jutHce be confidered as the grand fource of Oriental trantlation. It is fcarcely pollible to contemplate that inltitution, without the motl lively conviclion of the extent to which, together with other important defigns, it is evidently calculated to promote the dillemination of fcriptural knowledge in Afia. The emulation which it has excited in the younger fervants of the Eatl India Company in the acquifition of the Oriental tongues'^, and, above all, the numerous allemblage of « May the Autlior here be permitted to pay a tribute of aflfedionate regret to the memory of one of thefe Oriental ftudents, William I'earfon Elliott, Efq. of the Bengal Civil Eftablillnncnt ; vvhofe extraordinary proficiency in the Perfian, Ilin- duftani, and Arabic languages, merited, and procured for him, the higheft aca- demical honours in the College of Fort William, and led, by the exprcfs dire6lion of the Marquis Wellefley, to his appointment as Secretary to a diplomatic miflioii to the Arabian States, in the year t8o2. In the abfenee of Sir Home Popham, to whom the direction of the embafly had been confided, Mr. Elliott undertook the fole conduft of the correfpondence in Arabic, from Mocha, with the Iman of Sunnaa, and foon afterwards proceeded to his refidenee. But within a few days after his arrival, he was feized with a fever, which very fhortly put a period to his exiftence, at the early age of twenty-two years. Such, however, had been the ability and propriety with which he had condufted himfelf as Secretary to the embaiTv that the Iman not only (licwcd him the utmoft kindnefs and attention durin"- his illnefs, but, as a remarkable proof of his regard, dire6led that he fhoulJ be 141 MEANS OF PROPAGATING learned Afiatics'' which it has attracted from different parts of that extenfive continent, combine in forming a decifive proof of the importance of that inftitution to the interefts of Chriftianity^. " In this view," obferves Dr. Buchanan f, " the Oriental College " has been compared by one of our Hindu poets to a ' flood of ' light fliooting through a dark cloud on a benighted land.' Di- " red;ed by it, the learned natives, from every quarter of India, and " from the parts beyond, from Perfia and Arabia, come to the " fource of knowledge: they mark our principles, ponder the vo- " lume of infpiration, ' and hear, every man in his own tongue, * the wonderful works of God." Whether the object be to procure, with the lead difficulty and expence, claffical or popular tranllations of the Scriptures into the languages of Alia, the inllitution in quellion offers faciUties and advantages which were never before prefcnted, and which it is be interred near his palace ; an honour which had never before been conferred on any Chriflian. The premature death of Mr. Elliott was lamented by Sir Home Popliam, in a letter to Lord Wellefley, as a lofs to the public of " a fervant of " the nioft promifing talents, of the higheft principles, and of the mod unbounded " zeal and application." In connexion with the fubjeft of the tranflation of the Scriptures into the lan- guages of Afia, the Author trufts that he (liall be excufed, in exprefling the addi- tional regret which he cannot but feel at the early removal of one, whofe a£lual attainments, and undoubted promife of future progrefs in Oriental learning, com- bined with his known diCpofition and charafler, would probably have rendered him eminently ufeful in promoting the accomplifliment of that important obje£l. '' There are attached to the College at this time upwards of one hundred learned men, who have arrived from diflercnt parts of India, Perfia, and Arabia. ' It does not appear that the reductions and limitations, which have been made fince the original eflablifliment of the College, materially affect the obje6t of the prefent difcudion. ' Memoir, page 8i. in CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. MS in vain to expedl will ever be attainable in Europe. Befides the reafons which have been already adduced; the central fituation of Calcutta ; the certainty of making fuch tranllations as would be really intelligible and ufcful to the Aliatic nations, by the know- ledge both of the claflical and vernacular dialedls ; and the fmaller amount of expence, which may, in almoft every cafe, be ftated at one fourth of what would be required in Europe for the accom- plifliment of the fame objects, are arguments fufHcient to prove, that to the College of Fort William we are directed to look, by the plainefl intimations, for the completion of a feries of the mod important works in facrcd literature, to which the divine Provi- dence has ever vouchfafed to direct the zeal and talents of any Chrillian nation. After the experience which the learned members of that inftitu- tion have long ere this attained in the work of tranllation, it may, perhaps, be deemed unneceflary to enter into any detailed obferv- ations as to the manner in which the different propofed verfions fhould be conducted. A few remarks, however, may be allowed, which are offered with the utmotl ditHdence and refped:. On this part of the fubjed:, the firft quettion which occurs re- lates to the text from which thefe tranllations fhould be made. It is undoubtedly to be delired, that the original Scriptures fhould for this purpofe, wherever it is poffible, be reforted to ; but as in many cafes this is an advantage which cannot be obtained, the next bell refource is clearly the avithorized Englilh ■\erfion. The general merits of this tranllation have been univerfally acknow- ledged. It is, with few material exceptions, a faithful tranfcript of the facred originals. Impert'edlions of various kinds have, no doubt, been difcovered in it ; but with the affiliance of the nume- rous 144 MEANS OF PROPAGATING roiis tranflations and illuftrations of the Scriptures, which have been produced in modern times, they might with Uttle difficulty be remedied. It is defirablc, therefore, that the Profeflbrs, or ■other learned Europeans by whom the Oriental verfions may be either executed or fuperintended, and who would probably be converfant with the Hebrew and Greek languages, fliould direct their attention to this important point, and avail themfelves of the labours of thofe illullrious Biblical fcholars, which our two Uni- verfities, more efpecially that of Oxford, have produced, as well as of thofe of the learned foreigners, who have fo largely contributed to the general Hock of facred criticifm. This confideration leads di redly to that of the perfons by whom the intended tranllations lliould be executed. If it were polTible to obtain them by the efforts of Europeans alone, it were in fome refpe(fl:s to be preferred. But this can fcarcely be expccl:ed. It may be obferved in general, that, in every cafe which admits of a choice of tranllators, Chrl/lians fliould be feleAed : and that in every inftance the verfions by unenlightened natives lliould be ex- amined by Chriftian profelfors, previoufly to their being printed and difperfed in Afia. The books, of which the facred volume of our Scriptures is com- pofed, are fo various, both as to the fubjeds which they contain, and as to the nature of the compolitions, that it can feldom hap- pen that any one perfon can be found capable of tranllating every part with equal fidelity and propriety. The length of time, alfo, which muft be occupied by a fingle tranflator in the completion of fo large a work, is a further objedion to its being thus under- taken. It feems, therefore, to be defirable, wherever it is practi- cable, to follow the illullrious examples of the Septuagint, and of the CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. 145 the lad revifal of the Englifli Bible, in the reign of James I. Of the former, indeed, we know but little that is certainly authentic ; except that the tranllation was confided to a large body of learned Jews, who are fuppofed to have divided the work amongll themfelves, and to have contributed their united abilities to the completion of that celebrated performance. In the latter cafe, the tranllation and revifion of the different parts of the Englifh Bible were entrufted to no lefs than fifty-four of the mofl learned Eccle- fiailics of the kingdom, and chiefly refident members of the two Univerfities, arranged in fix divilions, according to their peculiar talents and acquirements. Each portion of the work was after- wards fubmitted to the other divifions, for their corre6lion and ap- probation ; and collated both with the original Scriptures, and with the mofl approved ancient and modern verfions ^. Thus, in the different propofed tranflations of the Scriptures into the Oriental tongues, it appears to be delirable that they fliould be feverally undertaken by more than one of the learned profeflbrs or teachers, whether natives or Europeans, who are attached to the College of Fort William ; that each fliould be reviewed, during its progrefs, by all the members of (hat inflitution who are compe- tent to luch a revifal, and fliould be carefully collated with other approved verfions. It is equally necelfary that every page, before it is publithed, fhould be read to a native, who Ihould be allowed to remark on any expreiTions which are not idiomatical, or not fufficiently perl'picuous and intelligible. Tranflations into foreign languages often fail in very different ways ; fometimes they are too learned, fometimes vulgar, and at others too literals The ' See Johnfon's Account of the feveral Englifli Tranflations of the Bible. s This remark applies to the Gofpels in I'erfian publillied by Wheelock. u caution, 14(5 MEANS OF PROPAGATING caution, however, which has already been exercifed relative to this point, in the inftance of the fecond edition of the Bengali New Teliament, affords fufficient proof that our learned countrymen in India are fully aware of its importance'^. In diftributing the Scriptures, thus tranflated, in Alia, it may be important in many cafes to confult both the indolence and the weaknefs of the natives, by fubmitting to them at firft certain parts only of the Bible, which fliould obvioufly be the moft mate- :Tiali, and the leall incumbered with difficulties. The Book of Ge- nefis, fome parts of the Prophecies of Ifaiah, the Gofpel of St. Luke ', the A6ls of the Apoliles, and the Epillle to the Romans, feem to be the befl: calculated for immediate difperfion. Other portions might follow in due time ; and every part fliould be ac- companied by an introdudlion, exhibiting a brief view of the evi- dences of the divine origin and truth of the feveral books of which it may be compofed, and of their fubjecls and connexion, together with other needful elucidations of the facred writers. The expence which mud ncceflarily attend this great work of Oriental tranflation, and of printing, in fufficient numbers, copies of the various facred verfions, though much lefs than would attend a fimilar undertaking in England, would flill be fo confiderable as to demand particular attention. But in a concern, the ultimate advantages of w hich would be fcarcely lefs enjoyed by the Britilh government, than by the objedts of its beneficence, it may be pre- fumed, that an appeal to its liberality would not prove unfuccefs- ful. Tfie enlightened policy, which fuggelied the eliablilhment of '' See note R. ■' The learned Melanchthon preferred that of St. John, as an introduclion to Chriftianity. the CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. 147 the College of Fort William, could not be di reded to a more con- genial meafure, than the encouragement of Scriptural tranllation into thofe languages, of which it has already fo remarkably facili- tated the acquifition. The aflillance, which it is propofed to fo- licit from the government of India, could not be an objed; of much confideration ; and the limits of it might be readily afcer- tained, by a reference to thofe perfons to whom the execution of the work itfelf may be entrufted. In addition to the encouragement and aflillance to be thus afforded by the Britifli government, the College of Fort Wil- liam, as the centre of Oriental tranflation, has the ftrongell claims on the patronage and fupport of every European inftitution, which is either diredly or remotely connedled with that im- portant objed;. Two focieties in our own country are particularly intercfted in its welfare ; the Society for promoting Chriftian Knowledge, which has during a long courfe of years fo laudably diftinguiflied itfelf by its miffions in Hinduftan ; and the lately inllituted Britifli and Foreign Bible Society. To thefe inftitu- tions the College of Fort William will naturally look for counte- nance and aflillance; and it is to be hoped that it will not look in vain''. The two celebrated Univerflties of England mav, alio, with propriety be expeded to regard with peculiar complacency the College of Fort William, and feel themfelves bound to wifli for its profperity, and to promote its ufefulnefs to the utmoft of their power. The diilinguiflied honour which they have long enjoyed of diffuling, in a preeminent degree, literature, fcience, and rcli- * See note S. u 2 gion. 148 MEANS OF PROPAGATING gion, and more particularly the extent to which they are en»;aged in the printing and dillribution of the Scriptures throughout the Britifli empire, may be confidered as a pledge of the lively intereft which they will take in the dillemination of the fame blellings in the Eallern world. And although the aAual tranllation of the Bible into the Oriental tongues has, for the reafons before flated, been recommended to be undertaken by the collegiate in- ftitution in Hindullan, it cannot be doubted, that the learned mem- bers of that fociety would not only deem themfelves honoured by the patronage of the two Univerfities, but might receive much im- portant aflillance from the celebrated Orientalills who feverally adorn them '. Under fuch aufpices, the difficult and laborious duty of Eattern tranllation might be julily contemplated with augmented hopes of completion and fuccefs. It is impolTible to clofe this part of the fubjed:, without once more recurring to the importance of that inllitution, to which the work of tranllating the Scriptures into the Oriental tongues has been recommended, and upon which, if ever accomphllicd, it will chiefly devolve. The College of Fort William, whether confidercd with reference to India or to Britain, cannot be too highly appreciated. It has indeed been objccfled to on the ground of the expence in which it has involved the Eall India Company. But it may be fafely affirmed, that had this even exceeded what has been actually incurred, the benefits which the College has already been the means of conferring on the Britifli government, and which it mull ' It can fcarcely be neceflary to mention the names of Dr. W'liite, the learned Regius ProfcfTor of Hebrew, and Laudian Profellbr of Arabic, and of Dr. Ford, the Lord Almoner's PraeleiStor in the latter tongue, in the Uni\ crfity of Oxford. con- CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. I4p continue to enfure to it, lb long, at leall, as the condu6l of it iliall be ftridlly conformable to the rules of its inllitution, will be an ample compenfation. The increafed ability, energy, and fecurity, which it has afforded to the Britilh adminillration of Oriental affairs, are fufficient to charadlerize it as a meafure of profound policy, and of the moll enlarged benevolence. To the natives of India, and eventually of the whole continent of Afia, the advan- tages of this learned inftitution are incalculable. Their progrellive improvement and happinefs are intimately connected with it, and in no point of view more manifeftly, than as it is calculated to be the fountain of Scriptural tranflation; the fource, whence thofe ftreams of divine knowledge, wifdom, and comfort may flow, which can alone enlighten and civilize the Eallern world. SECT. 150 MEANS OF PROPAGATING SECT. II. AN ECCLESIASTICAL ESTABLISHMENT. ARGUMENT. Neceffity of this as preliminary to other meafures — Evils arifmg from the %vant of it — 'Probable effe£l offuch an Ejlabli/hment on the Hindus. Extent and expence of'it—^ Its obje£ls — Chara£lcr of its members. n">^ X H E tranflation of the Scriptures into the Oriental languages, as one of the primary and moll important means of promoting Chril- tianity in Afia, might be fafely committed to the members of the College of Fort William, the heads of which inltitution have hi- therto confifted of the fenior Chaplains to the Prefidency of Ben- gal. The effecls, which might be gradually produced on the minds of the well educated natives, by the fimple difperfion of the Scriptures, would fully reward the labour and expence of fuch a meafure, by difleminating amongft them Chrillian principles, and by preparing them for the rejedion of Pagan errors and fuperfti- tion, and the formal reception of the Chrillian religion. It can- not, however, be reafonably expedled, that any meafure of this kind, unfupported by other means of promoting the inllruction and civilization of the natives, can be fpecdily or extenfively fuc- cefsful. Compared with the great body of the people in every country in Afia, the number of thofe who would either be dif- pofed, CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. 151 pofed, or qualified by a knowledge of letters, to read the Scrip- tures with attention and underllanding, would be very Imall. The ignorant and fervile multitude would Hill be left amidft the darknefs and depravity of their ancient fuperftition. Previoufly, therefore, to the adoption of any direct and com- prehenfive means for the inrtrudlion of the natives in general, there is one meafure to be taken, which appears to be of indif- penfable obligation. There ought to be a vifible Eftablifliment of the Chriftian religion, amongll the Britifh fubjeds in India. The expediency of fuch an Eftablifliment, both as the means of perpetuating Chriftianity amongll our own countrymen, and as a foundation for the ultimate civilization of the natives, has been very ably, and, as it feems, conclufively argued by the pro- pofer of the prefent inquiry, in his Memoir on that important fubjedl. To prove the propriety or neceffity of an Ecclefiaftical Eftablifhment for Britifh India, a view is given in that work of the very inadequate ftate of the Englifli Church at the prefent time, in our Oriental empire. Various evils of great magnitude are pointed out as refulting from this national deficiency, both as they refped; the European and the native inhabitants of India. With the former of thefe, except as they are conneAed with the latter, the prefent difcuffion is not immediately concerned. The confequences of the want of religious inftrudlion, and tlie negle6l of religious inftitutions, which have hitherto been fo la- mentably confpicuous throughout India, cannot but have been highly prejudicial, not only to our countrymen as individuals, but to the national reputation and interefts. Although the grofs re- flexions which were formerly accuftomed to be thrown out, as to Bri- tifti immorality in the Eaft, (whether juftly or not, at leaft to their utmoll 152 MEANS OF PROPAGATING utmoft extent, may be fairly doubted,) have long fincc ceafed to be well founded, it is very generally admitted, that the ellablifli- ment of Chaplains in Hindullan has been infufficient to preferve even the forms of our holy religion in the greater number of the civil relidencies, and military llations ; and it may be readily con- cluded, that fuch a deficiency is calculated to excite the moll un- favourable impreffions on the minds of tlie reflecting natives, with refpecl to the ftate of Chriftianity amongll the Englifh who refide in India. Such an imprellion, alfo, it mutl be obler\'ed, will not be lefs felt, though many of our countrymen, in the abfence of all opportunity of public worfliip, Ihould, as it cannot be doubted is the cafe, maintain regular habits of private devotion. It is the pnhl'ic and authorized adminittration of Chriffian infti- tutions which is required, both as to Europeans and natives, for the purpofe of producing any flriking and permanent effed:. It is well known, that in thofe parts of the Britilh empire in Hin- dultan, in which there are no minillers of religion, the Sabbath is fo entirely forgotten, that the only circumllance by which it is dillinguiflied is the difplay of the Britilh Flag ; whilll our coun- trymen openly profane that facred day, by purfuing their ordi- nary occupations, in common with the Hindus. This tingle fadt is fufficient to point out the mifchiefs which mull llow from the infulHciency of the prelent religious appointments in India. Al- though we may be allowed to doubt, whether the natives, in ge- neral, entertain the opinion which has been afcribed to them, as to the total abfence of religious faith in the Britilh relidents amongll them, or their entire inditference to it, it is indifputable, that the appearance of negled:, which is lb manifell around them, mull lead them to quellion their fcnfe of the importance of their national religion, or their lincerity in profelling it ; and mull, con- CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. 153 confequently, difpofe them to entertain no very exalted opinion of its excellence "'. It is certain, therefore, that if the means of religious inftruAion and worfhip fliould be generally afforded to our countrymen, in lituations where the number of Britifh refidents is confiderable, and a general difpofition to avail themfelves of thofe means lliould be manifefted, the refpe<^ of the natives of India for the Chriftian religion, thus rendered vijiblc through its inftitutions, would be pro- portionably increafed, and their minds might be prepared for the fa- vourable reception of more dire" See note T. " Sea Memoir, page 12. " See the Chriftian Obferver for May 1806. X ob- 154 MEANS OF PROPAGATING objedions of a very formidable kind may, indeed, be raifed, on the ground of expence, to the full adoption of his plan. The de- termination of this point rells, however, with thofe to whom the financial department of the Eall India Company is entrurted ; and it is earneltly to be hoped, that the fubjccl will be confidered with that enlarged and liberal attention, which it undoubtedly de- ferves. If, under all the exilling difficulties of the Company, the cllablillimcnt propofcd by Dr. Buchanan Ihould be deemed too extenfive, it may llill be practicable to augment the number of Chaplains, fo that the military llations, and the principal towns where the aflemblage of Europeans is confiderable, might be pro- vided with them, without any alarming increafe of expenditure. Such an incrcafed ellablifliment might, alfo, be fo organized as to prefent, what is an objc6l of the highell importance in Alia, an appearance of national attention and concern, and of weight and dignity, by tlie appointment of one or two Ecclefialiics of the, Epifcopal order, without any additional burden which deferves to be confidered in a work of fuch national magnitude and concern. It has been generally underftood, that fome meafure of this kind has been long in contemplation, and that the execution of it, lb far as the increafe of Chaplains is concerned, is actually begun. The ncccffity of fome local and dignified efiablilhment of our national religion, for the purpofe of promoting the improvement of the natives of India, and other Oriental regions, can fcarcely be doubted by any, who are difpofed to confider that meafure as ob- ligatory on our principles, or beneficial in its tendency. Inde- pendently of the importance of fome ellablilhment of that nature, however contracted in its extent, as to its religious influence on our own countrymen, and its probable effeols on the minds of the natives, in embodying Chriltianity, and exhibiting it in a more public CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. 155 public and commanding point of view, various advantages would be derived from it, towards the accomplifliment of the great work of diffufing in Afia the principles and the bleffings of our holy re- ligion. In the choice and in the application of appropriate means for promoting this important obje6l, it is obvious, that much local information, and much prudence and judgment, will be required ; and although the direction of every meafure of this kind exclu- fively belongs to the government itfelf, no perfons would be likely to be more interefted in its accomplifhment, or better qualified by their ftation and habits to advife and to aflift in the execution of fuch meafures, than that body of able and experienced Clergy, who may be entrufted with the fuperintendence of the ecclefiafti- cal affairs of our Oriental empire. On all thefe accounts it would feem evident, that an Etlablithment of the nature which has been now recommended is abfolutely required, as a preliminary to the effeftive organization of any plan for the diffufion of Chriftian knowledge in Afia. One important advantage, which would arife out of fuch an efl:ablifhment, remains yet to be mentioned ; namely, the Epifco- pal power of Ordination ; both for the purpofe of fecuring a con- ftant fupply of Clergymen, for the exercife of facred fun6lions amongll the European inhabitants of Afia ; and alfo of providing intlru6lors for the natives. The want of fuch a power for the former purpofe has long been felt and lamented I' ; and it may be prefumed, that, in the courfe of time, fome of the converted na- tives may be found fufficiently qualified for the minillerial office for the infi:ru6lion of their own countrymen. It has been regretted, that Dr. Buchanan, in arguing the expe- P Memoir, page lo. X 2 diency 156 MEANS OF PROPAGiVl ING diency of an Eccleliaftical Elbblifhnient in India, with reference to the civil and rehgious improvement of the natives, fhould not have been more full and explicit in detailing the intermediate Heps between the caufe and its alleged confequences. Something of this kind has been attempted in the preceding obfervations. But in order clearly to demonftrate this connexion, nothing fur- ther feems in fadi to be necellary, than limply to refer to two points which have been already proved ; namely, the importance of an Ellablilhment for the promotion of Chriftianity, not merely among the Britilli refidents in India, but alfo among the Hindus ; and the tendency of that religion to civilize and improve man- kind. One additional remark, however, is too momentous to be omit- ted. The influence of an Epifcopal ellablifliment, in promoting Chriftanity amongll the natives of Afia, will materially depend on the chara&crs of thofe ivho prefide over it, and of the various fubor- dinate members who compofe it. Admitting, what it may be hoped would not prove otherwife, that the Oriental Clergy fhould not only be men of virtue, talents, and learning, but animated with found and enlightened piety, and apodolic zeal ; fuch as have dil- tinguiflicd many of the Proteftant miirionaries who have, during the laft century, devoted their lives to the fersice of the Hindus, and whofe names are Hill held in honour amongll them ; the moll fanguine expedlations may be jullly formed of the fuccefs of their exertions amongll the natives. But, if it may, on the contrary, be allowable to imagine the polTibility of their lukewarm nefs or indifference in the facred caule of the converfion of the natives ; if they Ihould not even feel an ardent defire for the accomplilh- ment of the work ; our expectations would be greatly difap- pointed. Complaints CHRISTL\NITY IN ASIA. 157 Complaints have, Indeed 1, been made refpedling the characters and difpofitions of fome of thofe who have hitherto fupported the clerical charad:er amongll: our countrymen in Hindullan. It is, however, devoutly to be wiflied, that in the event of an Ecclefi- aftical Ellablifliment being given to Britilh India, they, and they only, will be deemed worthy of becoming members of it, whofe zeal and anxiety in promoting the inftrudion of the natives may not only prompt them to advife the bed means for accomplifhing this great purpofe, but may excite them perfonally to engage in the adlive labours neceflary to efFed; it ; and thus reftore to the Englifli Church that charadler for apoftolic earneftnefs and charity in the converfion of the Heathen, which it once pofTelled ; but which, notwithftanding the patronage and efforts of fome of its laudable Societies, which have been already mentioned, cannot, for many centuries, be claimed on her behalf, by the mod faith- ful and zealous of her fons. "» See Dr. Tennant's Indian Recreations, Vol. I. fe6t. 9. SECT. 158 MEANS OF PROPAGATING SECT. III. MISSIONS. ARGUMENT. Heceffity of fame direS and appropriate means for promoting Cbrijlian knowledge in Afia — The JuhjeB of mifjions — Opinion of Sir IVilUam Jones refpeQing it — Defence of miffions, from Scripture, from the praSiice of' the Chrijltan Church, from rational arguments — Objedions aifivcred — Teflimonies as to the importance of miffions in the EaJ} — Succefs of modern attempts of this kind — Affcrtions of Dr. Robertfon and others refuted — Miffions of the Society for promoting Chrijlian Know/edge — Su'artx — The Baptijl miffionaries — Charaiier of Afiatic converts — Propriety of fome further encouragement of miffionaries in India — Propofal of an inflitution for miffionaries in England — general plan of it — CharaSier of a true mijfionary — his duties — di/lribu- tion of the Scriptures, and religious trads. Although it appears to be undeniable, tbat the civil and mo- ral improvement of the Pagan and Mohammedan natives of Afia will never be effedled by any other means than by the dirtufion of Chriftian knowledge ; and although an Ecclefiafiical Ellablilh- ment fecms to be neceflary as a previous ftep towards promoting that defirable objeA ; it is no lefs certain, that fuch an Ellablilh- ment may fubfill in Bengal for a great length of time, without producing any very extenfive or important influence, unlefs fome dired and appropriate means are ufed for its accomplilhment. When the expediency of civilizing our Afiatic fubje, and are too well known to require any particular expofition of them. The fame fentiment has, however, been extended to the labours of Proteftant miffionaries. Their fuccefs has been faid to have been very trifling, and the converfions they may have made to have been of an equivocal and unimportant nature. " To convert or to be " converted," fays Dr. Robertfon, " are ideas equally repugnant to " the principles moft deeply rooted in" the mind of a Hindu, " nor " can either the Catholic or Proteftant miffionaries in India boart " of having overcome thefe prejudices, except among a few in the " loweft calls, or of fuch as have loll their cafl: altogether. Notwith- " Handing the labours of miffionaries for upwards of two hundred '' See Brief Hiftoric View prefixed, page 50. years, CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. 167 " years," (fays a late ingenious writer ' ,) " and the eftablifliments " of different Chrillian nations who fupport and protedl them ; " out of perhaps one hundred milUons of Hindus, there are not " twelve thoufand Chrillians, and thofe almoll entirely Chancalas, " or outcatls ''." If thefe aflertions of the eloquent hiftorian, and of the writer irom whom he quotes fome part of them, were well founded, they might form a very ll:rong objedion not only to the employment of miflionaries, but to the very (Jefign of propagating Chrirtianity in the Eail:. But the truth is, that they are by no means fup- ported by fadls. Subfequent inquiry and information have fhewn, that the fuccefs of the labours of Protetlant mifTionaries in India has been far more confiderable than the writers in quellion have reprelented it, and of fuch a nature as to excite fanguine hopes of further progrefs, under the more favourable circumftances which adually exilL The admirable apology of Mr. Swartz*^, which has been already referred to, and which was occafioned by fome injurious aflertions relpcifting his fuccefs as a miflionary, and the chara6ler of the na- tive Chrillians, contains a fimple but energetic ftatement, which alone affords decifive evidence of the importance of the Eall India milTion. The fingular modefly of the venerable miffionary, a man antiqud virtutc acjide, reftrained him from dwelling on the extra- ordinary fuccefs of himlelf, and of" his fellow labourer Mr. Gericke, (now alfo removed from his arduous and honourable employ- « Sketches relating to the Hiftory, Rehgion, Learning, and Manners of die Hin- dus, page 48. ^ See Ilobertfon's Difquifition concerning Ancient India, note 40. • See Letter of Swartz, ut fupra. ment,) l68 ' MEANS OF PROPAGATING ment,) in the converfion of multitudes of the natives to Chrifti- anity. He confined himfelf principally to an enumeration of well known fads, to prove the important fecular fervices which they had rendered to the Englifh government on feveral occafions of a very difficult and critical nature, and the confidence which the natives repofed in their integrity. Thefe fervices of the mif- lionaries were acknowledged by the government of Madras, and by the Rajah of Tanjore. The latter prince exprelied his fenfe of them by a grant of land for the fupport of the million in his dominions ; and appointed Mr. Swartz guardian to his family. The death of this Apollolic miffionary was lamented by the Hindus as a public and irreparable calamity ; and his memory was perpetuated by the refpe6lful and aff'edionate attachment of the prefent Rajah of Tanjore ; who has erected a monument to him in the Chriftian church which is in his capital, to manifell his veneration and gratitude for him ivhovi he calls his futlier and his friend ^. It is to be regretted, that no detailed and minute account has hitherto been publiflied of the numbers of the natives, who have been converted to Chriliianity fince the eftablifliment of the Pro- teftant million in India at the commencement of the lall century, and of the nature of their acquaintance with our holy faith *. The general declarations of competent witnelles muft therefore be reforted to. It appears from various undoubted teflimonics, that by the la- ' See Society's Proceedings for iSoi. B Sucli an account might, perhaps, be coilefted by referring to the periodical Proceedings of the Society for promoting Chriftian Knowledge, fo far as the niif- (ionaries under its patronage are concerned, and would funiifli a fatisfadlory reply to the objeftion now under confideration. hours CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. l6g hours of Ziegenbalgh ^, and his immediate fucceflbrs, Chriftian Churches were planted in different parts on the coafl; of Coro- mandel, which have been conrtantly increafing their numbers to the prefent time. The zealous exertions of the venerable Swartz, during the pe- riod of half a century, were crowned with tignal fuccefs in feveral different provinces in the fouth of the peninfula ; and the labours of Mr. Gericke, and his affociates, have been, and continue to be, eminently profperous '. Of the rapid extenfion of Chriftianity in the diftrids near Cape Comorin, the following animating account is given by the laft- mentioned excellent miffionary : " When in my journey I came " near to the extremity of the peninfula, I found whole villages " waiting anxioufly for my coming, to be further inllru6led and *' baptized. They had got acquainted with our native prieft " in that country, and the catechifts and Chriftians, and had " learned from them the catechifm ; which thofe who could write " copied, to learn it themfelves at their leifure. When they heard " of my coming, they broke their idols to pieces, and converted " their temples into Chriftian Churches, in which I inllruded and "baptized them, (in fome about 200, in others about 3oo ;) " formed them into ChrilHan congregations, procured for them " catechifts and fchoolmallers, and made them choofe, in each " place, four elders. Thefe examples awakened the whole coun- " try ; and when I was about to leave it, the inhabitants of many ' A particuliir and interefting account of this admirable niiflionary's labours and fuccefs may be feen in Millar's Hiftory of the Propagation of Chriflianity, Vol. II. ' In teftimony of their fuqcefs, fee Dr. Ker's Report, already referred to. z " more I/O MEANS OF PROPAGATING " more villages fent meflages to me, begging of me to remain a •' couple of months longer in the country, and to do in their vil- " lages the good work I had done in thole of their neighbours'^." The fuccefs of the Dani/k mijftoimries at Tranquebar appears to have been equally great '. And in general it may be obferved, that as thofe who are employed on the coaft of Coromandel have each feparate congregations and dittricls, and travel to the dillance of nearly one hundred and fifty miles from the coaft, to vifit other bodies of converted Hindus, who are affifted by native catechills and fchoolmafters, the number of their converts muft be confi- derable. Of the progrefs of the Boptiji and other Proteftant miffiona- rics, the following account is given by Mr. Carey ^ : " The fuc- " cefs of the Gofpel has been but flow with us ; at times it has " been more rapid. At and about Tanjore, in a fliort time, many •' have turned from idols, under father Swartz's miniftrv. I am " alfo told, that, of late, many have been converted in the more " fouthern country, about Palamcotta." The progrefs of the Baptill: miffionaries, though fo moderately ftated by Mr. Carey, has, however, of late been more confiderable. They have already baptized upwards of one hundred Hindus, and their tranflations of the Scriptures, and the various other means which they are em- ploying, may be jul1:ly expedted greatly to increafe their numbers. Something yet remains to be faid as to the charader of the con- *' See the Chriftian Obferver for Auguft, 1803. ' See tlieir Letter to the Society for promoting Chriftian Knowledge, February 19, 1799. * See Proceedings of the Baptift Miffion. verted CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. 171 verted llimlus, and the nature of their acquaintance with Chrilli- anity. Upon this fubjecl it is, alio, necellury to hear the evidence of re li dents in India. Dr. Ker, in his report refpe6ling the Chrillian Churches on the coatl of Malabar, fpeaking of the St. Thome Chrillians, bears this honourable teftimony to them : " The charadler of thefe people is " marked by ^ijlrihiug fuperiority over the heathens in every moral " excellence; and they are remarkable for their veracity and plain " dealing.'' " With regard to the qneftion," fays an author already quoted ', " which has been agitated at home, on the expediency of fending " miffionaries, (a quetlion highly difgraceful to its oppofers,) it " may be futlicient to know, that the native Profejlant converts " are, when compared with a like number of other natives, the " mojl orderly and rcJpeSahle claj's in the country. That they " confill chiefly of the lower or Pariar claj's, is a vulgar error ; " and, inllead of being, as is often aflerted, defpifed and con- " temptuoufly treated by their fellow natives, they are univerjally " refpe6ied : by the latter term, I would be underltood to fay, " that, on account of their general good behaviour in focicty, they " are elleemed to polfefs more probity, arid better dij'pojitions to- " wards focial kindnefs, than any other natives." " Our intention," fays the venerable Swartz, " is not to boaft : " but this I may fafely fay, that many of thoje people who have " been injlruded, have left this world with con/fort, and with a " tvell grounded hope of everlajiing life. That fome of thofe uho ' See Letter to Dr. Vincent. z 2 " have 173 MEANS OF PROPAGATING " have been inftruded and baptized have abufed the benefit of •' inllrudion, is certain ; but all fincere fen'ants of God, naj, even " the Apollles, have experienced this grief." " With regard to the invi'ard religion of the heart among the " converted heathen," fays Mr. Carey, " I beg leave to mention " what the late Mr. Swartz faid on his death-bed of the Chriliians " at Tanjore ; ' There is i?! all a good beghmwg : if another fays, • but there is nothing perfed ; let him examine himfelf, and then * judge." " We cannot fpeak," fay the Baptill milTionaries re- fpeAing their converts, " of thcfe elFedls in the Chriftians of Hin- " duftan, as exifting in fitch a degree as ivc coidd unjh, nor as un- " accompanied with many faults ; yet, comparing them tvith what " they ivcre, and with what the reji of their countrymen Jlill are, " the change is great and manifejl f"," After the preceding brief review of the necellity and import- ance of miflions, and of the a6lual fuccefs which has attended the feeble efforts hitherto made in this benevolent and interefHng work, the propriety and expediency of this meafure will fcarcely be difputed by any, who are really difpofed to ufe the moft effec- tual means for the moral improvement of the natives of Afia. It will not, however, be deemed fufficient for the purpofe of the pre- fent inquiry, to have pointed out the advantages of miflions, or to have fimply recommended the adoption of that method of diffuf- ing the light of Chriftianity more extenfively throughout Afia. If, as it has been already Ihevvn, it be the duty and the policy " See Proceedings of the Baptift miflion ; and, for other teftinionies to tlie fuc- cefs of modern miffions, fee the Moravian Accounts, confirmed, with rcfpc£l to South Africa, by Mr. Barrow. of CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. 173 of Great Britain to make fome direft and active efforts for pro- moting Chriltian knowledge amongll its Oriental lubje(fts ; and if the labours of miflionaries form one of the moll efficacious means of accomplilhing this important objed; ; it follows, that fuitable encouragement lliould be afforded by the government for this purpofe. Hitherto, the Proteilant milfionaries have been barely tolerated in India ; but after the Jong courfe of years, dur- ing which not only the fafety, but the beneficial tendency of their exertions has been experienced, it may reafonably be expected, that fomething more of direct countenance and fupport fhould be extended to them. The leall and loweft meafure of this nature which can be adopted would be to licenfe, under proper regulations, a certain number of miflionaries ; to permit them to form flations, and ufe all rational and prudent means for the inltru(9:ion of the natives ; and to give them every degree of encouragement, fhort of an oftenfible commiifion to convert them. The propriety and the (afety of lb moderate a meafure as this can fcarcely be denied by any, who are impartial and competent judges of the fubje6t. With refped; to any further and more diredt attempts to propa- gate Chriftianity in India, much caution ought unqueftionably to be exercifed. For, notwithftanding the habitual apathy and the leflening prejudices of the Hindus, it would be prefuming too much to afErm, that no meafurcs, except fuch as partook of ab- folute violence, would alarm them. On the contrary, if the na- tives of India, in confequence of any ftriking indications of fuch a nature, were to conclude, that it was the fixed intention of the Britifli government to convert them to the Chriftian faith, they would probably feel confiderable alarm. The Mohammedans, who 174 MEANS OF PROPAGATING who are alive to every circumllance which affeds their bigotry, would be the firll: to entertain fuch an apprehenfion, and then would zealoully diireminate it amongft the Hindus. This is a confideration which tends to produce no fmall degree of hefitation in recommending more vigorous and ollenfible mea- furcs for the attainment of the object in quelHon. Were it not that the open and avowed interference of the Britilh government in India lliould be liudioully kept out of fight, and that the minds of its native fubjeds are not yet fufficiently prepared for the exe- cution of fuch a plan, it would be propofed to eftablilh, either at Calcutta, or in its vicinity, an Inllitution or College for milhona- rics, throughout India and the Eaftern world. This ell:ablilhment would be, for the pm-pofe of millions, what the College of Fort William has been reprefented to be, for the tranllation of the Scriptures into the Oriental tongues. It would form the centre of religious inftrudion ; w^hence, as from another lona'", the rays of Chrillian light might proceed to illumine and cheer the be- nighted regions around it. But the flate of India is not yet fuffi- ciently advanced to warrant the recommendation of this plan. Notwithlianding, therefore, the obvious advantages which the members of fuch an inllitution would polfefs, as to the accpiilition both of the Oriental languages, and of local information in gene- ral, it is not intended, in the firft inllance, to propole its adop- tion ; although it is hoped, that fome ellablilliment of this na- ture may eventually be formed. We may, however, venture to recommend, that an inltitution of a limilar kind be founded in England, which, without incurring the " Journey to the weftern ides of Scotland, by Dr. Johnlon. danger 't.^ CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. 175 danger of offending the prejudices, or awakening the fears, of the Hindus, might combine many of the advantages of the Oriental plan, and be rendered almolt equally fublervient to their civil and religious improvement. The objeAs, which fuch an eftablilhment would embrace, are chietly the preparation of candidates for the office of miffionaries, both bv cultivating the Eaftern languages, and other qualifications necelTary for duly fuftaining it ; and the education of native Afiatic youths, felefted on account of their ta- lents and difpofitions, for the purpofe of becoming the future in- ftruments of inllrucling their Pagan or Mohammedan brethren. Refpecling the importance of the point latl mentioned, it was long fince obferved by Ccrri, Secretary to the College de Propaganda Fide, that one native thus educated would probably be more fer- viceable than many miffionaries fent from Europe. The Jcfuit Acofta" expretled the fame opinion, that the natives, \A'hen rightly educated, are the moft proper for this work. The celebrated Roman Catholic ellablilhmcnt, dc Propaganda Fide, of which fome account has already been given ", may be confidered as affording a precedent, though by no means a model, for the formation of the propofed inflitution in England. The former was, indeed, lefs intended to diffufe the principles of genuine Chrillianity, than to fupport and to extend the dodlrines and ju- rifdidion of the Papal fee. Its objects were, in confcquence, va- rious and complicated, and its funds and clhiblilhment ample and magnificent. But the glory of this far-famed inftitution is de- parted. The means employed by its agents for the convcrfion of Pa See Thoughts concerning a Million to Aftracan, by the Rev. H. Brunton. = See particularly, in proof of this, I'ark's Travels. ** Difquifition concerning India^ note 40. * B b " o 186 MEANS OF PROPAGATING " confulerably increaled by a prac'lice common among them, ot " buying children in years of famine, whom they educate in the " Mohammedan religion." A late writer ^ on the fubjecl of India gives it as his opinion, as well as that of the bell informed perfons, that the mod probable means of propagating Chrillianity in Hinduftan is by the inllruc- tion of the native youth. He afferts, that the natives have no averlion to commit their children to the tuition of Europeans, but are rather ambitious of their acquiring their accomplilhments, from intererted motives of advancement in our fervice ; that many natives adually fend their children to day-fchools, for the purpofe of learning the Englith language, and even purchafe elementary books for private application. He confiders, that, by affording gratuitous inllruction, multitudes of Hindu children in Calcutta might be taught to read and write, and an opportunity might thus be given for putting elementary books of morality into their hands, as introdutlory to ChrilHanity ^. " Our error," obferves the author of the Report to the government of Madras refpe«£l- ing the native Chrillians on the coall: of Malabar, " has been in " not having long ago cllablilhed free J'chools throughout every " part of this country, by which the children of the natives " might have learned our language, and become acquainted with " our morality." « Dr. Tennant. Tie apprehends, that, as there would always be great difficulty in procuring fober and diligent Europeans to inftru6l the native children, this might be remedied by employing fonie of the children of Europeans bj' natives, who are excluded from civil or military employment in our fervice, and aban- doned by their Hindu progenitors, on account of their Chriftian education. This is a hint, which, with proper cautions, deferves ferious attention. ' Indian Recreations, Vol, I. feft. 22. The CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. tsf The utility of this meafure is in no point of view more ap- parent, than as it refpects the gradual diffiijion of the Englijli lan- guage throughout India. The civihzation of the natives, and the conlirmation of the Britiili dominion, could fcarcely by any other means be more fpeedily and efFeAually promoted. Suppoling, however, what appears to be very improbable, from the prefent favourable difpofition of the natives, that but few of them would permit their children to be educated in the propofed manner ; the plan which is fo fuccefsfully followed by the Mo- hammedans, and which, from purer motives, has been adopted by fome of the higher refidents in Britifli India, of procuring native children during times of famine, or other feafons of diftrefs, and by various other pra6licable means, might be advantageoufly re- forted to. The children thus obtained might be fupported at very little expence, and educated in the principles of Chrillianity. The importance of fchools for native children has been felt in every modern undertaking to propagate the Chrirtian religion among the heathen. They have been conftantly attached to the flations of the Danilh and other Protertant miffionaries in India ; and are confidered as a nurfery for the Church, and one of the moll ufe- ful branches of their miflionss. In Ceylon, previous to the eftablifliment of the Britifli autho- rity, the Dutch had been particularly zealous in the formation* of fchools in every diftrid. Thefe are ftill maintained and en- larged, and are in a very vigorous and flourifliing condition. The e The fentiments of the Danifh miffionaries may be feen In the fecond volume of Millar's Iliftory, p. 485- B b 2 children 168 MEANS OF PROPAGATING cliililren in thefe fchools are tauglit both to read and write the native and the EngUfli languages, and are dihgently in- Ih-ucled in the Chriftian religion. At the milfion Nation of Karafs, the leading objeH of thofe who fuperintend it is to ran- fom young flaves, for the purpofe of educating them as Chrif- tians. I The fpeculative opinions and the praftical experience of all who have direcled their attention to this fubjecl feem thus to concur in ftrenuoufly recommending the ellablilhnicnt of fchools, wherever it is intended to dilleminate Chrillian knowledge ; and although it would be more advantageous, that they lliould be formed and direcled by fome appropriate inftitution, and that they fliould be fubjeA to the fuperintendence of miffionaries and refi- dent Clergy, they are of fuch primary importance, that if even no other meafure JJioiild be eventually taken towards the improve- ment of the natives, the cjlahlijhmcnt of free fchools lliould on no confideration be ncgleded. The trial of their utility ought at leall to be made at fome of the principal Englifli fettlements in India ; and if, as cannot be doubted, it fliould prove favourable to the adoption of the propofed plan, fchools might be gradually ex- tended throughout our empire, as circumllances and opportunities Ihould direct. The ellablilhment of fchools being a meafure which muft ne- ceflarily be undertaken by the Britifti government, we may be allowed in connexion with this fubjedl to offer a few obfervations, in addition to thofc which have been already made, on the pro- priety of its general interference in promoting the propagation of Chrillianity. Protcdlion CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. I89 Protection from perfecution on account of religious opinions is one of the chief encouragements to the inveftigation of truth in any country ; and the mild and tolerating fpirit of our Oriental government, contrafted with that which charaderized the Portu- guefe and the jNIohammedan dominion, is, no doubt, one of the caufes which has contributed to the increafe and ftability of our empire. But this toleration of native fuperftitions may degene- rate into culpable indifference to our own purer faith ; and has, in fadl, been cenfured on that ground. There is no doubt, that the appearance of any difpolition on the part of government to compel its fubjedls to adopt the Chrillian faith would be op- pofed ; and under a difavowal of every fpecies of coinpulfion, whether direct or indired:, the attempt to convert them mull be made with much caution and difcretion. That the government muft lend its cordial affiftance in this important work, is indif- penfable to its fuccefs ; but that afliliance may be fubrtantially af- forded, without any difplay to create alarm, or furnilh a pretence for exciting it. Thus, whilft every degree of compullion fhould be carefully avoided, the laudable example of a late Governor General '■, in fuppreffmg one inhuman pra6lice of the Hindus, re- fpedling the deltruAion of infants, may evidently be followed with advantage ; and in this manner, many other cruel and immoral parts of the native fuperllition may be effedfually reftrained and abolillied. It is remarkable, however, that, notwithllanding the general protedtion which is now afforded by the Englilh government to the various religious fedls exilling in India, and although the Hin- du who is converted to Chriftianity, and is, in confequence, ex- '■ The Marquis Wellcfley. palled igo MEANS OF PROPAGATING pelled from his Cafte, is liable to no perfonal violence, or to any lofs of his rights as a fubjedt ; yet, from the want of precedent in the north of India, of a community of native Chrillians enjoying political confequence, as in the fouth, fuch is the ignorance of the people, that they are faid to doubt ', w^hether their civil liberties are equally fecure to them, under the denomination of Chri/iian, as under that of Hindu or Mufelman ; and not to underftand, that we have yet recognized, in our code of native law, any other fedl than that of Hindu and INIufelman. It is, therefore, of great importance, that this point fliould be clearly made known to the natives. Meafures, alfo, fliould undoubtedly be ad- opted for the peculiar protedion ^ and employment of thole, who, by their converfion to the Chrillian religion, have incurred the dif- pleafure of their relatives, or facrificed their worldly interefts ; and it is worthy of the attention of government, how far it would be right to extend the fame fupport to the deferving part of the Pariars, or outcall:s'. During the government of the ifland of Ceylon by the Dutch, particular attention w^as paid to the en- couragement of Chrillianity in this manner : no native was ad- mitted to any office under it, without profeffing himfelf a mem- ber of the reformed religion ; and although this was, probably, produdlive of much hypocrify, the fpirit which didlated fuch a regulation might be judicioufly imitated by our own Eartern go- vernment. The Angorous adoption of meafures fimilar to thofe which have ■ See Dr. Buchanan's Memoir, note F. '' See fonie obfervations on this fubjeiSl in the Edinburgh Review, No. 8. p. 318. ' This has alfo been fuggefted by tlie intelligent writer referred to in the pre- ceding note. now CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. IQI now been propoled could fcarcely fail of eventually producing the moll important confequences, refpecling the civil and moral improvement of Afia. Thefe, however, remain to be confidered in the lucceeding chapter. ARGUMENT. Ohfervations on the cff'cds of the propagation of Chri/iianifj/ throughout the tvorld — ProbahU'ity that they tvould be equally be- neficial in Afia — Suppofed confequences of the adoption of the various means before recommended — Probable ejfe6i of the dif- pcrfion of the Scriptures in Afia — and of other ineatis of promot- ing Chrijlian knowledge — Progrefs of Chriflianity — Bhfjings rc- fulting to individual converts — Advantages to Oriental nations, refpeBing their mamifaBures and commerce — Literature — Civil and judicial infi^itutions — Civilizing arts and manners — Advan- tages to Great Britain — Stability and permanence of its Oriental empire — increafed commercial advantages — Its fame and reputa- tion from the promotion of Chrifiianity in Afia — AccomplifJiment of prophecies — General recapitulation of motives to this tvorh — Conclufion. CHAP. III. The Conjequences oftranflathig the Scriptures into the Orieiital lan- guages, and of promoting Chrijiian hiowledge in Afia. It has frequently been objedled to fuggeftions refpecling the religious improvement of our Indian fubjedls, and, indeed, of the natives of Afia at large, that their own fuperflitions are adapted to their peculiar genius and chara6ler, and that they would derive no material advantages from any change in their fentiments and ha- bits. This objeftion may be traced, partly to an unfounded idea of the purity and excellence of the Brahminical faith, or to an opinion, that all religions are equally acceptable in the fight of God ; and partly to an imperfed; knowledge, or a flight and fuper- ficial conlideration, of the nature and blefllngs of Chriftianity. On the fubje(ft of the true chara6ler and efFe temporal authority of their princes and rulers, the firft preachers of Chriftianity fuccefsfully planted it throughout the world. Ido- latry, error, vice, and mifcry, fied in proportion to the prevalence of this divine religion ; and nations, which had long been de- graded and enllaved by moral ignorance and corruption, were refcued from their bondage, and fprang into " liberty, and light, " and life." We have already traced the progrefs of this heavenly faith from its firft promulgation to the prefent time. We have obferved the facrcd leaven, originally infufed into the univerfal mafs in the * See Brief Hifloric View prefixed. c c 2 chofen igO CONSEQUENCES OF PROPAGATING chofen province of Judaea, gradually extending itfelf till its influ- ence was felt throughout the globe. We have feen this extenfive diffufion of Chrirtianity at firft rapidly advancing under the mira- culous guidance and diredlion of its divine Author, and afterwards more llowly proceeding under the ordinary bleffing of Heaven. We have remarked the fuccefs which has attended the adoption of the means which have been recommended in the courfe of the prefent inquiry. The Scriptures were generally tranjlated into the vernacular languages of the countries intended to be evan- gelized b. In many inftances where a conliderable body of Chrif- tians were fettled amidll an uninlirudled and uncivilized people, the wife and liberal policy of the parent llates granted them a fuitahle ejlahlijhment of their faith. The zealous labours of pious and able mifflonaries were called forth to roufe the attention and to inform the minds of the unconverted natives ; and ftrenuous, though, it mull be confefled, occafionally imprudent and unwar- rantable, efforts were made by the fccular governments to abo- lifli the idolatry and fuperftitions of their barbarous fubjedls, and to encourage the profellion of the Chrillian faith. Meafures fuch as thefe have never failed, in the courfe of years, and to a greater or lefs degree, to ditTufe the knowledge of Chrillianity in any un- enlightened country, and to carry in their train a rich allcmblage of national and individual bleffings. Why then fliould it be doubted, that fimilar effedls will follow the adoption of limilar meafures in the cale now under confideration ? Why Ihould it be thought in- credible, that Hindullan, and, at length, other Afiatic countries, Ihould receive from Britilh piety and zeal the benefits which have hitherto invariably flowed from the introdudion of pure and ge- nuine Chrillianity ; that the confequences, which have refulted *• See Brief Hiftoric View prefixed, paflini. from CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. 197 from it in the Weft, lliould be experienced in the Eaft ? It has appeared, that India and other Oriental countries have already felt the beneficial influence of our holy religion ; and that the prefent circumftances of their natives, and of the Britifli government, are peculiarly favourable to a wife and well-digefted attempt to pro- mote its revival and extenfion amongft them. Suppofing, therefore, the great and important v^'ork of tranflat- ing the Scriptures into the Oriental tongues, that primary and fundamental ftep towards the fuccefsful propagation of Chrifti- anity in any country, to be purfued and completed, under the patronage of the College of Fort William, aided by fuch means as have been before fuggei^ed — Suppofing, alfo, an ecclefiafti- cal Eftabliihment to be granted to Britilli India, and an infti- tution for the exprefs purpofe of qualifying and employing mif- fionaries to be formed — Suppofing, further, the cordial yet pru- dent cooperation of the fupreme government to be exerted in the fuppreflion of the cruel and immoral practices of the na- tives, and the protection and encouragement of thofe who lliould embrace the Chriftian faith — What, under thefe circumftances, may rationally be expe(fted to be the conj'cquences of fuch endea- vours to promote Chriftian knowledge in Afia ? It is not to be fuppofed, that any fudden or extenfive revolution in the opinions and habits of the natives would take place, neither is this to be defired. The moll prompt and vigorous adoption of the meafurcs before recommended mull: be expeded to be very long in producing any great and vifible elFedl. The means pro- pofed to be ufed are of a rational and moral nature ; the people amongft whom they are to be exercifed are not only debated and fettered in the moft degrading manner, but are naturally in- dilpofed igs CONSEQUENCES OF PROPAGATING difpofed to exertion, and funk in the moft deplorable mental apa- thy. Time mull, therefore, be allowed for the operation of the meafures which may be employed for their improvement. We can, indeed, look but a very little way into the connexions and confequences of things : but we are warranted, by the foundeft dedu<5tions of reafon, and the moft unvarying telHmony of paft ex- perience, to predict, that Chriftianity, wherever it is planted, will have its genuine efFeft on fome few ; that a change in the moral fentiments and habits, and fubfequently in the civil and focial condition of the natives of India, and other Afiatic regions, will be gradually effedled ; that the complicated evils, by which they have been long opprefled, will be progreffively leflened ; and that bleflings will, by degrees, be diffufed amongll them, to which they have hitherto been ftrangers. Notwithftanding the publicity which would be the unavoid- able confequence of the adoption of fome of the propofed mea- fures for propagating Chriftian knowledge in Afia, they would, probably, at firll:, be deemed inadequate by the natives of Hin- dultan to produce the intended efFed:, and conlidered rather as idle than dangerous to their fuperftitions. It is important, indeed, that this impreffion Ihould be general amongft them ; and that the idea of the interference of government, for the purpofe of con- verting them, Ihould, as we have before obferved, as much as polTible, be counteracted. This would tend to allay any appre- henfions which might otherwife be excited in their minds by the apparent difpofitions which were making around them ; and would leave the means to be purfued for their improvement to their natural and undifturbed operation. I. 1 . The difperlion of the Scriptures in the native languages, to* wards CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. lyg wards which fuch confiderable progrefs has been already made, as it would, probably, precede every other meafure, and might be exe- cuted without much obfervation, would be likely, in the firll; in- ftance, to be the moft beneficial, and to prepare the minds of the natives for flill further attempts to inftrud: them. Supposing the Scriptures Ihould, as it has been recommended, be accompanied by fliort and perfpicuous trails on the evidences and nature of the revelation which they contain, it cannot be reafonably doubted, that a confiderable fpirit of inquiry would be raifed amongft the higher clafles of the Hindus, which would be conrtantly fpreading and producing increafed efFedls upon their minds. The additional intereft with which every circumllance relative to their European rulers has, of late years, been regarded by the natives, and parti- cularly the eftabli£hment and fubfequent proceedings of the Col- lege of Fort William, though it has Hopped fliort of exciting any degree of fufpicion or jealoufy which might prove prejudicial to the Britilli government, has, notvvithfianding, tended to awaken the well-educated amongfi them from that indifference and torpor as to moral and religious fubjedls, by which they have been fo long charadlerized. This muft necefliirily prove highly favourable to the promotion of the great objed: in quefiion. The errors and enormities both of the Hindu fuperllition, and of the Moham- medan impofl;ure, when fully, yet temperately, expofed to the view of their deluded votaries, would, furely, appear in fomewhat of their true colours, and affe^l them by fome indiflincl difcovery of their guilt and abfurdity. Chriflianity, on the other hand, requires only to be prefented in her genuine form, to fccure, even from prejudiced and fuperficial obfervers, the tribute of their admiration of her fuperior excellence and value. The contrail, which would be exhibited by the difperfion of the Scriptures, between the reli- gion of Chrill, and that of Mohammed, of Brahma, or of Budh, would. 200 CONSEQUENCES OF PROPAGATING would, therefore, be too llriking to efcape the notice of fome of the more acute and refleding of our Afiatic fubjecls, and would load them firll to doubt the truth of their own faith, and then to entertain a favourable opinion refpecting ours. It is not probable, that the Hindu, accuftomed to the grofs re- prefentations of his native gods, or even the Mohammedan theift, Ihould at once be capable of rightly appreciating, or even compre- hending, the fublime yet rational views which the Chrillian reve- lation affords of the charatler of the fupreme Being, of the refined and exalted nature of the duties which it requires, or of the re- wards which it propofes. His attention, if he were a follower of Brahma, and of an inferior Cafte, would be firft excited by argu- ments better adapted to the level of his underllanding. He would probably be ilruck with that divine fpirit of freedom and impar- tiality, which, breaking the llavifli fetters of the Carte, declares the whole human race to be equally the objedls of the com- paffion and favour of the Almighty ; and with the general air of mildnefs and benevolence, which fo peculiarly characterizes our holy religion. Intiead of the gloomy and forbidding forms, in which the Deity is Ibmetimes arrayed by the fuperrtition of Brah- ma, he would behold a merciful and gracious Being, the indulgent Father of his creatures, their conllant Proferver and unwearied Benefadtor, infinitely defirous of their truert happinefs, and in- terpofing, in a ftupendous manner, to promote it. Inrtead of the vain and endlefs round of cruel, painful, or immoral rites, by which the Hindu worlhippers are taught to appeafe the wrath, and to conciliate the favour, of their numerous gods, the native, whofe mind was difpofed to lillen to the inftitutes of the Chrirtian religion, would find himfelf at once relieved from that grievous and unprofitable burden, by the cheering promife of forgivenefs and CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. 2(>1 and acceptance through the mediation of the Son of God. He would learn to look up to that Almighty Being, whom he had hi- therto either regarded with dread and averfion, or to whom he was altogether a ftranger, with filial confidence ; to rely on his ■mercy, to trufi: his care, to fear his difpleafure, and to hope in his goodnefs. He would perceive in the precepts of the Gofpel, a plain and praAicable rule of conduft ; difcover in its promifes, an inexhauftible fource of wifdom, ftrength, and comfort ; and feel, in its clear and awful declarations of a future righteous judgment, the confequences of which, both as to happinefs and mifery, are eternal, motives of preeminent force and authority, to confirm and invigorate his faith, and to animate and lecure his obedience. It is not conceived, that the effect of the difperfion of the Bible in Hindullan would be exad:ly fuch as has been juft defcribed in every cafe, in which a favourable impreflion might be made on the mind of a native by that important meafure. The confe- quences of it would, no doubt, be infinitely varied ; and with re- fpeA to the difciples of the Mohammedan faith would, in every inftance, materially differ. But fome convi6lions, of the nature now defcribed, would probably be the refult of fuch a diffemina- tion of Scriptural principles. We have here anticipated the effect only of the difperfion of the Scriptures in Afia. But this, though one of the moll important, is Hill but one of feveral other meafures, which have been recom- mended for the purpofe of promoting Chrillianity in the Eaft. An Epifcopal Efiablilhmcnt of our national faith, to give to that which is at prefent but little better than " an airy nothing, a lo~ " cal habitation and a name;" the foundation of an inftitution in England, for the preparation and appointment of mifliona- D d ries. 102 CONSEQUENCES OF PROPAGATING ries, wliether Europeans or natives ; the eftablifliment of free fchools in every diftrid, for the education of the native children ; and the printing and diftribution of fliort moral and religious tradls ; have feverally been the fubjecls of confideration, with a view to the accomplifliment of the fame great defign. Many cir- cumftances concur to render it probable, that fome of the mea- fures which have been juft enumerated will, at no diftant pe- riod, be adopted and executed. To calculate, therefore, on the influence of fuch a plan, is far from being a viflonary employ- ment. If an Eftablifhment of our national religion be eventually given to Britifli India, its influence on the higher orders of the natives, .who are connefted in any manner with the government, who have much intercourfe with the Britifh inhabitants, or who even refide in the neighbourhood of fuch a vifible profeffion of the Chriftian faith, mufl: neceflarily be conflderable, and continually increafing. In addition to the various circumflances which have of late years directed the attention of the well-informed aniongll: the Hindus to the nature of our national religion, it may be very proba- bly conjecflured, that they could not view fuch a rtep as the en- largement of its eftablifliment in India, with entire indifference and unconcern. And to awaken their curiofity, to imprefs them with a ftronger idea of the fenfe we ourfelves entertain of the value and importance of Chriflianity, by increafing the number of its authorized minillers, is precifcly that efTed:, which it is defirable to produce in their minds. But if, in addition to this preliminary and fundamental mea- fure, able and zealous miflionaries are diftributcd throughout In- dia, and elfewhere in Afia, as opportunities may be afforded, to in- CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. 203 increafe the number of thofe who {hall, in a peculiar manner, embody and exemplify the Chrirtian faith, to be the inftruments of expofing, mildly and rationally, the fuperftitions and errors of the natives, and of awakening their regard to our religion, and to be the interpreters of thofe facred Scriptures, which may be difperfed amongft them ; it cannot be too much to expert, that at leall fome few, in every place, may be found, to hften to the voice of truth, to receive the meflage of the Gofpel, and to turn from dumb idols, or delufive impofture, " to ferve the living and "true God." ^i^ai The inftitution of free fchools, for the education of the native children, is a meafure, which would be leaft difficult in its exe- cution, and moll certain in its effedl. The expediency and the facility of executing this part of the general plan have been al- ready confidered ; and no hazard can be incurred by aflerting, that, in the courfe of a few years, and in proportion to the ex- tent to which fuch means are adopted, a fucceffion of natives would probably be produced, who were either prepared to re- linquifli, or had adlually abandoned, the prejudices and fuperfti- tions of their forefathers, and who would thus be difpofed to per- form the duties, and enjoy the privileges, of Chriftian fubjeAs. It is almoft unneceilary to add, after what has been before ob- ferved upon that point, that the encouragement which it is obvi- oufly both the duty and the policy of the Britifli government to afford to native Chriftians, would materially tend to increafe the particular influence of every diredl attempt to promote Chrifti- anity in Afia. The converfion even of a confiderable number of Hindus, by D d 2 any W4. CONSEQUENCES OF PROPAGATING any of the meafures wliich have been recommended, would not be produdive of any immediate and linking effect on the millions who Mould yet remain unenlightened. Yet if " one only of a " family, or two of a city," fhould, in procefs of time, be thus affed:ed, fuch is the benign nature of our holy religion, and fuch the difpofitions which it generates in its true difciples, that the falutary influence, even of fo fmall a body, would by degrees be felt. And if, as there is every reafon to expeft, fuch changes fhould not be confined to any one particular diftriil, but fhould extend to every part of India, and to other Aliatie coun- tries, the fum of the general efTecl would be by no means to be defpifed. The facred records of our faith wotdd thus obtain a cordial reception in the Eaft. In one province and kingdom, and in another, fome would be found to teftify their truth and value ; a M ider breach would be made in the empire of the Prince of darknefs, and the firll faint prefages of the riling of " the Sun of " Righteoufnefs" would be clearly difcerned. The force of truth is irrefiftiblc, and its influence conflant and diffufive. This " day " of fmall things" would, doubtlcfs, fpeedily advance. This cloud, if we may be allowed to change the metaphor, though apparently diminutive and contemptible, would gradually increafe, and, at length, pour down its kindly fliowers on the morally parched and barren regions of Alia, till " the wildernefs and the folitary place " would be glad for them, and the defcrt would rejoice and blof- " fom as the rofe." In whatever degree the adoption of thefe various means for promoting (^hriflianity may be produAive of conviclion in the minds of the Afiatic natives, in the fame proportion the influence of facred truth would effedl an important change in their fenti- inents> habits, and condud, which could not fail to ameliorate and CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. 205 and improve their civil and focial condition. With refped to the Hindus in particular, the advantageous conlequences would be great. The mere bodily exercifes enjoined by their fuperftitions would give way to that realbnable fervice, which " hath the pron)ife both ot" " this life, and of that which is to come." The helplefs innocence of infancy would no longer, as hitherto, be expofed by its deluded and unnatural parent to mifery and deftrud:ion, but would be re- ceived and cheritlied as the gift of God. The reludlant widow, no longer urged by her dread of the mercilefs and rapacious Brahmin, would ceafeto offer her painful facrifice, and be preferved to her fa- mily and her country. The infirmities of age, and the extremities of difeafe and death, infiead of being, as heretofore, aggravated and accelerated by the unfeeling officioufnefs of the votaries of fuper- ftition, would be alleviated by the afieAionate cares, and foothed by the fympathetic tendernefs, of furrounding relatives and friends ; while the fears of the departing fpirit would be allayed, and its hopes invigorated and fullained, by the promifes of our holy faith. The wretched Suder, and the devoted Pariar, in contradidion to the barbarous inftitutions of their country, would be recognized as men and as brethren ; and admitted, equally with the retl of mankind, to fliare in the prefent and future blelFings of that di- . vine religion, whofe peculiar glory it has ever been " to proclaim " liberty to the captive," and " to bring good tidings to the poor." To the natives of Afia in general, confequerices no lefs beneficial would follow. The enlarged views, which Chrillianity would unfold to thofe whole condition is now fo deplorable, of their na- ture and dclliny, of their relation to the fuprcme Being, and of their various duties in the world, would be like a new creation, or as life from the dead. They would begin to think of thcm- felves as rational and immortal creatures, and to live " fibi carlo- 206 CONSEQUENCES OF PROPAGATING " res." They would feel their relative worth and importance in the fcale of created being, and find, in the principles of the Chrif- tian faith, ample provifion for the cultivation of all their intellec- tual and moral powers, for the exercife of all the charities of focial and domertic life, and for the encouragement and completion of all thofe afpiring and unlimited expectations, which are natural to the human mind, and which Chrillianity alone can explain and fatisfy. Thus gradually emancipated from the llavery of Brah- minical fuperftition and jSIohammedan bigotry, and free to im- prove and enjoy the rich and varied blelTings of their native foil, they would purfue, with renewed vigour and atlivity, the peaceful occupations of art, manufacture, and commerce ; they would cultivate the civilized opinions and manners of European nations ; enlarge their intercourfe, and cement their union with Great Britain, either as fubjecls or as friends ; and ultimately rellore to the Eall:ern world a juller claim to that diftindlion in civilization, religion, and happinefs, which it once preeminently enjoyed. 2. The bleflings to be derived by individuals from the ditFufion of Chriftian knowledge in Afia, would be confiderably augmented by the advantages, which would relult to provinces and kingdoms at large by its general prevalence. The inhabitants of Alia have, for the moll; part, during many ages, been the fubjedls both of civil and religious inllitutions, w^hich have checked their progrefs in civilization, and deprived them of various benefits, which are enjoyed, under different circumftances, by nations lets highly fa- voured by nature. Notwithllanding the rich commodities which are already the produce of the Eall, the commerce of which has tended fo materially to promote the wealth and power of the Well, the former pollelles capacities of further mercantile aggrandizement, of CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. 207 of which the incrcafed indurtry of the natives, and the general amendment of their character, by the introdudion of a purer fyf- tem of morals and religion, may enable them to avail themfelves. Chriftianity is, in the highetl degree, friendly to every fpecies of exertion and improvement. Whenever, therefore, the principles of our holy faith fhall be widely difFufed in Afia, the liberal and enlightened views on every fubjeft connected with the policy and the welfare of nations, which invariably follow them, cannot fail to augment the riches and the llrength of every nation, into which they may be introduced. There is, indeed, no country in the world, which, if the climate be confidered, polTeires within it- felf a more abundant fliare of the comforts and conveniences of life than India. Confequcntly, it ftands lefs than mofl: others in need of the reciprocal benefits of commerce. The fytlem, how- ever, of agriculture, and even the various manufaftures, in which the natives of India, and of other Eaftern countries, have hitherto been deemed unrivalled, may admit of important improvements ; and a very numerous alTemblage of the arts, ufages, and cuftoms of civilized life, which have long contributed to the comfort and advantage of the inhabitants of Europe, would, fo far as they could be accommodated to the natural circumflances of Afiatics, be added to the more valuable blciTings which they would derive from the beneficent influence of Chrittianity. Nor muft the introdudtion of the fciencc and literature of the Well be, in this connexion, forgotten. The wildom of the Eaft, which, in the earlier ages of the world, -w as fo jutlly celebrated, has long fince palled away ; and although the refcarches of late vears have unlocked the hidden trcafurcs of Sanfcrit learning, and revived the fiudy of letters in our Oriental empire, the difliilion of the fcientific difcovcries, and the philofophical and litcrarv labours of 208 CONSEQUENCES OF PROPAGATING of European Icholars, which would naturally accompany tlie pro- motion of C^hriltian knowledge, and the extenfion of the Englith language, would form a moll valuable and interefting addition to the A'arious other advantageous confequences, refulting from the operation of that meafure to the natives of the Eaftern world *. It may feem enthufiartic to exprefs any fanguine hope of the fpeedv prevalence of Chriftianity, in any Oriental country, to ib great an extent, as to require a change in their civil conllitutions, or forms of judicial adminillration. Yet long before the great bodv of the people, or the government of any Afiatic nation, Ihould become profeHedly Chriflian, by the operation of the mea- fures before propofed, fome material alterations of this nature would be required, fuited to their improved condition, and calcu- lated to enforce the obfervance, and to fecure the benign influence of Chrillian maxims, principles, and regulations. There is, in Ihort, no department, either of public or of private life, in which the beneficial confequences of diffufing Chriflian knowledge would not be felt in Aha, according to its peculiar fituation and circum- flances, as they are amongft the nations of Europe. II. But if fuch are the advantages which the Eaflern world would, probably, derive from the gradual fuccefs of this important work, thofe which would refult to Great Britain, as the author and promoter of them, would be fcarcely inferior in value. We have already difcufled the importance of difleminating the princi- ples of Cliriflianity in Alia, with reference to the permanence of our Oriental empire ; nor can this fubjeA be too ferioully or at- * The extenfive attainments of Tuffuflil HoflTein Khan afford a remarkable fpeci- nien of the capacities of the Hindus for European learning. See account of him by Mr. Anderfon. tentively V CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. 209 tentively confidered. Without adverting to the arguments which were then adduced in fupport of this meafure, on the ground of pohcy ^, it is now only neceflary to ftate what would be the probable confequences of its execution and fuccefs : and on this point a few obfervations will be fufHcient. If the natives of Hindullan, in addition to the circumftance of being a conquered people, are at this time under the abfolute control, partly of an infatuated and degrading luperllition, and partly of an intolerant and malignant impofture, and are therefore deltitute of the ftrongcll ties which unite fubjedls and their rulers in the bonds of loyalty and affedlion ; and are expofed to the per- petual operation of their own contracted views and ungoverned palTions, and to the influence of external artifice and intrigue — and if, notwithllanding the acknowledged excellence of the Bri- tifli government, the unbroken feries of its fuccefles and vidlories, the apparent fubmilTion of its native enemies, and the expulfion of its foreign foes, and the confequent appearance of ftrength and confolidation which our Oriental empire now exhibits, it ftill con- tinues liable to the poffible, and not very improbable, operation of the unfavourable caufes juft fpecified — can there be a quellion, with any reflecting mind, whether the interefts of Great Britain would not be eflentially promoted by the difllifion of Chrillianity throughout India ? whether, in faA, this is not a meafure of fuch paraniQunt importance, that the adoption of it can alone enfure the liability and permanence of its authority in tliat country ? We have already frequently obferved in the courfe of this inquiry the natural tendency of the Chriftian religion, to promote the wel- '' See page iii — 114. E e fare ■110 CONSEQUENCES OF PROPAGATING fare and profperity both of the people and their governors, and its actual cffeds in the hiftory of its progrefs in different nations. The mild and equal fyftem of government, which it is intended to produce throughout the world, and the peaceful and loyal fub- miffion to the ruling powers, which it lludioufly inculcates, toge- ther with the uniform experience of pall ages and of the prefent, place this fubjed; beyond all reafonable doubt. Let us, therefore, fuppofc, that, by the operation of the meafures which have been before Hated, a confiderable number of the natives of India fliould be converted to the Chrillian faith ; the beneficial confequences of fuch a change to the Brilifli government w ould be vifible and important. A body of people would be gradually formed, and daily increafing, whofe fcntimcnts and habits, as to points of the mod interelling and afFeCling nature, icouhl coincide ivith thofc of the government itfelf, and of its European fuhjc6is — who, by their converfion to Chritlianity, would be neceflarily obliged to look up to them as to their prefervers from the unenlightened or bigoted part of their native brethren — whofe hopes and fears would center in them — to whom the fccurity of the Britilh authority would, equally w ith ourfclvcs, be the great object of their delires and en- deavours — who would tecl a deep fenfeof their obligations to thofe who had called them to the inellimable knowledge of the Gofpel — and who would, for all thefe and for various other weighty rea- fons, be cordially attached to the government, to which they mutt owe their continued fafety and happinefs ; anxious to defeat the fecret machinations of its enemies, ready, upon every emer- gency, to llipport it at the hazard of their property and their lives, and prepared even to die in its defence ^. ' " Tlie newly converted Chrlftiaiis on tlie coaft of Malabar are the cliicf fup- " port of the Dutch Eaft India Company at Cocliin, and are always ready to take " up arms in their defence." See Bartolomeo's Voyage, p. 207. Nor CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. 211 Nor is the ftability and permanence of our Oriental empire the only object which, as far as human wifdom and forefight can ex- tend, would be efrecl:ually fccured by the promotion of Chrifti- anity in Afia. The advantages, which Great Britain already derives from its commercial intercourfe with the Eaft, would, probably, be much augmented. The introdudtion of many new articles of produce and manuflidlure, which would be the refult of the pro- greffive improvement of its inhabitants, whilft they tended to in- creafe the means of their own fubfillence, would enlarge the re- fources of Great Britain; their acquaintance with the arts and man- ners of more civilized life would at the fame time occafion an addi- tional demand for European articles, and confequently further con- tribute to the wealth and power of our own country. This argument ftrongly applies not only to Britilh India, but to the peninfula be- yond the Ganges, to the Afiatic illands, and to the empire of China, our intercourfe with which would be materially facihtated and en- larged by the fuccefsful propagation of Chrillianity. To purfue it further would, however, lead into a wide field of conjecfture and dif- cuffion. It can only therefore be ftated among the probable confe- quences of the profecution of that great and important meafure. One other point remains to be mentioned, as to the confe- quences of our ditfullon of Chrillian knowledge in Afia, which is, alfo, highly interefting to Great Britain. This relates to its cha- ra6tcr and reputation amongll the great empires of the world. The eyes of all other nations have long been diredled to our condu<5t towards our Indian pofielTions. They have watched the progrefs of our power, and marked the manner in which it has been em- jjloyed. They have, it is true, when compared ^^•ith the exagge- rated accounts which have been lludioully circulated throughout Europe, witnefTed but little of tyranny or oppreliion in the exer- E e 2 tion ivi CONSEQUENCES OF PROPAGATING tion of our territorial influence, but have feen it, for the moll part, exercifed for the civil protedHon and welfare of our Oriental fubjeds. Yet thej have oblerved no dired and llrenuous efforts for their moral and religious improvement. But, whatever may have been the wrongs which India has fulhiined at our hands, to impart to her the bleffings of Christianity, would be to make more than ample compenfation to her for them all ; and would tend, in the moll decifive and fatisfadory manner, to prove to the nations of the world, that we are, in fome meafure, worthy of the extenfive dominion which the divine Providence has there afligned to us. But if they were even altogether indifferent to our Oriental condudl, we ought not ourfelves to be infenfible to what becomes our charader, and forms fo effential a part of our duty as a Chrif- tian nation. Whilfl, then, the ufurping government of one mighty weftern empire is, in a greater or lefs degree, fpreading defolation and ter- ror as far as its dellrudive arms and influence have hitherto been extended, and is extinguilhing, to the utmoll of its power, in every fubjugated country, the traces of genuine freedom, virtue, and happinefs ; what fairer opportunity of etfecliially eclipfing the falfe and unenviable fplendour of our haughty rival can be pre- fented to us, than that of diffufing throughout India the blefiings of civilization and religion, and of eventually connecting the prof- perity and glory of the Britilh illands with the welfare and happi- nefs of the whole Oriental world ? That fuch would bo the confequenccs of our ditFulion of Chrif- tian knowledge in Alia, may be confidently predidlcd from the re- vealed declarations, and from the uniform proceedings towards na- tions, of the great moral Governor of the univerfe. Both unite in con- CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. 213 convincing us, that thus to cooperate with Him in his gracious (lefigns for the improvement and happinefs of his creatures, is the fureft way to promote the fecurity and the real greatnefs of any people. But we may extend our views yet further. It is painful to one who is zealous tor the honour of that divine religion, which Hea- ven has in mercy vouchfafed to mankind, to behold the contracted fphere in which it has hitherto exerted its benign and falutary in- fluence. Nearly the whole of the vail continents of Alia and Africa, together with immenle regions in that of America, have for ages continued either involved in the grofs darknefs and mifery of Paganifm, or fubjeft to the delulive guidance of Mohammedan €rror and impofture. This gloomy and lamentable fcene will not, •however, always remain. The unfulfilled prophecies of facred Scripture open to the contemplative mind a magnificent and boundlefs profpeft of the triumphs of Chriftianity in fome future age. The eternal and irreverfible decree has gone forth, that " the " kingdoms of this world fliall," at length, " become the kingdoms " of the Lord and of his Chrill." And, though its execution has for a long time appeared to linger, we cannot doubt, that, in the end, it will furely be accomplilhed. The pillars of the Brahmini- cal fuperltition have evidently begun to totter, and the crefcent of the Mohammedan power has long fince been in its wane. By what extraordinary means and operations it may pleafe the Almighty Ruler of the world to accelerate their downfall, and to prepare the nations now fubje6t to their malignant fway, for the mild and beneficent dominion of their rightful Lord, cannot be fafely conjectured. To difcharge a neccllary duty, which is moll clofely conned;ed with the accomplifliment of both thefe objeds, cannot. 214 CONSEQUENCES OF PROPAGATING cannot, however, but be a fervice acceptable to the great Author of the prophetic declarations of the ultimate triumphs of Chrif- ftianity throughout the world. Every motive, therefore, which can affecfl or animate us as a Chriftian nation, unequalled in knowledge, wealth, power, and general profperity, urges us to the important work of propagating our holy faith in Alia. The providence of God, in the various circumllances of our connexion with India, feems to point out, by no uncertain indications, the fupreme defign in granting to thefe illands fo extenfive an Oriental empire. Our obligations as a nation profeliing Chrillianity — the moral ftate of our Indian fubjeds — the opportunity which we enjoy of ameliorating their condition — the means which we poffefs of tranflating the divine records of our reli- gion into the Oriental tongues, and of promoting Chriftian know- ledge in Afia — and the various great and beneficial confequences, which would refult from the execution of that defign, both to the inhabitants of the Eaftern world, and to our own country — all unite in proclaiming, with a voice of mingled authority, admonition, and encouragement, " This is the way" of folemn and indifpenfa- ble duty, of enlarged philanthropy and charity, of unqucftionable policy, and of certain and unrivalled glory. To one imploring and warning voice, which, to the diflionour of our country, had been too long heard in vain, the legillature of Great Britain has, at length, afforded an attentive and propitious ear. The wrongs and the mileries of Africa, ^o far as we were the occafion of them, have been etTedlually pitied and redrelfed. The guilty Ihare which we had fo long taken in the llavery of her haplefs fons has been, at length, indignantly, and, with a {c\v ex- ceptions, unanimoufly, renounced : and with it one of tlie moft formidable CHRISTIANITY IN ASIA. 215 formidable obllacles, which has hitherto impeded the civiUzation and improvement of that ill-fated continent, has thus, at this late but welcome period, been removed, we trull, for ever. Having difcharged this debt of juftice and compaflion to one great quarter of the globe, let us not forget that which we ftill owe to another, whofe claims to our attention and regard are in- difputably flronger, and with whofe interells and welfare our own are far more intimately conneded. The attempt to improve the condition of Alia may, indeed, partially fail ; but the beneficial ef- feds which muft, in any cale, refult from it, would fully jullify and reward it. Suppofing, however, what is barely poliible, that fuch an attempt fhould totally fail, let it be remembered, that even then England w ould poflefs a pure and elevated fource of fatisfac- tion, in refleding that she has done her duty, to which fhe cannot otherv\ife be entitled. Should fhe, on the contrary, refufe to obey the call which the Providence of God is now fo evidently direding to her, the time may come, when in the diliifFedion of her Indian fubjeds, and the difmemberment of her Oriental em- pire, file may dilcern the punifliment of her negled. But the op- portunity of retrieving her error may then be loll for ever. Let Britifli India, then, and, through its medium, let the widely extended continent of Afia at large, receive from our highly-fa- voured country, our literature, our civil, focial, and domellic blell- ings, our morals, and our religion. Let a generous and enlightened effort to impart them, at leafl, be fairly made. And, while we are confidently affurcd, that with " fuch a facrifice God will be " well pleafed," let us look to Ilim for that aufpicious approbation and favour, which can alone enfure its complete and permanent fuccefs. NOTES. Note A. Page i . X HE Author deemed it unneceffary, in fo brief a fketch of the Progrefs of Chriftianity, as that to which he is confined, to dwell more largely on the moral and religious ftatc of the Gentile world. Thofe who are con- verfant with the claflical writers of antiquity muft be fully aware, both of the general corruption of manners, which prevailed even in the mod en- lightened and civilized of the heathen nations, and of the erroneous, unfa- tisfadlory, and contradictory fentiments of the Grecian and Roman philofo- phers, on the principal fubjedls of morality and religion. For a full dif- cuflion of all thefe points, the Author would refer to the elaborate work of Dr. Leland, on the Advantages and Neceflity of the Chrifirian Revelation, and to Mofheim's Eccl. Hift. vol. i. chap. i. Note B. Piige 7. " Et horum tamen opera," obferves the learned Grotius, " dogma illud " intra annos triginta, aut circiter, non tantum per omnes Romani imperii " partes, fed ad Parthos quoque et Indos pervcnit." De Verit. §. 21. The following eloquent defcription of the rapid progrefs of Chriftianity, notwithftanding the various difficulties which oppofed it, by the mafterly hand of Erafmus, is too interefting to be omitted. " Sola Veritas Evangelica intra paucos annos cuncStas totius orbis regiones " occupavit, perfuafit, ac vicit : Graecos ac barbaros, dodlos et indodVos, " plebcios ac reges ad fe pertraheos. Tarn efficax crat hujus veritatis phar- F f " macum, 218 NOTES. " macum, ut tot hominum millia, relidlis patriis legibus, relidla majorum " rcligione, relidlis voluptatibus ac vitiis, quibus ab incunabilis aflueverant, " novani ac peregrinatn do<5lrinam ampledlerentur, et ex diverfis Unguis, " divcrfis inftitutis, in hunnilem quandam philofophiam confentirent ; prac- " fcrtini quum nulla actas magis fuerit inftru6la, vel eruditionis facundiae- " que praefidiis, vel monarcharum potentia ; quumque mundus omnibus " fuis praefidiis pugnaret adverfus inermem Evangelii veritatem, tamen effi- *' cere non potuit, quin ea primum occupata Graecia, Neronis urbem et au- •' lam invaderet, moxque per omnes Romani imperii provincias fefe fparge- " ret ufque ad Gades et Indos, ufque ad Afros et Scythas, *' Et penitus toto divifos orbe Britannos. " Plae gentes, linguis, legibus, ritibus, moribus, inftitutis, diis, religione, " forma, plurimum inter fe diflidebant. Mox ea tanta difcordia fadli con- " cordes eandem cantionem canere coeperunt, Jefum Chriftiun iinicum or- " bis Dominum Servatorcm, laudibus vehentes." D. Eraf. Rot. in Para- plirafi in Evangelium Lucae. Note C. Page ii. The note here referred to has by miftake been inferted at the bottom of page II, and immediately follows the reference. Note D. Page 19. The Author has exprefled himfelf doubtfully on the fubjedl of the con- tinuance of miraculous powers in the fourth century. For, although he can by no means aflent to the opinions of thofe who maintain, that at this period miracles had entirely ceafed, he has no hefitation in faying, that after the fccond century, but cfpecially after the acra of Conftantine, the accounts of miracles, which are tranfmitted to us by ecclefiaftical hiftorians and others, muft be received with caution, and the evidence, which they adduce in their fupport, be examined with care. Some of thefe accounts may be fafely admitted to be true, while many others muft be entirely rejected. In NOTES. 219 In general, it may be obferved, that the circumftances attending thefe rela- tions, and the nature of the objedls in fupport of which miracles are ftated to have been wrought, are fufficient to direft a difcerning and impartial reader in his judgment refpedling them. This is the medium which is pur- fued b}' Mofheim, and by the learned Author of the "^ Remarks on Eccle- " liaftical Hiftory," neither of whom will be fufpedled of any tendency to credulity or enthufiafm. Note E. Poge 20. It is probable, however, either that the Chriftians on the coaft of Mala- bar, or fome others in the peninfula, were converted at an earlier period than is here afligned ; as ecclefiaftical hiftory reports, that St. Bartholomew and Pantaenus preached there, and that at the Council of Nice, in the year 325, a Bifliop from India was amongft the number which compofed that memorable fynod. Note F. Page 44. There are ftill, however, confiderable remains of Chriftianity in the Turkifh dominions, both in Europe and Afia. In the former, it is calcu- lated that two thirds of the inhabitants are Chriftians ; and in Conftantino- ple itfelf there are above twenty Chriftian Churches, and above thirty in Theflalonica. -Philadelphia, now called Ala Shahir, has no fewer than twelve. The whole ifland of Chio is governed by Chriftians, and fome iflands of the Archipelago are inhabited by Chriftians only. Note G. Page 50, A curious account of thefe corrupt practices of the Jefuits is contained in a letter of Mr. Maigrot, quoted by Millar in his Hiftory of the Propa- gation of Chriftianity, from a work entided, " Popery againft Chriftianity," under the fignature of Parthenopaeus Hereticus. F f 2 Note 220 NOTES. Note H. Page 72. The conftituiion and coiirfe of nature, together with the final caufes •which are difcernible in all its parts, afford iatisfadVory proofs of the provi- dence of God. It has accordingly been generally acknowledged in all ages and nations throughout the world. The philofophers of Greece and Rome, notwithftanding the fcepticifm which fome of them indulged, for the mofl part profefled and taught this important truth, and the fages of the Eaftern world exprefsly aflerted it. There were, indeed, fome ancient fecfts, of whom the Epicureans were the mofl celebrated, and certain individual philolophers belonging to others, who, although they admitted the being of a God, rejedled the do(9:rine of his providence, as inconfiftent with the divine tranquillity and happinefs. There were others, among whom may be numbered the great mafler of the Peripatetic fchool, who acknowledged fome kind of providence, but re- ftri6ted it either to the heavens, to the exclufion of the affairs of this lower world, or to a general, in oppolition to a particular, fuperintendcnce of its concerns. The moft confiderable philofophers, however, of antiquity, and, amongft others, Socrates, the wifefl of them all, maintained the univerfal extent, and the particular as well as the general control, of the divine Provi- dence. The fentiments of this extraordinary man, as they are recorded by Xenophon, arc particularly clear and finking : Ka» yxf [■tnjj.ihi'icba.i ^tis tvi- ai^£i/ avjcuvuv oJj^ ov t/jotov st croAXoi vofJuQstTiv, Outci jw£» yap oiowTSii tk; Ss^j t» jAtV tlKvXI, T« Si OUK dS^VXl' SujXpiTrj Si TudvTOL fXlV nyliTO StitS tlSluXi TX TS f.iyiixivu. XXI Tt-KTlofJ^iva, xjii TX (Tiyj) ^sXtvofJAvx, rS'xvTx-yji Si ifx^iivxi xai (rr.^xivnv tJis xv^pu- vois 3noi ruv av&fa7rii'a» -xx-jtuv. Mem. i. I. 19. fee alfo lib. iv. cap. -5. The following cxpreflions, alfo, of the Roman Orator are remarkable : " Nihil " Deo pnellantius, ab co igitur regi necclfe efl." " Dico igitur providen- " tia Deorum mundum et omnes mundi partes et initio conflitutas efie, et " omni tempore adminiflrari." De Nat. Deor. lib. ii. cap. 2. See alfo dc Leg. cap. ii. n. i t. " Pietate ac religione, a/que hue una fupienliay quod " Deoiiini humor tallnm mtmine omnia regi guhernar'ique ferfpeximus, omnes " gentes na/ionefque Juperavimus." De Arufp. Refponl. n. 19. After all, it mufl be admitted, that both the pliilofophical and popular opinions of anti- quity NOTE S. 221 quity concerning thefe important fubjecfts were to the laft degree unfettled, and very erroneous. See Warburton's Divine Legation, and Leland's va- luable work already quoted. The fentiments of Ibmc of the Oriental philofophers will appear from the following paflages " The Vedantis," fays Sir William Jones, " being unable *' to form a diftindl idea of brute matter independent of mind, or to con- " ceive that the work of fupreme goodnefs was left a moment to itfelf, ima- " gine that the Deity is ever ■prefent to his zvork." Differtation on the Gods of Greece, Italy, and India. In the Baghvat-Geeta, p. 84, the fupreme Being is ftyled " the Creator " of all things, and from whom all things proceed." "' ' The following is, alfo, a defcription of the fupreme Being in one of 'tTi'c facred books of the Hindus : " As God is immaterial, he is above all ton- " ception ; as he is invifible, he can have no form ; but from what we be- " hold of his works we may conclude, that he is eternal, omnipotent, know- " ing all things, and -prefent every where." Dow's Diflert. p. xl. See Ap- pendix to Dr. Robertfon's Difquifition concerning India, p. 323. It fhould be added, that the learned difciples of Buddha do not acknow- ledge in their writings a fupreme Being prefiding over and Author of the univerfe. They aflert, however, a firft caufe, under the vague denomina- tion of Nature. See Diilertation on Singhala, or Ceylon, by Captain Ma- hony, Afiatic Refearches, vol. vii. Note I. Pugc 73. " Independently," obfervcs Sir William Jones, " of our intcreft in corro- " berating the multiplied evidences of revealed religion, we could fcarcely " gratify our minds with a more ufeful and rational entertainment, than the " contemplation of the wonderful revolutions in kingdoms and ftates which " have happened within little more than four tlioufand years : revolut'ions " almojl as fully chniojiflrat'ive of an all-ruling ProviJcnce, as the ftruc'^hire " of the univerfe, and the final caufes which are difcernible in its whole ex- " tent, and even in its minuteft parts." Afiatic Refearches, vol iv. Difc. on Afiatic Hiftory. The 222 NOTES. The learned and eloquent Bifhop of Meaux, in his admirable Difcourfc on Univerfal Iliftory, thus exprefies the leading defign of the divine Provi- dence in the government of the world. " Plus vous vous accoutumerez a fuivre les grandes chofes, et a les rap- " peller a leurs principes, plus vous ferez en admiration de ces confeils de la " Providence — Dieu ne declare pas tous les jours fes volontes par fes pro- " phetes touchant les rois et les monarchies qu'il cleve, ou qu'il detruit. " Mais I'ayant fait tant de fois dans ces grands empires dont nous venons de " parler, il nous montre par ces exemples fameux ce qu'il fait dans tous les " autrcs ; et il apprend aux rois ces deux "uerltes fondamentales ; premier e- " ment, que ceji lu'i qui forme les royaumes, pour les dormer a qui il ltd plait ; " et fecondement, quilfait les f aire fervir, dans le terns, et dans Tordre quil a " rSfolu, aiux dejfeins quil a fur Jon pcuple."' Boflliet, Difc. fur I'Hift. Univ. part. iii. chap. i. Note K. Page 103. " No one," fays a writer already quoted, " who has been in India, will be " a very ftrenuous advocate, I prefume, for upholding a religion which an- " nually occafions bloodfhed, exceffive tumult, and murder. Let any one " recolledl what annually pafles between the immenfe multitudes of the " right hand and left hand Cafles, as they are called. Such outrages are ex- *' hibited every year in Madras itfelf, in fpite of military drawn out to op- " pofe it. What ftate of fociety, let me alk, is this ? Can it be called ci- " vilization ? or does it partake of the private war of the barbarous and feu- " dal ages ? What are we to think of human facrifices ? A few years fince, " the Brahmins of a certain Pagoda, in the Tanjore country, murdered for '< facrifice a boy of eleven years of age : having killed him, they took out a " particular part near the vertebrse of the back, and offered it to the idol. " The affair was fully examined and proved, and the punifhment decreed " was banifhment beyond the Coloroons. The exiles accordingly went be- " yond that river, and returned in two or three days !" Letter to Dr. Vin- cent, ut fupra. Note NOTES. 2^3 Note L. Page 104. This calculation of Mr. Chambers has been thought by competent judges to be fomewhat exaggerated. Dr. Buchanan's Memoir gives the number annually facrificed within a definite circuit round Calcutta. But it may be doubted, whether an area of double the extent in any other part of the coun- try would give any thing like his calculation. Note M. Page 107. The religion of Buddha is probably more ancient than that of Brahma, and contradi(5ls fome of its effential points, particularly concerning the cre- ation, and the immortality of the foul. Buddha is faid to have taken for his principles, wifdom, juftice, and benevolence; from which emanate ten com- mandments, diftributed under the three heads of thought, word, and deed, which are held by his followers as the true and only rule of their conduft. For a more particular account of the religion of Buddha, fee two difTerta- tions on this fubjecSt by Captain Mahony and Mr. Joinville, in the feventh volume of the Afiatic Refearches. Note N. Page i %6. It is true, that Mohammed exprefled himfelf ftrongly in praife of the purfuit of learning ^ ; that the Koran has been tranflated into feveral lan- guages ; and that the perufal of it by the Mufelmans is not only permitted, but encouraged. Yet as all difcuffions and controverfies refpefting its truth or divinity are forbidden, and as the ftudy of it is not confidered as a facred duty by the great body of the people, the expreflion in the text is not per- haps too ftrong. ' Lord Teignmouth's Life of Sir William Jones, Appendix B. Note ?24. NOTES. Note O. rI refledl on all thefe things, I humble myfelf be- " fore fuch heroic virtue ; or, rather, I adore the grace of God in Jefus " Chrift, which is able to produce fuch examples of it in our degenerate " world." To the preceding eloquent defcriptlon of a miffionary, the Author begs leave to fubjoin the following animated obfervations of the learned Erafmus, on the moft effedlual means of propagating the Chriftian religion. " Precor autem, ut Jefus, immortalis totius orbis Monarcha, cui divinitus •' data eft omnis poteftas in coelo et in terra, fpiritum fuum impartial turn " populis, turn principibus : ut evangelica pietas inter nos bene conftituta, •' quam latifTmie propagetur, non invadendis aut diripiendis a'liorum regi- " onibus ; fie enim pauperiores rcdduntur, non meliores : fed evangelica " philofophia finceriter per viros evangelica Jpiritn pradilos uhiqiie pradican- " da ; at que ita vivendo, ut nojlra pietatis fragrantia plurimos alliciat ad " ejufdern injiituli frofejfiouem. Sic nata eft, fie crevit, fie late prolata eft, " fie conftabilita eft evangelica ditio: diverfis autem rationibns fie nunc in " anguftum NOTES. 227 " anguftum contrac^am, ac propemodum explofam videmus, li totius orbis " vaftitatem confideres. lifdem itaque praefidiis oportet reftituerc collap- «' fam, dilatare contraftam, conftabilire vacillantem, quibus primum nata " eft, et au(5la, et firmata." Def. Erafm. in Paraph- in Evang. Marc. THE END. ERRATA. Page 20. for Wiede read Wrede 23. for Authafis read Autharis 24. for Wilfeburg read Wilteburg 28, 29. for Aufcarius read Anfcarius Ttt Binder is def red to place t^' Chronological Chart facing the Brief Hifloric View, page i. 4^(5 ^ <> ♦ 1i UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. DEC 1 1 1952 MR 2o m$ WVl3^3«>» *^- iVl -■ft ucr 2^^ D JO Two We2!'G From uaie Form L9-25m-8,'46(9852)44 jI Keceipt 1 TTTr T TTjrr*^ 58 01136 I If sni. ^rHEfl^ regional libr«rv fa( D 000 702 494 mu