"no sort of books be printed, or used by any of "the Missionaries, but such as shall be approved "and recommended by the Society. "That the itinerant Missionaries, Catechists, "&c. may not be molested nor interrupted in their work, they must be powerfully recom"mended to the favour and protection of the governors at Fort St. George and Tranquebar; who by their letters testimonial and recommendatory, may procure not only pro"tection from the governors of the inland provinces; but likewise their favour and good "will to the Missionaries and their assistants. Seeing the whole success of the Mission "must depend upon the abilities and good con"duct of the persons to be employed in it, the "greatest care must be taken in choosing them; "that so none may be sent out but such as are "not only learned and laborious, but likewise "remarkable for their prudence, good temper, "and Christian zeal. "It will be necessary for the Missionaries to "hold a punctual correspondence, and frequent "conferences with one another, on any par"ticular emergency: and that the itinerant Missionaries keep exact journals of their progress, and transmit copies of them from "time to time, both to Fort St. George, and "Tranquebar; to be thence forwarded to the "Society in Europe. 66 "One of the most effectual ways the Mis"sionaries can take to propagate the Gospel among the natives, and procure their good will, is to begin charity-schools in their villages, and to stay several days at one place among them, in teaching and instructing the "more advanced in age; they must leave a "Schoolmaster in every considerable place, to "teach their children to read, write, and cast "accompts after their own way: to which villages the Missionaries ought to return again and again, to visit, instruct, and encourage, such as seem inclined to embrace the "Christian Religion; and may leave a Catechist 66 66 66 among them when they make converts; or "ordain him a Minister, and settle a Church,"in any place where they meet with sufficient 66 success: "It being absolutely necessary, that they who undertake the conversion of the Heathen live strictly according to that pure and holy Religion they teach and profess, the Missionaries must not only set a shining example of piety and all heroick virtue, but they must keep up "the strictest order and discipline among those that assist them; lest any disorder in their "lives should give offence and scandal to the "natives, and obstruct their conversion. And "therefore none ought to be employed as "Catechists or Schoolmasters, till they give "sufficient proofs of their sincerity and sted<< fastness, Thus, Sir, I have freely communicated to you my thoughts, concerning the most effectual way of propagating the Gospel in this part of "the world; which I freely submit to the judg"ment of the Honorable Society. I am sensible "that the proposals I have made, are too general, "and defective in many particulars; for I designed only to mention such things as to me seem essential and necessary. a borbama oge mont No further mention of the Missions is put forward. until A. D. 1734, when a more distinct and particular account of the Society's bounty_in these respects occurs. Thus it bis stated that "in the year 1710, the Society: undertook the management of such charities, as were or should be put into their hands, for the support "and enlargement of the Protestant Mission, 66 66 "then maintained by the King of Denmark, at Tranquebar, in the East Indies, for the con"version of the Heathen in those parts. Accordingly they from time to time assisted the "Missionaries there with money, a printing press, paper, and other necessaries, (as they "were were enabled) till the year 1728, when upon a proposal made by the Rev. Mr. Schultze, one "of the Danish Missionaries, to remove to Fort "St. George, and there begin a new Mission, "for the conversion of the Heathen at Madras, "the Society engaged for the support of that σε new Mission, though at an expence that did "then far exceed their ability, and which has "been considerably encreased since by the addi"tion of two Missionaries, and such other extraordinary charges, as have necessarily "arisen from the enlargement and prosperity of "the Mission. Their casual benefactions to it "have hitherto fallen very short of the expence, amounting one year with another to little more "than one hundred and forty six pounds, whereas "their disbursements have, communibus annis, "exceeded two hundred and eighty pounds. "These disbursements must have run the Society intola great debt, had they not been enabled to discharge them, by the rents and sale of an "estate that was left by will many years ago to "propagate the Gospel in the East Indies, as "likewise by annual remittances sent thither by "Professor Franck, from Halle, and by a "charitable gentleman from England, who "desires to be unknown. But all these were "not sufficient, so that the Society have been' obliged to apply £233 to this use, out of the "interest due on Mrs. Eliz. Palmer's most generous legacy of £4,000, left by her to the "General Designs of the Society, in 1728. 66 "It is thought requisite to be so particular "in this account, that the world may know the real necessities of this Mission for the present, "and be excited to relieve them. Besides the expence of it will be growing every year, and "there will soon be need of a larger place of "divine worship, and for more school-housės. "However the Society chearfully rely upon that "good Providence which has hitherto prospered› "this and all other their undertakings, to raise up such a true Christian spirit in this rich "and trading nation, as will abundantly supply "whatever money shall be wanting to carry on so charitable and glorious a design, as that of enlarging the kingdom of God and of his "Christ upon earth." And most true to its own good wishes and benevolent intentions has. the Society been, having continued, down to the present day, the constant, and in a manner the sole patrons of this Mission.eved sign The Appendix for this year of 1734, in the Society's Reports, contains a more detailed account |