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Success in the Sixth Year. We lament that several who did run well are now hindered. We have faint hopes of a few, and pretty strong hopes of one or two; but if I say more, it must be either a dull recital of our journeying to one place or another to preach the gospel, or something else relating to ourselves, of which I ought to be the last to speak.'-Ibid. p. 488. EXTRACTS FROM MR. WARD'S JOURNAL, A NEW ANA

BAPTIST MISSIONARY SENT OUT IN 1799.

'June 29. Lord's Day. This evening a Brahmin went round amongst the people who were collected to hear Brother Carey, to persuade them not to accept of our Thus "darkness struggles with light—Ibid.

papers.

p. 66.

Testament, and also 500 additional copies of Matthew, for It was deemed advisable to print 2000 copies of the New immediate distribution; to which are annexed some of the most remarkable prophecies in the Old Testament respecting Christ. These are now distributing, together with copies of several evangelical hymns, and a very earnest and pertinent address to the natives, respecting the gospel. It was written by Ram Boshoo, and contains a hundred • Several of our friends who have been sick begin to look lines in Bengalee verse. We hear that these papers are up. This evening we had a most precious hour at prayer. read with much attention, and that apprehensions are Captain Wickes read from the 12th verse of the 33d of Ex-rising in the minds of some of the Brahmins whereunto odus, and then joined in prayer. Our hearts were all warmed. We shook hand with our dear Captain, and, in design, clasped him to our bosoms.'-Ibid. Vol. II. p. 2.

Mr. Ward admires the Captain.

these things may grow.'-Ibid. p. 69.

We have printed several small pieces in Bengalee, which have had a large circulation.'-Ibid. p. 77.

Mr. Fountain's gratitude to Hervey.

Mr. Ward is frightened by a Privateer. 'June 11. Held our conference this evening. A vessel When I was about eighteen or nineteen years of age, is still pursuing us, which the Captain believes to be a Hervey's Meditations fell into my hands. Till then I had Frenchman. I feel some alarm: considerable alarm. Ohread nothing but my Bible and the prayer-book. This Lord, be thou our defender! the vessel seems to gain upon ushered me as it were into a new world! It expanded us. (Quarter past eleven at night.) There is no doubt of my mind, and excited a thirst after knowledge; and this the vessel being a French privateer: when we changed our was not all; I derived spiritual as well as intellectual adtack, she changed hers. We have, since dark, changed into vantages from it. I shall bless God for this book while I our old course, so that possibly we shall lose her. Brethren live upon earth, and when I get to heaven, I will thank dear G. and B. have engaged in prayer: we have read Luther's Hervey himself.'-Bapt. Miss. Vol. II. p. 90. psalm, and our minds are pretty well composed. Our guns are all loaded, and the Captain seems very low. All hands are at the guns, and the matches are lighted. I go to the end of the ship. I can just see the vessel, though it is very Jan. 27. The inveterate hatred that the Brahmins foggy. A ball whizzes over my head, and makes me trem-every where show to the gospel, and the very name of ble. I go down, and go to prayer with our friends.'-Ibid. p. 3, 4.

Mr. Ward feels a regard for the Sailors. July 12. I never felt so much for any men as for our sailors; a tenderness which could weep over them. Oh, Jesus! let thy blood cover some of them! A sweet prayer meeting. Verily God is here.'-Ibid. p. 7.

Mr. Ward sees an American vessel, and longs to preach to the Sailors.

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Sept. 27. An American vessel is along-side, and the How pleasant to talk to a friend! I have been looking at captain is speaking to their captain through his trumpet. them through the glass; the sailors sit in a group, and are making their observations upon us. I long to go and preach to them.'-Ibid. p. 11.

Feelings of the Natives upon hearing their Religion attacked.

1800. Feb. 25. Brother C. had some conversation with one of the Mussulmen, who asked, upon his denying the divine mission of Mahommed, what was to become of Mussulmen and Hindoos! Brother C. expressed his fears that they would all be lost. The man seemed as if he would have torn him to pieces.'-Ibid. p. 51.

Hatred of the Natives to the Gospel.

Jesus, in which they are joined by many lewd fellows of the baser sort, requires no common degree of self-possession, caution, and prudence. The seeming failure of some we hoped well of is a source of considerable anxiety and grief. Ibid. p. 110.

Aug. 31. Lord's Day. We have the honour of printing the first book that was ever printed in Bengalee; and this is the first piece in which Brahmins have been opposed, perhaps for thousands of years. All their books are filled with accounts to establish Brahminism, and raise Brahmins to the seat of God. Hence they are believed to be inferior gods. All the waters of salvation in the country are sup It is reckoned posed to meet in the foot of a Brahmin. minism may come down!-Ibid. p. 111. they have the keys of heaven and hell, and have power over sickness and health, life and death. O pray that Brah

Oct. 3. Brother Marshman having directed the children in the Bengalee school to write out a piece written by Brother Fountain (a kind of catechism), the schoolmaster reported yesterday that all the boys would leave the school rather than write it; that it was designed to make them lose caste, and make them Feringas; that is, persons who have descended from those who were formerly converted by the papists, and who are to this day held in the greatest contempt by the Hindoos. From this you may gather how much contempt a converted native would meet with.'—Ibid. p. 113, 114.

'Oct. 26. Lord's Day. Bharratt told Brother Carey toMar. 30. The people seem quite anxious to get the day what the people talked among themselves-"Formerhymns which we gave away. The Brahmins are rather un-ly," say they, "here were no white people amongst us. easy. The Governor advised his Brahmins to send their Now the English have taken the country, and it is getting children to learn English. They replied, that we seemed full of whites. Now also the white man's shaster is publishto take pains to make the natives Christians; and they were ing. Is it not going to be fulfilled which is written in our afraid that their children, being of tender age, would make shasters, that all shall be of one caste; and will not this caste them a more easy conquest.'-Ibid. p. 158. be the gospel?'-Ibid. p. 115.

'April 27. Lord's Day. One Brahmin said, he had no occasion for a hymn, for they were all over the country. He could go into any house and read one.'-Ibid. p. 61.

May 9. Brother Fountain was this evening at Buddabarry. At the close, the Brahmins having collected a number of boys, they set up a great shout, and followed the brethren out f o the village with noise and shoutings.'Ibid.

May 16. Brother Carey and I went to Buddabarry this evening. No sooner had we begun, than a Brahmin went round to all the rest that were present, and endeavoured to pull them away.'-Bapt. Miss. Vol. II. p. 62.

30. This evening at Buddabarry, a man mentioned in my journal of March 14th, insulted Brother Carey. He asked why we came; and said, if we could employ the natives as carpenters, blacksmiths, &c. it would be very well; but that they did not want our holiness. In exact conformity with this sentiment, our Brahmin told Brother Thomas when here, that he did not want the favour of God.'-Ibid. p. 63.

June 22. Lord's Day. A Brahmin has been several times to disturb the children, and to curse Jesus Christ! Another Brahmin complained to Brother Carey that, by our school and printing, we were now teaching the gospel to their children from their infancy.'—Ibid, p. 65,

Nov. 7. He also attempted repeatedly to introduce Christ and him crucified; but they would immediately manifest the utmost dislike of the very name of him. Nay, in their turn they commended Creeshnoo, and invited Brother C. to believe in him.'-Ibid. p. 118.

'Dec. 23. This forenoon Gokool came to tell us that Kristno and his whole family were in confinement! Astonishing news! It seems the whole neighbourhood, as soon as it was noised abroad that these people had lost caste, was in an uproar. It is said that two thousand people were assembled pouring their anathemas on these new converts.' -Bapt. Miss. Vol. II. p. 125.

Jan. 12. The Brahmins and the young people show every degree of contempt; and the name of Christ is become a by-word, like the name methodist in England formerly.'-Ibid. p. 130.

Sept. 25. I then took occasion to tell them that the Brahmins only wanted their money, and cared nothing about their salvation. To this they readily assented.'Ibid. p. 134.

Nov. 23. Lord's Day. Went with Brother Carey to the new pagoda, at the upper end of the town. About ten Brahmins attended. They behaved in the most scoffing and blasphemous manner, treating the name of Christ with the greatest scorn; nor did they discontinue their ridicule while

Brother Carey prayed with them. No name amongst men | Difficulty which the Mission experiences from not being seems so offensive to them as that of our adorable REDEEMER-Ibid. p. 138.

'Dec. 24. The Governor had the goodness to call on us in the course of the day, and desired us to secure the girl, at least within our walls, for a few days, as he was persuaded the people round the country were so exasperated at Kristno's embracing the gospel, that he could not answer for their safety. A number of the mob might come from twenty miles distant in the night, and murder them all, without the prepetrators being discovered. He believed, that had they obtained the girl, they would have murdered her before the morning, and thought they had been doing God service!-Ibid. p. 143, 144.

Jan. 30. After speaking about ten minutes, a rude fellow bean to be very abusive, and, with the help of a few boys, raised such a clamour that nothing could be heard. At length, seeing no hope of their becoming quiet, I retired to the other part of the town. They followed, hallooing, and crying Hurree boll!" (an exclamation in honour of Veeshno.) They at last began to pelt me with stones and dirt. One of the men, who knew the house to which Brother Carey was gone, advised me to accompany him thither, saying, that these people would not hear our words. Going with him, I met Brother C. We were not a little pleased that the devil had begun to bestir himself, inferring from hence that he suspected danger.'-Ibid. p. 148, 149.

Feelings of an Hindoo Boy upon the eve of Conversion.

able to get Converts shaved.

'Several persons there seemed willing to be baptized: but if they should, the village barber, forsooth, will not shave them! When a native loses his caste, or becomes unclean, his barber and his priest will not come near him; and as they are accustomed to shave the head nearly all over, and cannot well perform this business themselves, it becomes a serious inconvenience.'-Ibid. p. 372.

Hatred of the Natives.

'Apr. 24. Lord's Day, Brother Chamberlain preached at home, and Ward at Calcutta: Brother Carey was amongst the brethren, and preached at night. Kristno Prisaud, Ram Roteen, and others, were at Buddabatty, where they met with violent opposition. They were set upon as Feringas, as destroyers of the caste, as having eaten fowls, eggs, &c. As they attempted to return, the mob began to beat them, putting their hands on the back of their necks, and pushing them forward; and one man, even a civil officer, grazed the point of a spear against the body of Kristno Prisaud. When they saw that they could not make our friends angry by such treatment, they said, You salla; you will not be angry, will you? They then insulted them again, threw cow-dung mixed in gonga water at them; talked of making them a necklace of old shoes; beat Neeloo with Ran Roteen's shoe, &c.; and declared that if they ever came again they would make an end of them."-Bapt. Miss. vol. II. p.

378.

Nov. 18. One of the boys of the school, called Benjamin, is under considerable concern; indeed there is a general A Plan for procuring an order from Government to stir amongst our children, which affords us great encouragement. The following are some of the expressions used in prayer by poor Benjamin

"Oh Lord, the day of judgment is coming: the sun, and moon, and stars will all fall down. Oh, what shall I do in the day of judgment! Thou wilt break me to pieces. [literal.] The Lord Jesus Christ was so good as to die for us poor souls: Lord, keep us all this day! Oh hell! gnashing, and beating, and beating! One hour weeping, another gnashing ! We shall stay there for ever? I am going to heil: I am going to hell! O Lord, give me a new heart; give me a new heart; and wash away all my sins! Give me a new heart, that I may praise Him, that I may obey Him, that I may speak the truth, that I may never do evil things! Oh, I have many times sinned against thee, many times broken thy commandments, oh many times; and what shall I do in the day of judgment !" -Bapt. Miss. Vol. II. p. 162, 163.

Alarm of the Natives at the preaching of the Gospel. From several parts of Calcutta he hears of people's attention being excited by reading the papers which we have scattered among them. Many begin to wonder that they never heard these things before, since the English have been so long in the country.'-Ibid. p. 223.

Many of the natives have expressed their astonishment at seeing the converted Hindoos sit and eat with Europeans. It is what they thought would never come to pass. The priests are much alarmed for their tottering fabric, and rack their inventions to prop it up. They do not like the institution of the college in Calcutta, and that their sacred shasters should be explored by the unhallowed eyes of Europeans.'-Ibid. p. 233.

Indeed, by the distribution of many copies of the Scriptures, and of some thousands of small tracts, a spirit of inquiry has been excited to a degree unknown at any former period.'-Ibid. p. 236.

As he and Kristno walked through the street, the natives cried out, "What will this joiner do? (meaning Kristno.) Will he destroy the caste of us all? Is this Brahmin going to be a Feringa ?” '—Ibid. p. 245.

Account of success in 1802.-Tenth year of the Mission.

'Wherever we have gone we have uniformly found, that so long as people did not understand the report of our message, they appeared to listen; but the moment they understood something of it, they either became indifferent, or began to ridicule. This in general has been our reception.-Bapt Miss. Vol. II. p. 273.

Hatred of the Natives

Sept. 27. This forenoon three of the people arrived from Ponchetalokpool, who seemed very happy to see us. They inform us that the Brahmins had raised a great persecution against them; and when they set out on their journey hither, the mob assembled to hiss them away. After Brother Marshman had left that part of the country, they hung him in effigy and some of the printed papers which he had distributed among them,'- Ibid. p. 314.

shave the Converts.

After concluding with prayer, Bhorud Ghose, Sookur and Torribot Bichess, took me into the field, and told me for exhorting them. There was only one thing that kept that their minds were quite decided; there was no necessity them from being baptized in the name of Jesus ChristLosing caste in a large town like Serampore was a very different thing from losing caste in their village. If they dewould no longer shave them; and, without shaving their clared themselves Christians, the barber of their village heads and their beards, they could not live. If an order could be obtained from the magistrate of the district for the barber to shave Christians as well as others, they would be immediately baptized.'-Ibid. p. 397.

two Hindoos who had set up as gods, Dulol and Ram We meet in these proceedings with the account of Dass. The missionaries conceiving as schism from the religion of the Hindoos to be very favourable opening for them, wait upon the two deities. With Dulol, who seems to be a very shrewd fellow, they are utterly unsuccessful; and the following is an ex tract from the account of their conference with Ram Dass:

'After much altercation, I told him he might put the matter out of all doubt as to himself: he had only to come as a poor, repenting, suppliant sinner, and he would be saved, whatever became of others. To this he gave no other answer than a smile of contempt. I then asked him in what way the sins of these his followers would be removed; urging it as a matter of the last importance, as he knew that they were all sinners, and must stand before the righteous bar of God? After much evasion, he replied that he had fire in his belly, which would destroy the sins of all his followers!'-Bapt. Miss. Vol. II. p. 401.

A Brahmin Converted.

'Dec. 11. Lord's Day. A Brahmin came from Nuddea. After talking to him about the gospel, which he said he was very willing to embrace, we sent him to Kristno's. He ate with them without hesitation, but discovered such a thirst for Bengalee rum, as gave them a disgust.'

Dec. 13. This morning the Brahmin decamped suddenly.'-Bapt. Miss. Vol. II. p. 424.

Extent of Printing.

Sept. 12. We are building an addition to our printing office, where we employ seventeen printers and five book binders. The Brahmin from near Bootan gives some hope that he has received the truth in love.'-Ibid. p. 483.

'The news of Jesus Christ, and of the church at Serampore, seems to have gone much further than I expected: it appears to be known to a few in most villages--Ibid. p. 487.

Hatred to the Gospel.

'The caste (says Mr. W.) is the great millstone round the necks of these people. Roteen wants shaving; but the

barber here will not do it. He is run away lest he should be compelled. He says he will not shave Yesoo Kreest's people!-Ibid. p. 493.

Success greater by importunity in prayer. With respect to their success, there are several particulars attending it worthy of notice. One is, that it we had ceded by a spirit of importunate prayer. The brethren had all along committed their cause to God: but in the autumn of 1500, they had a special weekly prayer-meeting for a blessing on the work of the mission. At these assemblies, Mr. Thomas, who was then present on a visit, seems to have been more than usually strengthened to wrestle for a blessing; and writing to a friend in America, he speaks of "the holy unction appearing on all the missionaries, especially of late; and of times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, being solemn, frequent, and lasting." In connecting these things, we cannot but remember, that previous to the outpouring of the Spirit in the days of Pentecost, the disciples "continued with one accord in prayer and supplication."'-Bapt. Miss. Pref. Vol. III. p. vii. What this success is, we shall see by the following

extract:

The whole number baptised in Bengal since the year 1795, is forty-eight. Over many of these we rejoice with great joy; for others we tremble; and over others we are compelled to weep.'-Bapt, Miss. Vol. III. p. 21, 22.

Hatred to the Gospel.

April 2. This morning, several of our chief printing servants presented a petition, desiring they might have some relief, as they were compelled, in our Bengalee worship, to hear so many blasphemies against their gods! Brother Carey and I had a strong contention with them in the printing-office, and invited them to argue the point with Petumber, as his sermon had given them offence; but they declined it; though we told them that they were ten, and he only one; that they were Brahmins, and he was only a

sooder!'-Ibid. p. 36.

p. 38.

op

one, after I had made a beginning, through the violent position of the people. Coming to this, opposition ceased; and therefore I called it REHOBOTH; for Jehovah hath made room for us. Here I have raised a spacious bungalo.'Ibid. p. 59.

It would perhaps be more prudent to leave the question of sending missionaries to India to the effect of these extracts, which appear to us to be quite decisive, both as to the danger of insurrection from the prose cution of the scheme, the utter unfitness of the persons employed in it, and the complete hopelessness of the attempt while pursued under such circumstances as now exist. But, as the Evangelical party who have got possession of our Eastern empire have brought forward a great deal of argument upon the question, it may be necessary to make it some sort of reply. We admit it to be the general duty of Christian people to disseminate their religion among the Pagan nations who are subjected to their empire. It is true they have not the aid of miracles; but it is their duty to attempt such conversion by the earnest and abun dant employment of the best human means in their power. We believe that we are in the possession of a revealed religion; that we are exclusively in posses. sion of a revealed religion; and that the possession of that religion can alone confer immortality, and best confer present happiness. This religion too, teaches us the duties of general benevolence; and, how, under such a system, the conversion of Heathens, can be a matter of indifference, we profess not to be able to understand.

So much for the general rule :-now for the exceptions.

No man (not an Anabaptist) will, we presume, contend that it is our duty to preach the natives into an insurrection, or to lay before them, so fully and emThe enmity against the gospel and its professors is uni- phatically, the scheme of the gospel, as to make them versal. One of our baptised Hindoos wanted to rent a rise up in the dead of the night and shoot their instruc. house: after going out two or three days, and wandering tors through the head. If conversion be the greatest all the town over, he at last persuaded a woman to let him of all objects, the possession of the country to be conhave a house: but though she was herself a Feringa, yet verted is the only mean, in this instance, by which when she heard that he was a Brahmin who had become a that conversion can be accomplished; for we have no Christian, she insulted him, and drove him away: so that right to look for a miraculous conversion of the Hinwe are indeed made the offscouring of all things.'-Ibid. doos; and it would be little short of a miracle, if I was sitting among our native brethren, at the Benga- General Oudinot was to display the same spirit as the lee school, hearing them read and explain a portion of the serious part of the Directors of the East India Com. word in turn, when an aged, grey-headed Brahmin, well pany. Even for missionary purposes, therefore, the dressed, came in ; and standing before me, said, with joined utmost discretion is necessary; and if we wish to hands, and a supplicating tone of voice, "Sahib! I am teach the natives a better religion, we must take care come to ask an alms." Beginning to weep, he repeated to do it in a manner which will not inspire them with these words hastily; "I am come to ask.. an alms."He continued standing, with his hands in a supplicating lose our disciples altogether. a passion for political change, or we shall inevitably posture, weeping. I desired him to say what alins; and To us it appears quite told him, that by his looks, it did not seem as if he wanted clear, from the extracts before us, that neither Hindoo any relief. At length, being pressed, he asked me to give nor Mahomedan is at all indifferent to the attacks him his son, pointing with his hand into the midst of our made upon his religion; the arrogance and the irritanative brethren. I asked which was his son? He pointed bility of the Mahomedan are universally acknowto a young Brahmin, named Soroop; and setting up a plain- ledged; and we put it to our readers, whether the tive cry, said, that was his son. We tried to comfort him, Brahmins seem in these extracts to show the smallest and at last prevailed upon him to come and sit down upon the veranda. Here he began to weep again; and said that disposition to behold the encroachments upon their the young man's mother was dying with grief.'-Ibid. p. 43. religion with passiveness and unconcern. A mission. This evening Buvoo, a brother, who is servant with us, ary who converted only a few of the refuse of society, and Soroop, went to a market in the neighbourhood, where might live for ever in peace in India, and receive his they were discovered to be Yesoo Khreestare Loke (Jesus salary from his fanatical masters for pompous predicChrist's people). The whole market was all in a hubbub: tions of universal conversion, transmitted by the ships they clapped their hands, and threw dust at them. Buxoo of the season; but, if he had any marked success was changing a rupee for cowries, when the disturbance among the natives, it could not fail to excite much beran; and in the scufe, the man ran away with the rupee without giving the cowries.'-Ibid. p. 55. more dangerous specimens of jealousy and discontent Nov. 24. This day Hawnye and Ram Khunt returned than those which we have extracted from the Anafrom their village. They relate that our brother Fotick, baptist Journal. How is it in human nature that a who lives in the same village, was lately seized by the chief Brahmin should be indifferent to encroachments upon Bengalee man there; dragged from his house; his face, his religion? His reputation, his dignity, and, in a eyes, and ears clogged with cow-dung-his hands tied-and great measure, his wealth, depend upon the preserva. in this state confined several hours. They also tore to tion of the present superstitions; and why is it to be pieces all the papers, and the copy of the Testament, which they found in Fotick's house. A relation of these persecu- supposed that motives which are so powerful with all tors being dead, they did not molest Hawnye and Ram other human beings, are inoperative with him alone? Khunt; but the towns-folk would not hear about the gos- If the Brahmins, however, are disposed to excite a pel: they only insulted them for becoming Christians.'-rebellion in support of their own influence, no man Toid. p. 57. who knows anything of India, can doubt that they have it in their power to effect it.

6

Cutwa on the Ganges, Sept. 3, 1804.-This place is about seventy miles from Serampore, by the Hoogley river. Here I have procured a spot of ground, perhaps about two acres, pleasantly situated by two tanks, and a fine grove of mango trees, at a small distance from the town. It was with difficulty I procured a spot. I was forced to leave

It is vain to say that these attempts to diffuse Christianity do not originate from the government in India. The omnipotence of government in the East is well known to the natives. If Government does not pro

empire is governed by men who, we are very much afraid, would feel proud to lose it in such a cause.

hibit, it tolerates; if it tolerates the conversion of the natives, the suspicion may be easily formed that it encourages that conversion. If the Brahmins do not believe this themselves, they may easily persuade the who still retain the fear of God, and who admit that reliBut I think it my duty to make a solemn appeal to all common people that such is the fact; nor are there gion and the course of conduct which it prescribes are not wanting, besides the activity of these new missiona-to be banished from the affairs of nations--now when the ries, many other circumstances to corroborate such a political sky, so long overcast, has become more lowering rumour. Under the auspices of the College at Fort and black than ever-whether this is a period for augmentWilliam, the Scriptures are in a course of translationing the weight of our national sins and provocations, by into the languages of almost the whole continent of an exclusive TOLERATION of idolatry; a crime which, unless Oriental India, and we perceive, that in aid of this est denunciations of vengeance, and the most fearful inthe Bible be a forgery, has actually drawn forth the heaviobject the Bible Society has voted a very magnificent flictions of Divine displeasure.-Considerations, &c. p. 98. subscription. The three principal chaplains of our Indian settlement are (as might be expected) of principles exactly corresponding with the enthusiasm of their employers at home; and their zeal upon the subject of religion has shone and burnt with the most exemplary fury. These circumstances, if they do not really impose upon the minds of the leading natives, may give them a very powerful handle for misrepresenting the intentions of government to the lower orders.

Can it be credited that this is an extract from a pamphlet generally supposed to be written by a noble Lord at the Board of Control, from whose official interference the public might have expected a correc. tive to the pious temerity of others?

The other leaders of the party, indeed, make at present great professions of toleration, and express the strongest abhorrence of using violence to the natives. This does very well for a beginning, but we We see from the massacre of Vellore, what a pow-have little confidence in such declarations. We beerful engine attachment to religion may be rendered lieve their fingers itch to be at the stone and clay in Hindostan. The rumours might all have been false; gods of the Hindoos; and that, in common with the but that event shows they were tremendously power-noble Controller, they attribute a great part of our ful when excited. The object, therefore, is not only national calamities to these ugly images of deities on not to do anything violent and unjust upon subjects of the other side of the world. We again repeat, that religion, but not to give any stronger colour to jealous upon such subjects, the best and ablest men, if once and disaffected natives for misrepresenting your inten-tinged by fanaticism, are not to be trusted for a single

tions.

but to our existence.

moment.

2dly, Another reason for giving up the task of con. version, is the want of success. In India, religion extends its empire over the minutest actions of life. is not merely a law for moral conduct, and for occasional worship, but it dictates to a man his trade, his dress, his food, and his whole behaviour. His religion also punishes a violation of its exactions, not by eternal and future punishments, but by present infamy. If an Hindoo is irreligious, or, in other words, if he loses his caste, he is deserted by father, mother, wife, child, and kindred, and becomes inhim, to receive him, to eat with him, is a pollution stantly a solitary wanderer upon the earth: to touch

All these observations have tenfold force when applied to an empire which rests so entirely upon opinion. If physical force could be called in to stop the progress of error, we could afford to be misrepresent-It ed for a season; but 30,000 white men, living in the midst of 70 million sable subjects, must be always in the right, or at least never represented as grossly in the wrong. Attention to the prejudices of the subject is wise in all governments, but quite indispensable in a government constituted as our empire in India is constituted; where an uninterrupted series of dexterous conduct is not only necessary to our prosperity, These reasonings are entitled to a little more consi-producing a similar loss of caste; and the state of deration, at a period when the French threaten our such a degraded man is worse than death itself. To existence in India by open force, and by every species these evils an Hindoo must expose himself before he of intrigue with the native powers. In all govern- becomes a Christian; and this difficulty must a misments everything takes its tone from the head; fana- sionary overcome before he can expect the smallest ticism has got into the government at home; fanati-success-a difficulty which, it is quite clear, they cism will lead to promotion abroad. The civil servant themselves, after a short residence in India, consider in India will not only dare to exercise his own judg to be insuperable. ment in checking the indiscretions of ignorant missionaries, but he will strive to recommend himself to his holy masters in Leadenhall-street, by imitating Brother Cran and Brother Ringletaube, and by every species of fanatical excess. Methodism at home is no unprofitable game to play. In the East it will soon be In the year 1766, the late Lord Clive and Mr. Verelst the infallible road to promotion. This is the great employed the whole influence of Government to restore a evil: if the management was in the hands of men who Hindoo to his caste, who had forfeited it, not by any ne were as discreet and wise in their devotion as they are glect of his own, but by having been compelled, by a most in matters of temporal welfare, the desire of putting an unpardonable act of violence, to swallow a drop of cow end to missions might be premature and indecorous. the case, were very anxious to comply with the wishes of broth. The Brahmins, from the peculiar circumstances of But the misfortune is, the men who wield the instru-government; the principal men among them met once at ment, ought not, in common sense and propriety, to Kishnagur, and once at Calcutta; but after consultations, be trusted with it for a single instant. Upon this sub- and an examination of their most ancient records, they deject they are quite insane and ungovernable; they clared to Lord Clive, that as there was no precedent to would deliberately, piously, and conscientiously ex-justify the act, they found it impossible to restore the unfor pose our whole Eastern empire to destruction, for the tunate man to his caste, and he died soon after of a broken heart.'-Scott Waring's Preface, p. ivi. sake of converting half a dozen Brahmins, who, after stuffing themselves with rum and rice, and borrowing money from the missionaries, would run away, and cover the gospel and its professors with every species of ridicule and abuse.

Upon the whole, it appears to us hardly possible to push the business of proselytism in India to any length | without incurring the utmost risk of losing our empire. The danger is more tremendous, because it may be so sudden; religious fears are very probable causes of disaffection in the troops; if the troops are generally disaffected, our Indian empire may be lost to us as suddenly as a frigate or a fort; and that

As a proof of the tenacious manner in which the Hindoos cling to their religious prejudices, we shall state two or three very short anecdotes, to which any person who has resided in India might produce many parallels.

It is the custom of the Hindoos to expose dying people upon the banks of the Ganges. There is something peculiarly holy in that river; and it soothes the agonies of death to look upon its waters in the last moments. A party of English were coming down in a boat, and perceived upon the bank a pious Hindoe, in a state of the last imbecility-about to be drowned by the rising tide, after the most approved and orthodox manner of their religion. They had the curiosity to land; and as they perceived some more signs of life than were at first apparent, a young Englishinan poured down his throat the greatest part of a bottle of la

most ancient of the two, it is still to be proved, that the Ceylonese professed that religion before they changed it for their present faith. In point of fact, however, the boasted Christianity of the Ceylonese is proved by the testimony of the missionaries themselves, to be little better than nominal. The following extract from one of their own communications, dated Columbo, 1805, will set this matter in its true light :

vender water, which he happened to have in his pocket. | any other and even if the religion of Brama is the The effects of such a stimulus, applied to a stomach accustomed to nothing stronger than water, were in stantaneous and powerful. The Hindoo revived sufficiently to admit of his being conveyed to the boat, was carried to Calcutta, and perfectly recovered. He had drunk, however, in the company of Europeans-no matter whether voluntary or involuntary--the offence was committed: he lost caste, was turned away from his home, and avoided, of course, by every relation and friend. The poor man came before the police, making the bitterest complaints upon being restored to lite; and for three years the burden of supporting him fell upon the mistaken Samaritan who had rescued him from death. During that period, scarcely a day elapsed in which the degraded resurgent did not appear before the European, and curse him with the bitterest curses-as the cause of all his misery and desolation. At the end of that period he fell ill, and of course was not again thwarted in his passion for dying. The writer of this article vouches for the truth of this anecdote; and many persons who were at Calcutta at the time must have a distinct recollection of the fact, which excited a great deal of conversation and amusement, mingled with compassion.

It is this institution of castes which has preserved India in the same state in which it existed in the days of Alexander; and which would leave it without the slightest change in habits and manners, if we were to abandon the country to-morrow. We are astonished to observe the late resident in Bengal speaking of the fifteen millions of Mahomedans in India as converts from the Hindoos; an opinion, in support of which he does not offer the shadow of an arguiment, except by asking, whether the Mahomedans have the Tartar face? and if not, how they can be the descendants of the first conquerors of India? Probably not altogether. But does this writer imagine, that the Mahomedan empire could exist in Hindostan for 700 years without the intrusion of Persians, Arabians, and every species of Mussulman adventurers from every part of the East, which had embraced the religion of Mahomed? And let them come from what quarter they would, could they ally themselves to Hindoo women without producing in their descendants an approximation to the Hindoo features? Dr. Robertson, who has investigated this subject with the greatest care, and looked into all the authorities, is expressly of an opposite opinion; and considers the Mussulman inhabitants of Hindostan to be merely the descendants of Mahomedan adventurers, and not converts from the Hindoo faith.

The armies,' (says Orme) which made the first conquests for the heads of the respective dynasties, or for other invaders, left behind them numbers of Mahomedans, who, seduced by a finer climate, and a richer country, forgot their own.

The Mahomedan princes of India naturally gave a preference to the service of men of their own religion, who, from whatever country they came, were of a more vigorous constitution than the stoutest of the subjected nation. This preference has continually encouraged adventurers from Tartary, Persia, and Arabia, to seek their fortunes under a government from which they were sure of receiving greater encouragement than they could expect at home. From these origins, time has formed in India a mighty nation of near ten millions of Mahomedans.'-Orme's Industan, I. p. 24.

Precisely similar to this is the opinion of Dr. Robertson, Note xl.-Indian Disquisition.

Dutch congregation, came to see us, and we paid them a
The elders, deacons, and some of the members of the
visit in return, and made a little inquiry concerning the
state of the church on this island, which is, in one word.
miserable! One hundred thousand of those who are called
Christians, (because they are baptized) need not go back
to heathenism, for they never have been any thing else but
heathens, worshippers of Budda: they have been induced,
for worldly reasons, to be baptized. O Lord, have mercy
Miss. Soc. II. 265.
on the poor inhabitants of this populous island!'-Truns.

What success the Syrian Christians had in making converts; in what degree they have gained their num bers by victories over the native superstition, or lost their original numbers by the idolatrous examples to which for so many centuries they have been exposed, are points wrapt up in so much obscurity, that no kind of inference as to the facility of converting the natives, can be drawn from them. Their present num ber is supposed to be about 150,000.

It would be of no use to quote the example of Japan and China, even if the progress of the faith in these empires had been much greater than it is. We do not say it is difficult to convert the Japanese, or the Chinese; but the Hindoos. We are not saying it is difficult to convert human creatures; but difficult to convert human creatures with such institutions. To mention the example of other nations who have them not, is to pass over the material objection, and to answer others which are merely imaginary, and have never been made.

3dly, The duty of conversion is less plain, and less imperious, when conversion exposes the convert to great present misery. An African or an Otaheite proselyte might not perhaps be less honoured by his countrymen if he became a Christian; an Hindoo is instantly subjected to the most perfect degradation. A change of faith might increase the immediate happiness of any other individual; it annihilates for ever all the human comforts which an Hindoo enjoys. The eternal happiness which you proffer him, is therefore less attractive to him than to any other heathen, from the life of misery by which he purchases it.

Nothing is more precarious than our empire in India. Suppose we were to be driven out of it to-morrow, and to leave behind us twenty thousand converted Hindoos, it is most probable they would relapse into heathenism; but their original station in society could not be regained. The duty of making converts, there.. fore, among such a people, as it arises from the general duty of benevolence, is less strong than it would be in many other cases; because, situated as we are, it is quite certain we shall expose them to a great deal of misery, and not quite certain we shall do them any future good.

4thly, Conversion is no duty at all, if it merely destroys the old religion, without really and effectually teaching the new one. Brother Ringletaube may write home that he makes a Christian, when in reality he ought only to state that he has destroyed an Hin doo. Foolish and imperfect as the religion of an HinAs to the religion of the Ceylonese, from which the doo is, it is at least some restraint upon the intempeBengal resident would infer the facility of making con- rance of human passions. It is better a Brahmin verts of the Hindoos, it is to be observed that the re- should be respected than that nobody should be religion of Boudhou, in ancient times, extended from the spected. An Hindoo had better believe that a deity north of Tartary to Ceylon, from the Indus to Siam, with an hundred legs and arms, will reward and pu and (if Foe and Boudhou are the same persons) over nish him hereafter, than that he is not to be punished China. That of the two religions of Boudhou and at all. Now, when you have destroyed the faith of an Brama, the one was the parent of the other, there can be very little doubt; but the comparative antiquity of the two is so very disputed a point, that it is quite unfair to state the case of the Ceylonese as an nstance of conversion from the Hindoo religion to

Hindoo, are you quite sure that you will graft upon his mind fresh principles of action, and make him any thing more than a nominal Christian?

You have 30,000 Europeans in India, and sixty miilions of other subjects. If proselytism were to go on as

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