shall not have reached the sum total of their resources; in consequence, doubtless, of omissions in the list which I have given you. For the Missionary Register exhibits a table of the progressive increase of income enjoyed by religious Protestant societies from 1823 to 1835, in which we see a steady advance from 367,3731. to 778,035l. per annum,* the income of last year. In this great sum are not included grants from the government, whether general or local. In India, for instance, is a well appointed church establishment, of bishops, archdeacons, and chaplains, not left to depend on contingencies, but amply provided for, and able to devote their time and attention to the work of conversion. In New South Wales, the local government, on orders from this country, grants 500l. a year to two missionaries appointed by the Church Missionary Society, to undertake the conversion of the natives.† Similar grants are, I believe, made in other colonies, as in Canada; and to the African missions, for the liberated slaves, some support of a similar character is, I understand, afforded. So that, as far as the power goes which almost unlimited means can give towards this object, I may say that these societies possess it. These funds are naturally directed to the support of persons who undertake the work of the ministry; these are therefore, sent forth in every direction; but the estimates which I have been able to see of the number employed are so contradictory, that it is not easy positively to state it. I know that a scien * Quoted by the Rev. E. Bickersteth, in his "Remarks on the progress of Popery," p. 66. Parliamentary Papers on Aboriginal Tribes, ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 14th Aug. 1834, p. 148. The instructions given by this society to one of the missionaries, sounds very unapostolical to Catholic ears. It begins thus: "Instructions of the Committee of the Church Missionary Society to the Rev. W. Watson, and Mrs Watson, on their proceeding to New South Wales on a mission to the aborigines of New Holland. Dearly beloved in the Lord! The Committee address you, Mr and Mrs Watson, with a paternal solicitude." (p. 151.) Has the society episcopal, or other jurisdiction, that it has parental rights over ordained ministers of the Gospel? or are these missionaries soni by the society? tific journal, a few years ago, reckoned them at five thousand.* There is here perhaps, some exaggeration; still, if we may judge by the proportion of income possessed, and devoted, doubtless to these purposes, the number must be considerable. As early as 1824, the Church Missionary Society alone had 419 agents, and the Wesleyan was reported to have 623.† Thus two associations would give us 1,042 missionaries. If we take a ratio from these, and apply it to the income of the others, it would give us upwards of 3,000, exclusive of the American and other foreign missionaries, who are very numerous. Be this, however, as it may, I have no hesitation in saying, that they are three or four times the number which the Catholic Church employs. These men are sent forth provided with every thing necessary for the work; there is no danger of their being left destitute; they have not merely sufficient to secure their subsistence, but enough to give them that station in the places where the mission lies, which ensures them a certain character and weight, so far as station can procure them. The allowance given to the different missionaries varies with the places to which they are sent. To some, as to the American missionaries, there is an allowance made of 100l. a year; in other countries, particularly in Asia, this goes as high as 240%., with 40l. additional if the missionary be married, and 201. more for each of his children. The clergyman at the Cape of Good Hope has 300.; and in the Australian mission, of which I spoke just now, there are two missionaries with an allowance of 500l. a year. It is plain that here can be no thought or anxiety for the cares of the day, but that it is in the power of the missionary to devote himself exclusively to the important work which he has taken in hand. I may just note, casually, because I shall enter more fully upon the subject next time, that the missionaries sent out by the See of Rome, or by the Nouveau Journal Asiatique, 1828, vol. ii. p. 32. congregation devoted to that object, receive not more than from 25l. to 30l. per annum. Here, then, we have all the human elements that can be required to produce great effects; and all that can be done by education, by abundant means, and by efficient support, ought certainly to be here expected. 66 By way of confirmation, I will give you the remarks of Dr Buchanan regarding India, one of the most important theatres of Missionary labours at the present day. He had resided many years in that country, and to his active and energetic representations, the establishment of an episcopal see in India is mainly owing. "No Christian nation," he ob serves, 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 Hindoostan. 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, reverence our principles, and acknowledge our dominion to be a blessing."* So that the modern missionary is not like an Apostle going forth into a barbarous and unconquered country, plunging at once among wild and savage natives, as a lamb in the midst of wolves, without any defence save his own innocence and confidence in God, and preaching a gospel exactly opposed to all their feelings, interests, and habits; but, in most instances, he goes forth with all possible protection, and with every facility for undertaking his work. Now let us proceed to examine the results of these immense preparations. I must take necessarily, the subject, in detail; and I will begin with India, and thence pass, successively, to other countries which appear to merit any particular observation. I regret being obliged to leave aside what I think would have been an interesting view of the subject. I had collected a number of passages from different reports of the * Memoir on the expediency of an Ecclesiastical Establishment in British India, 2d ed. p. 48. G 2 Missionary Societies through several years, to show how, by a singular coincidence, in every case they speak of hopes, of promises, of expectations, of what is going to be done, and what may be looked for after a few years, but never of what has been done, of conversions made, of persons who have been induced to embrace the faith of Christ. This investigation would have led us over almost all the field of missionary cultivation, and would have afforded everywhere the same results. I am obliged, however, to pass it over on account of the extensive range we have still to traverse. In India, there are several societies, or religious bodies, which dedicate themselves to the propagation of the Christian Faith, and the conversion of heathen natives. That which naturally first merits attention, is the church connected with the Establishment of this country; the one which has all the support that a wealthy, or, at least, a well provided, Episcopal Establishment can possibly give. Now, to ascertain what has been done by its mission, we need not go beyond the reports, given us by the active and zealous bishop of Calcutta, Dr Heber. He made a visitation of a great portion of India, to examine into the state of religion, and the prospects held out to the labours of conversion. He does, indeed, every now and then, mention converts, members of the Established Church, whom he found in different places. For instance, at Benares, which contains a population of 582,000 souls, he confirmed 14; and the number of Christians, according to his calculation, was one hundred. Now, one would be induced to suppose, at first sight, that these were converts, properly speaking, made from the natives, in consequence of sermons, or other instruc tions of the missionaries, in which the doctrines of Christianity were expounded to them. His own account very soon undeceives us in this respect. For, speaking of Chumar, he says, "The labours of the missionaries have, after all, been chiefly confined to the wives of the British soldiers, who have already lost caste by their marriage, or to such Mussulmans or Hindoos as, of their own accord, prompted by curiosity, or a better motive, have come to their schools or churches." Nor must we suppose, that by these he means actual converts: for thus he writes of them,-" The number of these inquirers after truth, is, I understand, even now, not inconsiderable, and increasing daily. But I must say, that of actual converts, except soldiers' wives, I have met with very few, and these, I think, have been all made by the Archdeacon," (Corrie.)* So that, in a very large district of populous towns, the converts have been only at the rate of 100 out of 582,000 natives; and these are almost, without exception, individuals who had already lost caste, by having married Europeans, and who have been naturally drawn to embrace the religion of their husbands, by this circumstance, rather than by the exertions of the missionaries. In another place the Bishop says,—“ These native Christians, who are members of the Church of England in the Presidency, (Bengal,) do not exceed in number, at most, 500 adults, who are chiefly at the stations of Benares, Chumar, Buxar, Meerut, and Agra, a large proportion being the wives of European soldiers." Now, this is a very important confession; for here we have the number of native Christians, out of the immense population of several millions, comprised in that Presidency, reduced to five hundred adults; and most of these belonging to the class I have described. Not that I mean to cast any imputation on them, for they surely are not the worse for having lost caste among their heathen countrymen, or for being united in marriage with Europeans; not but that I consider the soul of the meanest and poorest in the lowest caste, equal, in the estimation of God, to that of the Rajpoot, or the most distinguished Brahman of the land; but, when we are speaking of the efficacy of a system, we are bound to estimate it by the influence which it possesses; and it is evident, that the Bishop does not attribute 66 Narrative of a journey through the Upper Provinces of India," 2d ed. vol. i. p. 395. Vol. iii. p. 338. |