distribution. The residents send thein in every direction, by hundreds at a time. The Chinese look at them, and say that they have more beautiful histories in their own literature, and have not the least idea whether they are intended for amusement or instruction, and, after having read them, throw them aside; so that the resident could not possibly distribute any more: but the ardent zeal of the Malacca missionary continued to supply them, by ship after ship, in such quantities that they were obliged to be placed in a warehouse! He adds, that "this is the missionary who had written to the Bible Society that they might send him out a million of Bibles; and in this way it would have been easy to dispose of them."* I have also seen a letter, and will quote it, although it is from a Catholic authority, written a few years ago by the Vicar Apostolic of Siam, who relates precisely the same circumstance,- "That two English emissaries had arrived, and were distributing Bibles in every direction; the people used them to wrap up their merchandise in the shops; some of them, however, brought them to the Catholic clergy as of no use." He then remarks, "in this way reports are sent over, and the number of converts are reckoned by the number of Bibles disI know that not a single conversion has been made tributed. by them." * See the Month. Rev. No. 94, p. 369. † The letter is dated 20th June, 1829, and was communicated to me by the Cardinal Cappellari, to whom it was addressed, now worthily raised to a higher dignity. I will give the good Bishop's own words, as they contain other curious facts.-" Duo emissarii societatis biblistarum huc venerunt a decem circiter mensibus: immensos libros Bibliorum lingua sinica scriptos sparserunt inter Sinenses. Alii illis utuntur ad fumandum tabacum, alii ad involvenda dulciaria quæ vendunt, alii denique tradiderunt nostris, qui ad me detulerunt tanquam inutiles. Numerant isti biblista libros sparsos, et postea scribunt in Europam, dicentes, tot esse gentiles fac tos christianos quot sunt libri sparsi: at ego, qui sum testis ocularis, dico, ne unum quidem factum christianum. Voluit ab initio rex Siam expellere eos, significatum est illis nomine regis ut abirent, petierunt ut simul expellerentur missionarii apostolici. Respondit Barcalo, primus regni minister, sacerdotes gallos habere confidentiam regis ab initio etc. Videtur mihi rex timuisse ne nationem illorum offenderet, et mediante pecunia, ut puto, usque modo remanent." In the French "Asiatic Journal," we are assured, on the authority of a letter from Macao, that copies of Dr. Morrison's Bible, which had been introduced into China, were afterwards sold by auction; and that the greater part of them. were bought by manufacturers for different purposes, but principally by the makers of slippers, who used them to make linings with them. It is painful, and humiliating, and almost unbecoming the solemnity of this place, to mention such cir cumstances; but they are important, towards undeceiving those who think that all these Bibles are put to a useful purpose, instead of this degrading and disrespectful use being made of the word of God.* about noon. But the fact is, that the Bibles so sent are easily and willingly received by the natives, under peculiar circumstances; and I will read you, in illustration, an extract from Martyn's Diary. He says, "Early this morning they set me ashore, to see a hot spring. A great number of Brahmans and Fakirs were there. Not being able to understand them, I gave away tracts. Many followed me to the budgerow, where I gave away more tracts, and some Testaments. Arrived at Monghir In the evening, some came to me for books, and among them those who had travelled from the spring, having heard that I was giving away copies of the Ramayuna. They would not believe me when I told them it was not the Rama. yuna. I gave them six or eight more." Ramayuna signifies the adventures of the God Ramah, which these poor creatures supposed the Bible to contain. How easily might missionaries, who did not know the language, have stated, that they were so anxious for the Bible as to have followed them miles to obtain a opy! Again:-"A man followed the budgerow along the walls of the fort, and, finding an opportunity, got on board with another, begging for a book, not believing but that it was the Ramayuna." In another place he tells us, that he sent a copy of the Bible to one of the native princesses; and * Nouveau Journal Asiatique, 1828, to. ii. p. 49. ‡ Ib. Ubi Sup. p. 260. The you may see how little good it was likely to do here, and what a small chance of conversion there was by such a pro-cess. The Ranee of Daudnagar, to whom he had sent it through the Pundit, returned her compliments, and begged to know what was to be done to obtain benefit from the book whether she had to say a prayer, or was she to make a salaam, or bow, to it?* All the idea she had of the book, was, that some superstitious homage should be paid to it. To these examples I could add many more, of a similar character. Abbé Dubois has related an amusing anecdote, concerning the Telinga version of St Matthew's Gospel, which a deputation of native Catholics laid, in grave silence, at his feet: It had been received from a Protestant missionary, and had proved the utter perplexity of several villages, the readers of which, assembled in council, had not been able to comprehend a syllable of it. They had at length taken it to an eminent astrologer in the neighbourhood; who, having studied it to no purpose, and wishing to conceal his ignorance, seriously assured them that the work was a complete treatise on magic, and must be destroyed, lest some calamity might befall them. And they had now accordingly brought it in a bag to their priest, to know how they might best dispose of it.f Again, we are assured, upon good authority, that a version of the Bible was sent among the Tartars of the Caucasus, supposed to be in their own language; but it was so written that they did not understand a word of it; and the consequence was, that the books were torn in pieces, and made use of as wadding for their guns. The Chevalier Gamba observes, that, at Astracan, a great number of Bibles were sent out to convert the natives, but as the greater part of them could not read, of course they could not make the slightest use of them: so that the present was completely thrown away. These are a few out of many examples to show you how very falla * Ib. p. 240. "Annales de la propagation de la Foi," tom. i. p. 159, 1829, cious it is to judge of the extent of conversion, or of the propagation of Christianity, by the returns of the distribution of Bibles among the natives of heathen countries. Another fallacious rule is the number of scholars and schools. Missionaries constantly write that all their congregation consists of their schools. But with regard to this part of missionary labours, there are two important remarks to be made. The first is, that many heathens, especially among the Hindoos, have no objection to frequent these schools, and to send their children to them; but yet are not thereby led to embrace Christianity. Mr Lushington, in a work published at Calcutta, in 1824, enters at full into this subject. He says, "that it is now proved that, to a certain extent, they are not withheld by the circumstance of this learning being communicated through our religious books; but that their thus consenting to read the New Testament must not be taken in proof of any abatement in their prejudices against Christianity. However numerous the scholars may be who frequent these schools, their attendance lasts no longer than is necessary to learn to read, write, and cast accounts, so as to be able to gain a living by joining the numerous fraternity of accountants or sircars. He argues that, in the present state of their minds, no better results are to be expected; but if any transient impression is made upon their minds by the books used in the schools, it must soon be effaced from want of being renewed."* Dr Heber confirms this assertion. For he tells us, that a Baptist missionary had established at Decca twenty-six schools, frequented by upwards of a hundred boys, who all read the New Testament, without any one opposing it. "It is true," he adds, "that of these, few will be converted."† The same concession that this education does not lead to conversion, is * "The History, Design, and Present State of the Religious, Benevolent, and Charitabie Institutions, founded by the British in Calcutta and its vicinity," p. 217. † Narrative, vol. iii. p. 299. made by the American missionary, Gordon Hall.* An agent of the Church Missionary Society writes, that "the children have been found ready to say their lessons, whenever he had it in his power to give them a mouthful of food."t But there is another still more important consideration; and it is that Christianity is most carefully excluded from the teaching of these schools. We have a proof of this in Bishop Heber's work, where he tells us, that at Benares there was a school frequented by 140 Hindoos, and that when, after visiting it, he went to see one of the most celebrated pagodas in the neighbourhood, he found one of the boys, who had seemed the most clever there, wearing the Brahman string, and ready to show him through every part, with as manifest an eagerness and interest, as the most scrupulous Hindoo could have exhibited, who had never frequented a Christian school. All this struck the Bishop forcibly, and he thus comments upon it: "The remarks of the boy opened my eyes more fully to a danger which had before struck me as possible—that some of the boys brought up in our schools might grow up accomplished hypocrites, playing the part of Christians with us, and with their own people of zealous followers of Brahma; or else that they would settle down into a sort of compromise between the two creeds, allowing that Christianity was the best for us, but that idolatry was necessary and commendable in persons of their own nation. I talked with Mr Frazer and Mr Morris on this subject in the course of the morning; they answered, that the same danger had been foreseen by Mr Macleod, and that in consequence of his representations, they had left off teaching the boys the creed and the ten commandments, choosing rather that the light should break on them by degrees, and when they were * Memoir of the Rev. Gordon Hall, Andover, U.S. 1825, p. 256. He calculates the number of missionaries necessary to convert India alone at 30,000. This plan or idea of "arguing in platoons" is not surely that followed by the apostles! + Cath. miscell. ut sup. |