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mention incidentally, that this part of the Catholic Church is governed in two different ways. There are four bishoprics, and an equal number of vicars-apostolic,—that is, bishops having a titular see in some other part of the Church.

The distribution of Catholics, according to his estimate is, along the coast from Goa to Cape Comorin, including Travancore, 330,000; in the provinces of Mysore, the Deccan, Madura, and the Carnatic, 120,000; and he places the other 160,000 in the island of Ceylon, of which I will give you some more details presently.

In 1825,

Now, to show, from the reports sent by Catholic missionaries, and from private letters, that the work of conversion really goes on, I will read you one or two extracts. M. Bonnand, a missionary from France, arrived at Pondicherry, and was immediately situated at Bandanaidoopale. In the course of six or seven months, he had acquired a sufficient knowledge of the difficult Telinga language, to preach in it; and in the course of a year and a half after his arrival, he had baptised sixty-three heathens.*

"The missions in the interior," writes another, “are interesting, not only on account of the fervour of the Christians, but also from the success which apostolic men obtain among the heathens. Every missionary has the consolation of seeing every year, a certain number of them abandon the worship of idols, to embrace our holy religion. One of them has written, that within these few days, eighteen numerous families have been regenerated by baptism." A third tells us, that at Darmaboory he had baptised two hundred adults in the course of ten months' missionary labour.‡ M. Bonnand assures us, that most of the native Catholics "belong to the most distinguished castes."§ And, on another occasion, he thus expresses himself. October 12, 1828. I celebrated my Easter at Piramguipooran. The Lord has vouchsafed to add an increase of sweet and pleasing troubles to the usual labours of this sea

* Annales de l' Association, No. xx. April 1830, p. 147.

† Page 170.

† Page 154.

No. xiii, March, 1828, p. 83.

son. These proceeded from the baptism of twenty-two adult Sudras. In my journey towards the south, I baptised fifteen, almost all belonging to the best castes."

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These statements bring me to the assertions of Heber regarding the Catholic converts in India, that they are of an inferior caste, and that it is their bad conduct and character which has given rise to the law which I will now explain, so that Protestant converts who are affected by it, have been hurt by them. The law is, that a person embracing the Christian religion cannot, or could not two or three years ago, hold any office under the government of India. Now, this law did not exist during the reign of the native princes; consequently, they who were themselves Hindoos, and the enemies of the Christian religion, were yet so satisfied with the conduct of the Catholics, that they allowed them to hold any office. And the native Catholics did so; for the Abbè Dubois tells us, that they held distinguished posts about the courts of Hindoo or Mohammedan princes, and were subject to no restrictions in the exercise of their religion. Now, if it were true, as Heber asserts, that all the Catholics were of the lowest caste, they would have been incapable of holding any office of trust under the government: and there is a contradiction in telling us that the Catholics are of a lower caste, and yet that a law was made to prevent their holding office. The fact is, that this is a law made since the English took possession of the country, and consequently it was only directed against the converts after that time.

This is the enactment of the Madras government in 1816— "The Zillah judges shall recommend to the provincial courts, the persons whom they may deem fit for the office of district moonsif; but no person shall be authorized to officiate as a district moonsif, without the previous sanction of the provincial court, nor unless he be of the Hindoo or Mohammedan persuasion." So that the British government requires persons to be of the Hindoo or Mahommedan religion, to entitle them to hold office in the country. But the bishop himself acknowledges

*No. xx. D. 158.

this fact. For in his last letter to his wife, he asks whether it would have been believed, that in the time of the Raja, the native Christians (who certainly were all Catholics,) were eligible to any office in the state, while now there is an order of the government which excludes them from any employment?*

Again, "about twenty persons were present, one the Naick, or corporal, whom, in consequence of his embracing Christianity, government very absurdly, not to say wickedly disgraced, by removing him from his regiment, though they still allow him his pay." Now the very fact of allowing him his pay shows that this principle was not adopted from fear of offending the natives; for government was more likely to excite their jealousy, by allowing him a pension, and exempting him from service, than by keeping him in his post. In another place he says; "I had an interesting visit from a fine grey-headed old man, who said he had been converted by Mr Corrie to christianity, when at Agra, and that his name was 'Noor Musseih' (light of the Messiah.) He came, among other things, to beg me to speak to the collector and Mr Halhed, that he might not be thrust out of a small office which he held, and which he said he was in danger of losing on account of his Christianity."

From all these facts, it is evident that the law in question could not have been made for the Catholics; and in fact that it was enacted by the English in latter times.

Then, as to the charge that the Catholics are worse in conduct, or less respectable than other persons in India, Dr Heber, it is true, only uses the phrases, "it is said," "it is alleged." But this is a form of expression hardly becoming; because, to speak in such broad and sweeping condemnation of Tom. iii. p. 463.

*Tom. ii. p. 280.

It is a well-known fact, that the new Christians in India are called Rice-christians, or Company's christians, from the idea that their object in conversion is to gain support or patronage. I have the following anecdote from a Protestant gentleman, many years a resident in India. A missionary being in want of a servant, he recommended one to him, and was so warm in his praises, that the clergyman decided upon engaging him. In an unlucky moment he summed up his panegyric by adding, "he is one of your own converts." If that be the case," replied the other, "I cannot trust him. I cannot take a native Christian into my house."

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several hundred thousand persons-to say that they bear no good character, and consequently have injured the cause of religion, on merely hearsay evidence, and on the ground that "it is so alleged," and that others say so, is not reconcileable with a high feeling of Christian charity; and surely such statements, without better ground or proof, ought not to be sent forth.

one.

Martyn, of whom I have so often spoken, gives a very different account of them, and at once declares his opinion of them. "Certainly," he writes, "there is infinitely better discipline in the Romish Church than in ours; and if ever I be the pastor of native Christians, I shall endeavour to govern with equal strictness."* He acknowledges, that, until then, he had no congregation; and he proposes the Catholic pastors and people as an example to follow should he ever possess Does this show that they are of a lower character, or of inferior morals? Persons do not propose, as their models, those who fall under their standard of the character of Christians. On another occasion, he speaks of a very interesting visit which he paid to a Catholic missionary, Father Antonio, at his little Church in Magliapore; and thus he expresses himself:-"He read some passages from the Hindoostanee Gospels, which I was surprised to find so well done. I begged him to go on with the Epistles. He last translated the Missal, equally well done. He showed me the four Gospels in Persian, (very poorly done). I rejoiced unfeignedly at seeing so much done, though he followeth not with us. The Lord bless his labours.Ӡ In this manner does Martyn speak of men whom Heber seems to consider hardly worthy of the name of Christians!

I will give another authority regarding the character of the Catholics of India; and it is that of Doctor Buchanan:“The Romish Church in India," he writes, "is coeval with the Spanish and Portuguese empires in the east; and though both empires are now in ruins, the Church remains. Sacred property has been respected in the different revolutions; for * P. 287. † P. 321.

it is agreeable to Asiatic principle to reverence religious insti tutions. The revenues are in general small, as is the case in Roman Catholic countries at home; but the priests live everywhere in respectable or decent circumstances. Divine service is regularly performed, and the churches generally are 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 subject to the observation and counsel of religious characters, whom they are taught to reverence. Besides the regular churches, there are numerous Romish missions established throughout Asia. But the zeal of conversion 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 general for their pure manners, they ensure to themselves a comfortable subsistence, and are enabled to show hospitality to strangers. 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 civilizing influence in Asia; and that notwithstanding its constitutional asperity, intolerant and repulsive compared with the general principles of the Protestant religion, it has dispelled much of the darkness of paganism."

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Here we have a two-fold acknowledgment;-in the first place, of the high character of the Catholic religion in India; its regularity, its morality, and the respect which it obtains; and, at the same time, of its having been effectual in dispelling the errors of paganism. And this much may, I think, suffice, regarding the character of the Catholics in India. It appears, then, by comparing the acknowledgments which * Memoirs, p. 12.

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