adopted plans for drawing away from their pure faith this innoceat, ingenuous, and respectable people: however, after using for nearly a century, all the customary arts and abominable persecutions of the church of Rome to no purpose, Don Alexis de Meneses, the Archbishop of Goa, appeared amongst them; and, by his commanding influence, his zeal, and his learning, and on the authority of what he called the Council of Udiamper, forced the Syrian Metropolitan, his priests, and people into the Roman pale. The Archbishop, however, had not long quitted the scene of this triumph of bigotry, ere the people sighed for their old religion, and cherished it in private; but on the 22d of May, 1653, they held a congress at Alingatte, and great numbers, headed by their Metropolitan, revolted publicly from the Romish communion; nor has all the influence of the Roman Pontiff, and the Kings of Portugal, been able to draw them away again from their old faith.

"Leaving the history of this interesting people, which is affectingly delineated in La Croze's book, I shall, in this Report, confine myself more particularly to the existing state of Christianity in Malabar; and, in order that your Lordship may have the subject clearly before you, I shall consider each sect of Christians by itself, under the head of, 1st, St. Thomê, or Jacobite Christians; - 2dly, The Syrian Catholics, who have been forced from the Jacobite Church into the Romish pale; and, 3dly, The Latin Church.

St. Thome, or Jacobite Christians.

"These people, who still retain their ancient creed and usages, consider thamselves as the descendants of the flock established by St. Thomas, who is generally esteemed the Apostle of the East. Their ancestors emigrated from Syria, and the Syrio-Chaldaic is the language in which their church service is still performed. They admit no images within their churches, but a figure of the Virgin Mary with the child Jesus in her arms, which is considered merely as an ornament, and not a subject for idolatrous worship. They are generally denominated by the country people, Nazaranee Mapilles. Nazaranee is obviously derived from Nazareth; but the origin of the word Mapillah is variously accounted for; -by some, it is ingeniously supposed to refer to the Virgin and Child, the only image admitted within their churches; as Ma implies Mother, in various languages, derived from the Sungscrit; and Pillah, Child. Others again, construe the term to indicate the rank originally conferred on these Christians by the sovereign of Malabar. Poolah signifies a class, in a state synonimous with our secretaries. Ma or Maha, signifies great or superior. The term Mapillah is indiscriminately applied to Jews and Musselmen as to these Christians, distinguishing each by the prefix of the Jew, Syrian, or Nazaranee, or Musselman.

"It is certain that grants of honour and emolument were formerly possesse by these Christians, given to them by a King of Malabar, named Perenaul, engraven on copper, five of which engravings are still in existence; a fac-simile of which I have seen in the possession of the Resident of Travancore.

"It has been long believed, that these Christians held the tenets of the Nestorian heresy, and that they were obliged to leave their own country in consequence of persecution: however, it appears that the creed which they now fol low denies that heresy, and seems to coincide in several points with the creed of St. Athanasius, but without its damnatory clauses.

"Baron Von Wrede has written a memoir on the subject of these Christians, which appeared in the 7th volume of the Asiatic Researches, and which has the merit of calling our attention to these people; though it is no better than a lame transcript of information, which may be fully and satisfactorily obtained in La Croze's book, from whence every material part of that memoir is obviously taken: indeed, wherever the Baron departs from his author, he becomes less interesting, or misleads his reader. That the Christians in Malabar were carly taught the tenets of Nestorius, is proved by La Croze, on the direct authority of Cosmas, an Egyptian merchant (himself a Nestorian) who published his voyage to India in the year 547- It seems, however, not improbable that Christians had been planted in these shores long before the time of Nestorius; and, I am inclined to regard the tradition of its having spread hither in the age of the Apostles, as very far from fabulous *.

With respect to their religious tenets, writers may, and will, disagree : upon such subjects human reason avails nothing. The disputes which on these

Eusebius informs us, that there were Christians in India as early as the year 189, who had the Gospel of St. Matthew iu Hebrew, which they declared was received from Saint Bartholomew.

points have agitated the world, are in general no better than the perverse offspring of verbal differences.

་་

The following is a version of the present creed of these people, being a written communication from the Metropolitan to the Resident at Travancore : "In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, We, the Christians, believers in the religion of Jesus Christ, subject to the jurisdiction of Mar Ignatius, patriarch of Antioch, being loyal § Jacobians, hold the following creed:

"We believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Three Persons in one God, neither confounding the persons, nor dividing the substance, One in Three, and Three in One.

"The Father Generator,-the Son generated, and the Holy Ghost proceeding.

"None is before nor after other in majesty, honour, might, and power; coequal, unity in trinity, and trinity in unity.

"We do not believe with Arius and Eunonimus, that there are three different and separate substances.

"We do not believe, as Sabellius believes, by confusion of substance.

"We do not believe, as Macedonius said, that the Holy Ghost is less than the Father and Son.

"We do not believe, as Mawney and Marcianus * said, that the body of Christ was sent down from Heaven.

"We do not believe, as Julianus + said, that Christ was only man.

"We do not hold, as Nestorius, the doctrine of two natures, and two substances in the Messiah.

"We do not believe, as the Chalcedonians said, that there are two natures in the Messiah.

"But we believe, by the doctrine of the Trinity, that the Son is coequal with the Father, without beginning or end; that, in the appointed time, through the disposition of the Father and Holy Ghost, without disjoining from the right side of the Father, he appeared on earth for the salvation of mankind, — that he was born of the Virgin Mary, through the means of the Holy Ghost, and was incarrate, God and Man. So that, in the union of the divine and human nature, there was one na ure and one substance. So we believe."

"The service in their church is performed very nearly after the manner of the Church of England; and, when the Metropolitan was told that it was hoped that one day an union might take place between the two churches, he seemed pleased at the suggestion.

"The present Metropolitan, Mar Dionysius, is now old and infirm, but a very respectable character, and of the most venerable and prepossessing appearance. A person has been sent from Mousul, a city in Mesopotamia, to succeed to his station in the event of his decease; but this stranger, ignorant of the language of the country, with the character of being violent in his temper, and not averse, as it is supposed, to the views of the Romish church, it is to be hoped, will be prevented from ever taking charge of this precious remnant of a pure and valuable people.

"The Metropolitan has several archdeacons and deacons under him, who act as Vicar-Generals. They have fifty-five churches; and the number of their people, as given in to the Resident, is estimated at 23,000.

"The residence of their Metropolitan is at Candenatte, twelve or fourteen miles inland from Cochin. In some of their churches, divine service is per

Eastern Christians, who renounce the communion of the Greek church, and differ from it both in doctrine and worship, may be comprehended under two distinct classes. To the former belong the Monophytes, or Jacobites, so called from Jacob Albardai, who declare it as their opinion that, in the aviour of i world there is only one nature; while the latter comprehends the followers of Nestorius, equently called Chaldeans, from the country where they principally reside, and who suppose that there are two distinct persons or natures in the Son of God. The Monophysites are subdivided into two sects or parties, the one African, and the other Asiatic. At the head of the Asiatics is the patriarch of Andoch who resides for the most part in the monastery of St. Ananias, which is situated near the city of Merdin, and sometimes at Merdin, his episcopal seat; as also at Amida, Aleppo, and other Syrian cities. The government of this prelate is too extensive, and the churches over which he Fresides too numerous, to admit of his performing himself all the duties of his high office; and, therefore, a part of the administration of the pontificate is given to a kind of colleague, who is called the Maphne, or Primate of the East, and whose doctrines and discipline are said to be adopted by the eastern church beyond the Tigris. This primate used formerly to teside at Tauris, a city on the Frontiers of Armenia; but his present habitation is the monastery of St. Matthew, which is in the neighbourhood of Mousul, a city of Mesopotamia. It is farther observable, that all the patriarchs of the jacobites assume the denomination of Ignatius. Mosheim, vol. 4, Section xi. page 257. *These, I suppose, might be Manes and Marcion,

↑ Perhaps julian, Bishop of Halicarnassus.

formed in the Syrian and Latin ritual alternately, by the priests of the Christians of St. Thomê, who have adhered to their ancient rites, and those who have been united to the church of Rome. When the latter have celebrated mass, they carry away the images from the church before the others enter.

"The character of these people is marked by a striking superiority over the Heathens in every moral excellence; and they are remarable for their veracity and plain dealing. They are extremely attentive to their religious duties; and abide by the decision of their Priests and Metropolitan in all cases, whether in spiritual, or, as I heard, in temporal affairs. They are respected very highly by the Nairs, who do not consider themselves defiled by associating with them, though it is well known that the Nairs are the most pa. icular of all the Hindoos in this respect; and the Rajahs of Travancore and Cochin admit them to rank next to Nairs. Their numbers, it is conjectured, are under-rated in the statement given to the Resident, as it is generally supposed, that they may be estimated at 70 or 80,000. They are not persecuted; but they are not permitted to make converts, by the governments under which they reside; and it is supposed, that many respectable Hindoos would be happy to join their sect, were it not for this circumstance: but at present they suffer, as far as I can learn, no other! hardship.

"If good men from Syria could be obtained, not as parish-priests, but to superintend and regulate their concerns, I conceive it would be a great blessing to these good people.

"The direct protection of the British Government has been already extended to them; but as they do not reside within the British territories, I am somewhat doubtful how far it may be of use to them.

"To unite them to the Church of England, would, in my opinion, be a most noble work; and it is most devoutly to be wished for, that those who have been driven into the Roman pale might be recalled to their ancient church: a measure which it would not, I imagine, be difficult to accomplish, as the Country Governments would, it is supposed, second any efforts to that purpose.

"Their occupations are various as those of other Christians; but they are chiefly cultivators and artizans; and some of them possess a comfortable, if not a splendid independence. Their clergy marry in the same maner as Protestants. Their residence is entirely inland.

Syrian Roman Catholics.

"These people, as stated above, were constrained to join the Latin church, after a long struggle for the power of maintaining their purity and independence; and still appear a people perfectly distinct from the Latin church, being allowed to chant and perform all the services of the church of Rome in the Syrio-Chaldaic language by a dispensation from the Pope. They live under the authority of the Metropolitan of Cranganore and the Bishop of Verapol, and dress differently from other priests. They wear a white surplice, while the priest of the Latia communion wear black gowns, like the Capuchin friars of Madras. The Roman Catholic Syrians, it is thought, are much more numerous than the members of the original church. Their clergy are spread through the ancient churches, and, by retaining their language, and acting under the direction of the church of Rome, they leave no means unessayed to draw over their primitive brethren to the Latia communion. It appears to me, that they are allowed to use their original language, and to frequent the original church, entirely with this view; and, as far as I can learn, their numbers are gaining ground. There are said to be eightysix parishes of Romau Catholic Syrians subject to the dioceses of Cranganore and Verapoli. Their priests, to the number of four hundred, are styled Catanars, which is a Syrian appellation; their congregations are reported at 90,000 (old and young included) agreeably to the last returns transmitted to Rome.There is an inferior order of priests, who are called Chiamas, in number about 120. The Hindoos have, as far as I can learn, a much greater respect for the Christians of the original church, than for the converts of the Latin communion; which may be accounted for by their not associating with the lower octers of people. Attached to each church is a convent, where the Catunars reside in community, there being three, four, or five to each church. The service is performed weekly, in rotation.-There is a seminary at the College of Verapoli for the education of the Syrio Roman Catholics, and also one for the Latin church.

This shows a spirit of toleration and Christian liberality, very different from the bigotry of the Romish church,

The Syrio Roman Catholics are chiefly engaged, as already mentioned, in draw ing their ancient brethren within the Romish pale; but it appears that some of them have been employed formerly in extending the general object of conversion over the peninsula. I saw one of their churches, at a village near Pillimbaddy, about thirty miles on the Madras side of Trichinopoly; and I heard of several others. They had at this village adopted the use of a sawmy coach, like that ef the fleathens, with the Crucifix and the Virgin Mary in it, instead of the Hindoo sawmy. Their church was much out of repair; and the ignorance of the few Christians remaining in charge of it is striking the letters I, N, R, I, over the figure of our Saviour on the cross, being absolutely inverted; nor did the priest who visits them ever notice the circumstance. They read prayers in Malabar, according to the ritual of the church of Rome. Their church appears to have been once respectable; but is now fallen into decay.

Latin Roman Catholics.

"Within the provinces of Travancore and Cochin there are one archbishop and two bishops :-the archbishop of Cranganore, and the bishops of Cochin and Verapoli.

"The two former have sees, the latter is titular. The archbishops of Cran ganore and the bishop of Cochin are nominated by the queen of Portugal, after the following manner :-Three names are sent (when either of these sees become vacant) by the sovereign of Portugal to the Pope; and the Roman pontiff is bound to select the name that stands first, and to issue his brevet or patent accordingly.

"They are subject in all spiritual concerns to the primate of Goa; who has also the power, during a vacancy, of sending from Goa a locum tenens, who is styled Padre Governador.-Both sees are at this moment filled by such.

"The titular bishop, who resides at the college of Verapoli, is appointed directly by the Pope, and is subject to no jurisdiction but that of his Holiness, or the Propaganda at Rome. This mission being more susceptible of control and regulation than the others, has been countenanced by the Honourable Company, as the following copy of a Proclamation issued by the government of Bombay will shew.

PROCLAMATION.

"The Honourable the Court of Directors of the Honourable English East India Company having been pleased to order that the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Churches under this government shall be withdrawn from the Archbishop of Goa, and restored to the Carmelite Bishop of the apostolic mis, sion, the President in Council has accordingly resolved, that the said Restitution shall take place on the 1st of the ensuing month; from which time he hereby enjoins all the Catholic inhabitants in Bombay, as well as the several factories and settlements subordinate thereto, to pay due obedience in spiritual matters to the said bishop3, on pain of incurring the severe displeasure of government." "By order of the Honourable the Governor in Council. (Signed)

"Bombay Castle, 2d Aug. 1791."

WILLIAM PAGE, Secretary.

"The priests attached to the college of Verapoli are all Carmelites, united to the apostolic mission at Bombay, but not subject to it. The jurisdiction of each is not marked by distinct bounds; the parishes and churches being so intermingled, that it is difficult to form a right notion of their extent. The bishop of Cochin, however, may be said to have a control over all the Romish churches situated on the sea coast, immediately (with few exceptions) from Cochin to Ramnad, and thence round the whole island of Ceylon: the churches are numerous; but as they are in general poor, and are obliged to be supplied with priests from Goa, it would appear that one vicar holds, upon an average, five or six churches. The number of Christians composing these churches must be great, as all and every of the fishermen are Roman Catholics.-The bishop of Cochin usually resides at Quilon.-There are very few European clergy (not above seven or eight) under the three jurisdictions, and none of them men of education; and it cannot be expected that the native priests, who have been educated at Goa, or at the seminary at Verapoli, should know much beyond their missals and rituals.—The Latin communicants, in the diocese of Verapoli, are estimated at 35,000. — The Catechumen suflers no persecution on account of his religion, when once converted; but the country governments are excessively jealous upon this point, and do their utmost to discountenance any conversion.

"The converts are from various casts, viz. Chegas or Teers,-Muckwas and Pullers; and there can be no doubt but that many of higher casts would be baptized, if they did not dread the displeasure of their governments.

"It is well known that the Roman religion was introduced by the Portuguese, at the commencement of the sixteenth century; the number converted in each year, upon an average, reach to nearly 300:-the number of course naturally diminishes. The morality of the converts is very loose; and they are generally inferior in this respect to the heathens of the country.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.

"Reflecting on the whole subject, several suggestions present themselves to my mind; and I think I shall not be considered as deviating from the line of my Profession, or the intention of your Lordship, in calling for my Report, by offering some opinions to government, which, in a moral and political view, seem of the highest importance. It appears, from the foregoing statement, that pure Christianity is far, very far, from being a religion for which the highest cast of Hindoos have any disrespect; and that it is the abuse of the Christian name, under the form of the Romish religion, to which they are averse. We have, my Lord, been sadly defective in what we owed to God and man since we have had a footing in this country, as well by departing most shamefully from our Christian profession ourselves, as in withholding these sources of moral perfection from the natives, which true Christianity alone can establish;-and, at the same time, we have allowed the Romanists to steal into our territories, to eccupy the ground we have neglected to cultivate, and to bring an odium on our pure and honourable name as Christians. The evil would be less, were it not well known that many of the Romish priests, and their people, who have thus been allowed to grow numerous under our authority, are supposed to be far from well affected to the government under which they reside; indeed, in many instances, the Roman clergy are the natural subjects of nations at enmity with ourselves, at the same time that they are eminently qualified by their influence in their profession, to do us the greatest mischief, by spreading disaffection through、 out every part of the extended country. The Roman Catholic religion, my Lord, I believe I may say, without offence to truth or charity, has almost always been made a political engine in the hands of its governments; and we must be blinded indeed by our own confidence, if we do not calculate on its being so used in this great and rich country, where it has established a footing amongst an ignorant people: especially, when it is so well understood that our eastern possessions have been a subject of the greatest jealousy to all the rival nations of Europe. In my humble opinion, my Lord, the error has been in not having long ago established free * schools throughout every part of this country, by which the children of the natives might have learned our language, and got acquainted with our morality.---Such an establishment would, ere this, have made. the people at large fully acquainted with the divine spring, from whence alone British virtue must be acknowledged to flow. This would have made them better acquainted with the principles by which we are governed: they would have learned to respect our laws, to honour our feelings, and to follow our maxims: whereas they appear to me, generally speaking, at this moment, as ignorant of their masters as on their first landing on these shores. I speak not of interfering with their religious prejudices, or endeavouring to convert the natives by an extraordinary effort on the part of the British government. Conversion, in my opinion, must be the consequence which would naturally flow from our attention to their moral instruction, and their more intimate acquaintance with the English character.

"I do not mention this as an experiment, the result of which might be considered as problematical: the experiment has been already made, and the consequences have proved commensurate with the highest expectation which reasonable men could entertain. The Danish Mission, united with the Society for Pro

*To give English morals to the natives in their purity, we must, I imagine, make them read English books. Translations have hitherto been very defective in the different country languages; besides, they must be extremely circumscribed in number. I do not think the natives will come to us freely but to learn English. This they consider as the key to fortune; and, on the coast, the most strict of the Bramins will have little hesitation, as far as I can learn, in permitting their children to attend a freeschool for the purpose of learning it; for they despise us too much to suppose there is any danger of overturning the principles of Braminism. But their ill-founded, ridiculous principles must be shaken to the very foundation, by the communication of such liberal knowledge as a Christian can instil into the minds of youth, and fix there by means of English books; and all this, without making any alarming attack directly on the religion of the Hindoos.