renounce Budhism, and to make a public profession of his faith in Christ.

Not long after, his sincerity was put to the test in a way which Mr. Clough thus describes :

"About this time there was a meeting convened of several Budhist priests, for some particular occasion, near Galle, and the meeting was to continue for some days. I was apprehensive that he might be shaken, or not sufficiently prepared to stand the attacks of such a number of his former acquaintance. I however paid him a visit at this meeting, when they were all present, and were not a little surprised to see me advance; but they were more surprised when they perceived my convert advance and join me. We then retired, and I began a very close conversation about the state of his mind, and found him unshaken. I asked him whether he did not feel reluctance at leaving his religion. He

and particularly the failure of proper worship;-how can a God of justice punish an Idolater, if that Idolater worship according to the light afforded him, and not according to the light of Christianity, of which Idolaters are ignorant? And, further," he added, " this is applicable to the Cingalese in general: why, then, has not God instructed us better?"

"I answered," says the Missionary, "that although God is a being of infinite justice, He is also a God of mercy, and that He could do nothing contrary to goodness and holiness; and hence, when it is said He will judge every man according to his works,' He will do it according to the light which each man possessed. I added, that his questions had not involved the smallest difficulty; because it could not be supposed that God had permitted the Cingalese and other idolatrous nations to remain in a state of mental darkness, for the purpose of judging them with a less rigorous judgment; but their ignorance might be considered as permitted by God to stick to them, a just retaliation for their forefathers' abuse of the light which we now enjoy: and the difference in the Day of Judgment between a Christian and a Cingalese Idolater will appear according to their particular circumstances: the one will be judged by the Gospel, the other by the light with which he has been favoured." With this answer he seems to have been satisfied.

VII.

CHAP. answered, that the reluctance was easily overcome, because he was about to receive a better; and he added, that he felt no difficulty in casting his lot with mine, and should be very glad to have the same place with me in the next world; and that he should have little trouble in his mind, if he thought he should be in the same situation with me at the Day of Judgment.

He is anxious for baptism.

"At this time a singular circumstance occurred, which seemed to give weight to all his past conduct. The aforementioned assembly of priests availed themselves of opportunities of receiving personal and public improvement, both by night and day, through the means of my faithful convert; and he, being the senior priest, was looked up to for instruction. One evening, when they were assembled, and were expecting to hear him preach on the religion of Budhoo he pulled out the Cingalese New Testament, and began to read the first chapter of St. Matthew, and proceeded to read other chapters, making his observations till morning, by which time he had finished the whole Gospel. He was heard with surprise and attention: they frequently interrupted him, while he proceeded, with questions, which he answered to the best of his ability."

19. He now became anxious for baptism, declaring that he regarded it as the characteristic mark of those who were not worshippers of idols. But as this step would inevitably subject him to the privations of poverty, and perhaps to the attacks of the infuriated idolaters upon his life, Mr. Clough made the Governor acquainted with all the circumstances of the case, and received an immediate answer from his Excellency, that if the priest, from conviction, embraced the Christian religion, protection should be afforded him, and a small allowance made to preserve him from want. This letter conveyed encouragement both to the Missionary and

1

his disciple, for whose baptism at Galle preparations were immediately made.

his situa

20. Circumstances, however, soon arose to prevent Perils of the performance of the service on the spot. At tion. this time Mr. Clough received a letter, requesting him immediately to visit Mr. Squance at Columbo, who was not expected to live. On taking leave of the priest, he desired him to remain quiet until he should receive further directions from him; but in his absence the convert was exposed to considerable perils, which Mr. Clough thus described:

"I had not been absent a week before the matter was blazed abroad through the district, and came to the knowledge of the high priest, who was so alarmed by the intelligence, that he assembled fourteen of the head priests, and sent them to prevail upon him, if possible, to abandon the idea of embracing Christianity; stating, that if a priest of his rank and respectability in the religion of Budhoo forsook them, it would not only disgrace his own character, but injure the cause. He continued immoveable; and the matter spread so rapidly, that, before the fourteen left him, they were increased to fifty-seven, using every possible method to prevail upon him to continue as he was. Besides the priests, there were his family-connexions, some weeping, some scolding, and others threatening to put an end to their existence. Many Headmen of the district came to him with large presents, observing, 'If you forsake the priesthood it will ruin our religion in this country.' However, he broke through them all, and made his escape at the hazard of his life. He got from his temple in the country to the house of an European in the fort of Galle, where he met a letter from me, desiring him to go to Columbo without delay. On this occasion Lord Molesworth behaved, not only like a friend, but like a Christian who had the work of God at heart. He took him

VII.

CHAP. into his own house; and, when he came off to Columbo, gave him money sufficient to bear his own expenses, and those of the men who went with him as a guard."

His reception at Columbo.

His baptism.

21. The news of his abandonment of idolatry reached Columbo before him, and excited an interest among the Europeans of all ranks. On his arrival he met with the kindest reception from the friends of religion; and the appropriate instructions which Mr. Twistleton gave him, while they illustrated the excellence, also established the claims of the Christian religion on his approval and choice. The entreaties and remonstrances of his relatives followed him, in letters which deeply affected his feelings; but he showed no infirmity of purpose. While he loved his family with strong affection, his love to Christ enabled him to bear their reproaches, and to reject their persuasions.

"A day or two before his baptism," observes Mr. Clough, "I called upon him, and found him uncommonly cheerful and happy. I dreamed,' said he, 'last night, that my robes were covered with all kinds of filthy reptiles. I was so disgusted at the sight, that I thought I went to a river and cast them in, never to touch them again. When I awoke this morning I found myself naked, and all my robes folded up and thrown on the far side of the room. Now, thought I, God has sent this dream to show me the bad state I am in, and to confirm me in all my former resolutions; and I am only sorry that I am forced to put them on again."" He still wore the yellow garments of the Budhist priesthood, having no other raiment to put on.

22. On Christmas Day 1814 this once-distinguished priest of Budhoo was publicly admitted into the visible Church of Christ, in presence of a crowded congregation, by the ordinance of Baptism, receiving the name of Petrus Panditta Sekarras.

The service was performed in the Fort Church by the Rev. G. Bisset; Messrs. Clough and Armour were his sponsors; and the Hon. and Rev. T. J. Twistleton preached on the occasion. Thus did he give up rank, affluence, connexions, family, and all that the world holds dear, to embrace the religion of Jesus, in obedience to the dictates of conscience. From the natural influence of his character and abilities, such an example promised to be of signal use in the propagation of Christianity. The causes which led to his adoption of the Christian religion, and the probable consequences of his conversion, were noticed with much effect by Mr. Twistleton in his sermon; and they furnished a most appropriate conclusion to a discourse delivered on the anniversary of the nativity of Him who was destined to be a light to lighten the Gentiles.1

ployment.

23. This distinguished heathen possessed property His subseto a considerable amount, the whole of which he quentemlost by embracing Christianity; and his conversion would inevitably have reduced him to a state of destitution, had not his wants been supplied by his Christian friends. This, however, required great caution. To hold out pecuniary support to the Natives, as a bounty on their renouncing heathenism and embracing Christianity-the mistake which the Dutch had committed-would present a temptation to their proverbial cupidity, and give ground to suspect that their profession of the Gospel resulted, not from a conviction of its truth, but from an ambition of worldly advantages. Nevertheless, Indian converts have a fair claim to assistance, cut off as they commonly are from their former resources; and those Missionaries have acted with prudence and piety,

(') Mr. Clough drew up an authentic statement of this interesting case at the request of the Governor, who ordered it to be inserted in the Government Gazette, Dec. 28, 1814.