CHRISTIAN OBSERVER. No. 107.] NOVEMBER, 1810. [No. 11. Vol. IX. RELIGIOUS COMMUNICATIONS. EXTRACTS FROM THE CORRESPONDENCE OF THE FIRST PROTESTANT MISSIONARIES TO INDIA. (Continued from p. 596.) IN N the last number you inserted several passages, taken from the preface to the first accounts which were published under the sanction of the Bartlett's Buildings' Society, of the protestant missions in India. I shall now proceed to lay before your readers some extracts from the accounts themselves. The first letter contained in this volume is from James Finck, who was sent out as a printer from England to India. It is dated from Rio Janeiro, October 20, 1711. "Hitherto," says this pious missionary," the Lord hath helped us, and delivered us out of many visible dangers, when human wit and reason seemed to be put to a nonplus. Under these circumstances, a man hath a daily opportunity for improving himself in prayer, patience, resignation, and particularly in a hearty reliance upon the power and goodness of God, whose help then generally begins, when human support is at a stand. As for those trials in particular, that happened within the ship itself, I must previously acquaint you, that our ves sel was unfortunately crowded with abundance of profane and disorderly people. The character of the generality of my fellow-travellers is drawn up at large, Psal. lxxiii.; which Psalm, as it hath often af forded me matter of meditation, so it hath left the deeper impression on my mind, after I have seen the dreadful disaster which befel those CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 107. men who did but a little before boast of their sins, and did not hide them. As for Governor Collett, I must needs say, that from the very first hour of my being admitted into his acquaintance, he hath expressed to me much kindness, and a readiness to favour the design in which I am engaged. "Two days after our arrival here, he invited me to accompany him into the town, which I readily did, but desired him withal, that I might not go as a bare passenger, but as one of his domestics or officers. This he complied with: and I found afterwards, that such a caution was very necessary, in a place over-run with gross idolatry and superstition. Besides this, you must know that the Inquisition is (as in the other Portuguese territories,) so very flagrant in Brazil, that one can't take sufficient precaution amongst a people so much enslaved by the authority of Rome. At our arrival here, near a hundred persons were just embarking for Portugal, in order to be tried there at the Holy Office.* They were suspected of favouring Judaism. "The negro slaves, making up in number near eight thousand souls, are in a pitiful condition. All the evidence they have of their reception into the Christian Church, amounts to no more than the knowledge they have of their being sprinkled with water, together with the PaterNoster, which they are taught to rehearse. Besides this, they have To the honour of our government, it is stipulated, in the last treaty, that the Inquisition shall have no farther power in the Brazils. 4 P mages of some of their saints, as for instance, that of St. Francis, or St. Anthony, &c. hanging about their neck, as a badge of the Christian religion." While Mr. Finck continued in Rio Janeiro, a French squadron arrived there, besieged and took the town, and captured all the ships in the barbour, and among the rest that in which he sailed." "I was no sooner fixed," he observes, " on board one of the French ships of war, but I took a survey of what things I had left of the goods I was provided with at my departure from England, the whole of which now consisted in the following pieces: one coat, one shirt, one cravat, one Bible, and one copy of Arndt his True Christianity in Latin. Besides this, I had the unwelcome news told me, that we were altogether ordered to Martinico, before we must so much as think of our going to France. These, and a great many other dismal accidents, together with the melancholy consideration of what I had suffered already, and what I was still to suffer, ruffled me with various doubts and perplexities. When I endeavoured to dispose my mind to a liking of, and submitting to, Divine Providence, I found myself altogether uncapable to fathom the appointments which now surrounded me; the Devil, you know, never failing to improve outward afflictions to his own advantage, by tempting the soul to unbelief, mistrust, and other black and sinister thoughts about the dispensations of an over-ruling Providence. One time I thought, shall now that work be destroyed in its infancy, which hath been attended with so many favourable marks of Providence; and shall those goods and charitable supplies, to which so many well-disposed souls in England have contributed, to support thereby the poor Heathen converted to Christianity, be left in the hands of men, who will employ them to quite other ends and purposes? Such and the like thoughts did rise within me, when I considered the Things, however, turned out far more favourably than he could have expected. The ship was ransomed, and suffered to proceed on its voyage, and Mr. Finck permitted to resume his place on board. The printing-press", types, letters, paper, books, &c. were restored to him, excepting a number of copies of St. Matthew's Gospel in Portuguese, which had been dispersed by the French among the people of Rio Janeiro. "And now,” adds this pious missionary, "let every one that is but a A printing-press, with all its utensils, and a fount of types, commonly called Pica, were sent in this ship to the missionaries, by the direction of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge. 1 little acquainted with the steps of Divine Providence judge, whether the finger of God be not visibly seen in all these transactions? For my part, I cannot but confess, that I find myself more convinced than I am able to express, that the Lord is still with the design, and that he will bring to a happy conclusion a work, which hitherto hath met with so many fierce obstructions from the common enemy of souls, that so his glory may be raised in the midst of our weakness." The next letter in the collection is dated from Tranquebar, September 23, 1712, is signed by Ziegenbalgh and Grundler, and is addressed to Mr. Henry Newman, whom I apprehend to have been the Secretary of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, although in this I may be mistaken, as I do not find him any where styled Secretary. He appears nevertheless to have been the ordinary medium of communication between the Society and the Missionaries. They thus address that gentleman: "We have greatly rejoiced at the Christian care and charity wherewith you are affected towards the mission in India. We assure you hereby of our hearty gratitude for your labour of love: may the Lord be pleased not only to keep constantly open such hearts as he, in love, hath once inclined to this work, but stir up also more such souls, as by all possible means may support the propagation of the Gospel of Christ in India! "It hath, indeed, proved a powerful motive to us to praise the Lord, when we read, in the two letters sent us by the Honourable Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, what considerable steps had been taken, both in Great Britain and the West Indies, towards magnifying and exalting the Lord Jesus in the souls of men. Truly those that are children of God cannot but relish such heavenly works. To this is to be added, that the said Society, by the providence and in fluence of the Lord, have now begun these two years past to concern themselves also about our heathenish East India, and to contrive ways and means, whereby the light of life may be conveyed to these dark regions, to enlighten the hearts of men: particularly, that they are pleased to assist us, the most unworthy servants of God among the Heathen, with good advice and seasonable contributions: by all this, we have been the more excited to praise and extol the name of the Lord with our congregations gathered in these parts. "We send here a letter to the Honourable Society, with some additional papers joined thereto, and we heartily wish with them, that by such a correspondence once established, the work of God may be powerfully promoted among the Pagans. We shall think it no small satisfaction to give you a continued account of the progress of this undertaking, as often as possibly we can, either by English or other ships. We freely own, that God hath filled our hearts with a fervent desire to labour after the salvation of the Heathen in these countries, and his mercy hath signally attended us hitherto. Aad although the obstruction we have met with, doth still continue to hinder us from making any considerable progress in a work, the possibility of which we are fully convinced of; yet we know also, that though the Lord seems to tarry with his help, he will certainly come in his time, and not tarry. shall then go on with the greater readiness, after our labour, by various tribulations, hath been tried and refined from the adhering dross of corruption. By such trials, the work of converting the Heathen is raised on a firm and strong foundation, and it is hoped, will grow up at last to that strength, that the gates of hell' shall not prevail against it. We "About the delivery of the press and paper, several difficulties have been started at Madras, which, how ever, have at length been so far reremoved, that now we are in possession of it. We are now busy about fixing the press in our house, and are in hopes that we shall be able to print a few sheets within three months, by way of a specimen, in order to send some copies for a satisfaction to our benefactors, either by such English ships as are now ready to sail, or by those that depart in January next from Madras. And truly, as our benefactors in England are the first that have found ways to convey to us a press, and thereby to disperse the word of God on this heathenish coast; so they have the greater reason to rejoice at it, particularly, because they have a share in all the future blessings which are like to spring up among the Heathen by this means. In the mean time we hope that you will take care to see the ransom paid for it again. The seven chests with things sent us by the last ships, have, by the industrious Captain Martin, been safely delivered to us." The third letter is of the same date, and from the same persons, as the last; and is addressed to the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge. It bears a pleasing testimony to the active zeal of that Society, and will be found to contain much that is important. "Rev. and Hon. Sirs, "With hands lifted up to the Lord, we do from the bottom of our hearts render most humble thanks to that great and good God, who by his heavenly call hath excited you, worthy gentlemen, to concern yourselves about promoting the knowledge of Christ, not only in Europe and the Western parts, but also in the distant East Indies, and thereby to rescue such souls as are lost in the idolatry of the Heathen the blessed effect where of will be, that after the clouds of superstition and darkness are chased away, the serene light of the Gospel of Christ will the more freely shine in upon them. Your last let ters gave us a large and undoubted hope of a great harvest to come among the Eastern Indians, and also encouraged us to possess our souls in patience under all the adversities we were like to encounter. "We were exceedingly rejoiced in reading your letters, and in understanding thereby : "1. That Mr. Finck was sent to help us in carrying on the work of the Lord. "2. That he was furnished, at the expense of our friends, with a press and a set of types. "3. That he had a sum of money to carry with him, designed to promote our labour among the Heathen in India. "4. That he was provided with books and other necessaries, for supporting the design. For this liberal help and assistance, we return to the most benign God, and to you our friends and patrons, most humble and hearty thanks, beseeching the Lord that his spiritual riches, with every heavenly benediction, may be plentifully returned into your bosom, and upon all those that are benefactors to so Christian an undertaking. "But then we were not a little afflicted at the death of Mr. Finck, and at the loss of other things that attended it. We immediately wrote to Mr. Lewis at Madras, to be better informed of what had happened; and having been acquainted, that both the press and the types provided at so great an expense of our friends, had been happily preserved; it was agreed that one of us should take a journey to Fort St. George, there to receive such things as were designed for our use. This being now successfully performed, we entreat you, most worthy Sirs, that you would be pleased to take care, that sufficient satisfaction be made to the Gentleman who hath so generously redeemed the press out of the enemy's hands. May God gra ciously grant, that the truths of Christianity, to be printed by this means on paper, may be also daily impressed by his Holy Spirit on the minds of such Pagans and Infidels as shall happen to read them! Thus the true end will be obtained which the benefactors did piously intend. We found also two lesser chests (though opened) with books on several subjects. But of Mr. Finck's equipage, of the copies of St. Matthew's Gospel in the Portuguese language, and of other presents committed to the ship, we have not been able to recover any thing. The two bills of exchange, sent by two ladies to promote our design among the Heathen, were presented to Governor Harrison and Mr. Cook; the former being valued at 22 Pagodes, 8 Fanos, and the latter at 55 Pagodes, 20 Fanos. These benefactions proved a seasonable relief under our pressing necessities. May Christ refresh the souls of those ladies abundantly with his goodness, as they have refreshed the lambs of Christ with their charitable contributions ! "During the stay of the said Missionary at Madras, 5 ships very opportunely arrived from England, and brought with them your last most acceptable letters, with seven chests of goods. The press, one hundred ream of paper, and books, have been conveyed to Tranquebar. The 213 copies of the New Testament in the Portuguese tongue, are used in our Portuguese Church and Schools to very good purpose. The mathematical instruments and other materials, we accept with a most thankful mind, and shall apply them as much as we can, to the use for which they are designed. "You have also been pleased, Reverend Gentlemen, to choose us, though undeservedly, into the number of corresponding members of your worthy Society, with a confident hope, that by a mutual intercourse of letters, by Christian advice, and united labours, the work of God may be every day farther extended in the Heathen world. You wish that those pious propo sals and instructions contained in the books and papers you are pleased to send us, be rendered practicable, as far as it may be convenient in this distant country. You also earnestly desire that our friendship, begun with the clergy of the English nation, for propagating the Gospel in the East, may be constantly improved, and that by mutual help and advice we may comfort each other in the several works we are engaged in: And as you know that nothing is more encouraging for the whole design, than the frequent consideration of the example set us by the Christians in the first ages of the Gospel; so you lay their life and conduct before us, exhorting us, that, by looking on them, we may preach the truths of Christianity as they did, viz. not only in words, but in deeds, in life and in. manners, according to the saying of one of old: The man whose life is All lightning, his words must needs be thunder. Upon the whole, you wish that by the energy of a divine faith, the suggestions of our own depraved reason, apt to despond under trials and adversities, may be happily overcome, together with all such obstacles as the common enemy of souls, by his instruments, hath hitherto thrown in our way. these and other exhortations contained in your letters, and suggested to us with a paternal affection, we receive with a filial awe and regard; and as with you, so with us, nothing is more desired, than that we may go forth as chosen vessels, by which the quickening power of God may be most effectually displayedin these parts, and the work of salvation, begun among the Heathen be happily accomplished at last. At present we have five schools for boys and girls, viz. three Malabarick, one Portuguese, and one Danish, containing seventy children. "In the Malabarick church there were baptised last year eight persons, young and old; and the number of members incorporated into |