brate any other Christian office. The two British armies in Hindostan, and in the Dekhan, lately in the field, had not one chaplain.

5. The want of an ecclesiastical establishment has produced a system, not only of extreme irregularity in the discipline of our church, but of positive offence against Christian institution. Marriages, burials, and sometimes baptisms, by the civil magistrate or by a military officer, are not only performed, but are in a manner sanctioned by a precedent of thirty years.

6. And as to the state of religion among the people who have no divine service, it is such as might be expected. After a residence for some years at a station where there is no visible church, and where the superstitions of the natives are constantly visible, all respect for Christian institutions wears away; and the Christian Sabbath is no otherwise distinguished than by the display of the British flag.

7. Were we, on the other hand, to state particularly the regard paid by our countrymen to Christian instruction, wherever it is regularly afforded, it would be an additional argument for granting the means off affording it. Wherever the Christian minister solicits attention, he finds an audience. In whatever part of British India he is stationed, there will be a disposition to respect the religion of early life, when its public ordinances shall have been revived.

CHAPTER II.

Of the establishment of the Romish Cuurch in the East.

There are three archbishops and seventeen bishops of the Romish church established in the east. The natives naturally suppose that no such dignity be

longs to the English church. In Bengal alone there are eight Romish churches, four Armenian churches, and two Greek churches. In confirmation of this statement, we shall subjoin an authentic report of the Roman catholic establishments, which has been transmitted by the archbishop of Goa.

Establishment of the Roman Catholic church in the east.

[The Danish missionaries, Bartholomew Ziegenbalgius and John Ernest Grundler, in a letter to the Society in England for promoting Christian knowiedge, dated "Tranquebar, January 9, 1713," observes, "The Roman missiona ries themselves confessed to us at Madras, that their congregation in that place consisted of twelve thousand members."-Amer. Ed.)

+ See paper by him in Asiatie Researches, Vol. II. R

One archbishop and three bishops at Manilla, and the Pilippine islands

Presented by the King of

Spain.

Presented by

Bishop of Pondicherry--Vacant. the late king of

1. The above establishments are at present full with the exception of the Bishopric of Pondicherry, which was formerly presented by the king of France; and it is stated that the revenues are the same granted at the first endowment, with some exceptions of increase.

2. On a view of the ancient and respectable esablishment of the Romish church, we naturally de

sire to know its present character, and whether it can boast of a religious or civilizing efficiency.

The Romish church in India 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 it is agreeable to Asiatic principle to reverence religious institutions. The revenues are in general small, as is the case in the Roman Catholic countries at home; but the priests live every where in respectable or decent circumstances. Divine service is regularly performed, and the churches are generally 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 still subject to the observation and counsel of religious characters, whom they are taught to reverence.

3. Besides the regular churches there are numerous Romish missions established throughout Asia. But the zeal of conversion has not been 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.

4. 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 generous principles of the protestant religion, it has dispelled much of the darkness of paganism.

CHAPTER III.

Of the extent of the proposed Ecclesiastical Establishment for British India.

A regular ecclesiastical establishment for British India may be organized without difficulty. Two bishops might suffice, if India were less remote from Britain: but the inconvenience resulting from sudden demise, and from the long interval of succession from England, renders it necessary that there should be three or more men of episcopal dignity; an archbishop and metropolitan of India, to preside at the seat of the supreme government in Bengal; and one bishop at each of the two subordinate presidencies, at Madras and Bombay. These three dioceses should embrace respectviely all our continental possessions in the east. To these must be added a bishopric for Ceylon, to comprehend all the adjacent islands, and also New Holland and the islands in the Pacific Ocean. The number of rectors and curates in each diocese must be regulated by the number of military stations, and of towns and islands containing European inhabitants: with an especial attention to this circumstance, that provision may be made for keeping the establishment full, without constant reference to England. The necessity of such provision will be illustrated by the following fact: In Bengal and the adjacent provinces there is at present an establishment of six military chaplains; but that number is sometimes reduced one half. When a chaplain dies or goes home, his successor does not arrive, in most cases, till two years afterwards.