copies among their fifty-five churches at a small price. "That indeed would give joy,' said old Abraham. There was here a murmur of satisfaction among the people. If I understand you right, said 1, the greatest blessing the English church can bestow upon you, is the bible. 'It is so' said he. 'And what is the next greatest,' said I. 'Some freedom and personal consequence as a people.' By which he meant political liberty. We are here in bondage, like Israel in Egypt.' I observed that the English nation would doubtless recognize a nation of fellow-Christians and would be happy to interest itself in their behalf, as far as our political relation with the prince of the country would permit. They wished to know what were the principles of the English government, civil and religious. I answered that our government might be said to be founded generally on the principles of the bible. 'Ah,' said old Zecharias, 'that must be a glorious government which is founded on the principles of the bible.' The priests then desired I would give them some account of the history of the English nation, and of our secession from their enemy the church of Rome. And in return, I requested they would give me some account of their history. My communications with the Syrians are rendered very easy, by means of an interpreter whom I brought with me all the way from the Tanjore country. He is a Hindoo by descent, but is an intelligent Christian, and was a pupil and catechist of the late Mr. Swartz. The rev. Mr. Kohloff recommended him to me. He formerly lived in Travancore, and is well acquainted with the vernacular tongue. He also reads and writes English very well, and is as much interested in favor of the Syrian Christians as I myself. Besides Mr. Swartz's catechist, there are two natives of Travancore here, who speak the Hindostance language, which is familiar to me. My knowledge of the Syriac is sufficient to refer to texts of

scriptures; but I do not well understand the pronunciation of the Syrians. I hope to be better acquainted with their language before I leave the country."

"Ranuiel, a Syrian church, Nov. 12th, 1806.

"This church is built upon a rocky hill, on the banks of the river; and is the most remote of all the churches in this quarter. The two kusheeshas here are Lucas and Mattai (Luke and Matthew.) The chief lay members are Abraham, Georgius, Thoma, and Philippus. Some of the priests accompany me from church to church. I have now visited eight churches, and scarcely believe sometimes that I am in the land of the Hindoos; only that I now and then see a Hindoo temple on the banks of the river. I observed that the bells of most of the churches are within the building, and not in a tower, The reason they said was this. When a Hindoo temple happens to be near a church, the Hindoos do not like the bell to sound loud, for they say it frightens their God. I perceive that the Syrian Christians assimulate much to the Hindoos in the practice of frequent ablutions for health and cleanliness, and in the use of vegetables and light food.

"I attended divine service on the Sunday. Their liturgy is that which was formerly used in the churches of the patriarch of Antioch. During the prayers, there were intervals of silence: the priest praying in a low voice, and every man praying for himself. These silent intervals add much to the solemnity and appearance of devotion. They use incense in the churches, it grows in the woods around them; and contributes much, they say, to health, and to the warmth and comfort of the church, during the cold and rainy season of the year. At the conclusion of the service, a ceremony takes place which pleased me much. The priest (or bishop, if he be present) comes forward, and all the people pass by him

as they go out, receiving his benediction individually. If any man has been guilty of any immorality he does not receive the blessing; and this, in their primitive and patriarchal state, is accounted a severe punishment. Instruction by preaching is little in use among them now. Many of the old men lamented the decay of piety and religious knowledge; and spoke with pleasure of the record of ancient times. They have some ceremonies nearly allied to those of the Greek church. Here, as in all churches in a state of decline, there is too much formality in the worship. But they have the Bible and a scriptural liturgy; and these will save a church in the worst of times. These may preserve the spark and life of religion, though the flame be out. And as there were but few copies of the Bible among the Syrians (for every copy was transcribed with the pen) it is highly probable that, if they had not enjoyed the advantage of the daily prayers, and daily portions of scripture in their liturgy, there would have been in the revolution of ages, no vestige of Christianity left among them.*

"The doctrines of the Syrian Christians are few in number, but pure, and agree in essential points with those of the church of England: so that, although the body of the church appears to be ignorant, and formal, and dead, there are individuals who are alive to righteousness, who are distinguished from the rest by their purity of life, and are sometimes censured for too rigid a piety. In every church and in many of the private houses, there are manu

In a nation like ours, overflowing with knowledge, men are not always in circumstances to perceive the value of a scriptural liturgy. When Christians are well taught, they think they want something better. But the young and the ignorant, who form a great portion of the community, are edifled by a little plain instruction frequently repeated. A small church or sect may do without a form for a while. But a national liturgy is that which preserves a relic of the true faith among the people in a large empire, when the priests have their articles and their confessions of faith. Woe to the declining church which has no gospel liturgy! Witness the presbyterians in the west of England, and some other sects, who are said to have become arians and socinians to a man. The puritans of a former age did not live long enough to see the use of an evangeliformulary.

scripts in the Syriac language: and I have been successful in procuring some old and valuable copies of the scriptures and other books, written in different ages and in different characters."

"Cande-nad, a Church of the Syrian Christians,

November 23, 1806.

"This is the residence of Mar Dionysius, the Metropolitan of the Syrian church. A great number of the priests from the other churches had assembled by desire of the bishop, before my arrival. The bishop resides in á building attached to the church. I was much struck with his first appearance. He was dressed in a vestment of dark red silk; a large golden cross hung from his neck, and his venerable beard reached below his girdle. Such, thought I, was the appearance of Chrysostom in the fourth century. On public occasions, he wears the Episcopal mitre, and a muslin robe is town over his under garment: and in his hand he bears the crosier, or pastoral staff. He is a man of highly respectable character in his church, eminent for his piety, and for the attention he devotes to his sacred functions. I found him to be far superior in general learning, to any of his clergy whom I had yet seen. He told me that all my conversations with his priests since my arrival in the country had been communicated to him. "You have come," said he, "to visit a declining church, and I am now an old man: but the hopes of its seeing better days cheer my old age, though I may not live to see them." I submitted to the bishop my wishes in regard to the translation and printing of the holy scriptures. "I have already fully considered the subject," said he, "and have determined to superintend the work myself, and to call the most. learned of my clergy to my aid. It is a work which will illuminate these dark regions and God will give it his blessing." I was much pleased when I heard this pious resolution of the venerable man; for I had

H

now ascertained that there are upwards of two hundred thousand Christians in the south of India, besides the Syrians who speak the Malabar language. The next subject of importance in my mind, was the collection of useful manuscripts in the Chaldaic and Syriac languages; and the bishop was pleased to say that he would assist my inquiries and add to my collection. He descanted with great satisfaction on the hope of seeing printed Syriac bibles from England; and said they would be "a treasure to his church."

"Cande-nad, 24th November, 1806.

"Since my coming amongst this people, I had cherished the hope that they might be one day united with the church of England. When I reflected on the immense power of the Romish church in India, and on our inability to withstand its influence, alone, it appeared to be an object of great consequence to secure the aid and co-operation of the Syrian church, and the sanction of its antiquity in the east. I thought it might be serviceable, at least, to lay such a foundation by the discussion of the subject, as our church might act upon hereafter, if she should think it expedient. I was afraid to mention the subject to the bishop at our first interview; but he himself intimated that he would be glad I would communicate freely upon it with two of his clergy. I had hitherto observed somewhat of a reserve in those with whom I had conversed on this matter: and now the cause was explained. The bishop's chaplains confessed to me that they had doubts as to the purity of English ordination. "The English," said they, "may be a warlike and great people; but their church, by your own account, is but of recent origin. Whence do you derive your ordination?" From Rome. "You derive it from a church which is our ancient enemy and with which we would never unite." They acknowledged that there might be