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land and also patronized those Roman Catholic Missionaries in the South of India whom they found qualified for conducting useful works. About the same period they exerted themselves in circulating proposals for the translation of the Scriptures into the Oriental Language, by the Baptist Missionaries in Bengal, among the English settlements in Asia, and in promoting subscriptions for that object by all the means in their power; and when it was proposed to the Governor-General (Lord Minto, then just arrived) to suppress this Mission, a memorial was addressed to the Government in its behalf.

In order to obtain a distinct view of the state of Christianity and of Superstition in Asia, the Superintendants of the College had, before this period, entered into correspondence with intelligent persons in different countries; and, from every quarter, (even from the confines of China), they received encouragement to proceed. But, as contradictory accounts were given by different writers concerning the real state of the numerous tribes in India, both of Christians and Na-· tives, the Author conceived the design of devoting the last year or two of his residence in the East to purposes of local examination and inquiry. With this view, he travelled through the Peninsula of India by land, from Calcutta to Cape Comorin, a continent extending through fourteen degrees of latitude, and visited Ceylon thrice. And he soon discovered that a person may reside all his life in Bengal, and yet know almost as little of other countries in India, for instance, of Travancore, Ceylon, Goa, or Madura, of their manners, customs, habits, and religion, as if he had never left England. The principal objects of this tour, were to investigate the state of Superstition at the most celebrated temples of the Hindoos; to examine the Churches and Libraries of the Romish, Syrian, and Protestant Christians; to ascertain the present state and recent history of the Eastern Jews; and to dis

* Of the Books published in Britain on the discussion relating to Missions and the state of India, the most sensible and authentic are, in general, those written by learned men of the Universities who have never been in the East.

cover what persons might be fit instruments for the promotion of learning in their respective countries, and for maintaining a future correspondence on the subject of disseminating the Scriptures in India. In pursuance of these objects the Author visited Cuttack, Ganjam, Visagapatam, Samulcotta, Rajamundry, Ellore, Ongole, Nellore, Madras, Mailapoor, Pondicherry, Cudalore, Tranquebar, Tanjore, Tritchinopoly, Aughoor, Madura, Palamcotta, Ramnad, Juffna-patem, Columbo, Manaar, Tutecorin, Augengo, Quilon, Cochin, Cranganor, Verapoli, Calicut, Tellicherry, Goa, and other places between Cape Comorin and Bombay; the interior of Travancore and the interior of Malabar; also seven principal Temples of the Hindoos, viz. Seemachalum in the Telinga country, Chillumbrum, Seringham, Madura, Ramisseram, Elephanta, and Juggernaut.

After this tour, the Author returned to Calcutta, where he remained about three quarters of a year longer and then visited the Jews and the Syrian Christians in Malabar and Travancore a second time before his return to England.

Those nations or communities for whom translations of the Scriptures have been commenced under the patronage or direction already alluded to, are the following the Chinese, the Hindoos, the Cingales, or Ceylonese, the Malays, the Syrian Christians, the Romish Christians, the Persians, the Arabians, and the Jews. Of these it is proposed to give some account in their order.

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CHRISTIAN RESEARCHES

&c. &c.

THE CHINESE..

IN the discussions concerning the promulgation of Christianity, some writers have confined their views intirely to India, merely, it is supposed, because India is connected, by political relation with Great Britain. India however, contains but a small part of the nations which seek the Revelation of God. The Malayan Archipelago includes more territory and a larger population than the continent of India. China is a more extensive field than either; and is, in some respects, far more important. The Romish Church has maintained a long and ineffectual contest with that empire ; because it would never give the people, " the good and perfect gift," the Bible. It further degraded the doctrine of the Cross by blending it. with Pagan rites.

The means of obtaining a version of the Scriptures in the Chinese language, occupied the minds of the superintendants of the College of Fort-William, at an early period. It appeared an object of the utmost importance to procure an erudite Professor who should undertake such a work; for, if but a single copy of the Scriptures could be introduced in China, they might be transcribed in almost every part of that immense empire. Another object in view was to introduce some knowledge of the Chinese Language among ourselves; for although the Chinese Forts on the Tibet frontier overlook the Company's territories in Bengal, there was not a person, it was said, in the Com

pany's service in India, who could read a common Chinese letter.

After a long inquiry they succeeded in procuring Mr. Joannes Lassar, an Armenian Christian, a native of China and a proficient in the Chinese Language, who had been employed by the Portuguese at Macao, in conducting their official correspondence with the Court of Pekin. He was willing to relinquish his commercial pursuits and to attach himself to the College, for a salary of 450l. a year. But as the order for reducing the establishment of the College was daily expected, this salary could not be given him. The object however was so important, and Mr. Lassar appeared to be so well qualified to execute it, that they thought fit to retain him at the above stipend in a private character. He entered immediately on the translation of the Scriptures into the Chinese Language, and this work he has continued to carry on to the present time. But, as his services might be made otherwise useful, they resolved to establish a class of youths under his tuition; and as they could not obtain the young civil servants of the Company for this purpose, they proposed to the Baptist Missionaries that Mr. Lassar should reside at Serampore, which is near Calcutta, on the following condition: that one of their elder Missionaries, and three at least of their youths, should immediately engage in the study of the Chinese Language. Dr. Carey declined the offer, but Mr. Marshman accepted it, and was joined by two sons of his own, and a son of Dr. Carey; and they have prosecuted their studies with unremitted attention for about five years.

In the year 1807, a copy of the Gospel of St. Matthew in the Chinese Language, translated by Mr. Lassar, and beautifully written by himself, was transmitted to his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury for the Lambeth Library. Since that period a considerable portion of the New-Testament has been printed off from blocks, after the Chinese manner.

The proficiency of the Chinese pupils has far surpassed the most sanguine hopes which were previously entertained, and has been already publicly noticed.

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