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ed much that they were destitute of the aid of a printing-press, and represented to me that the progress of christianity had been materially retarded of late years by the want of that important auxiliary. They had petitioned the society for promoting Christian knowledge to send them one. They justly observed, If you can no longer send us missionaries to preach the gospel, send us the means of printing the gospel. The Tranquebar mission and the Madras mission have both possessed printing-presses for a long period; by the means of which they have been extensively useful in distributing the scriptures and religious publications in several languages. The mission press at Tranquebar may be said to have been the fountain of all the good that was done in India during the last century. It was established by Ziegenbalg. From this press, in conjunction with that at Halle in Germany, have proceeded volumes in Arabic, Syriac, Hindostanee, Tamul, Telinga, Portuguese, Danish and English. I have in my possession the Psalms of David in the Hindostanee language, printed in the Arabic character; and the History of Christ, in Syriac, intended probably for the Syro-Romish christians on the sea-coast of Travancore, whom a Danish missionary once visited, both of which volumes were edited by the missionaries of Tranquebar. There is also in Swartz's library at Tanjore, a grammar of the Hindostanee language, in quarto, published at the same press; an important fact which was not known at the college of Fort-William, when professor Gilchrist commenced his useful labors in that language."

The Brahmins in Tanjore have procured a press, "which they dedicate (say the missionaries in their last letter) to the glory of their gods: but the missionaries, who first introduced the civilization of christianity at the Tanjore ca pital, are still without one, Printing is certainly the legitimate instrument of the Christian for the promulgation of christianity. We protestants have put it into the hands of the Brahmins, and we ought to see to it, that the teachers of our own religion are possessed of an equal advantage.

On

Tanjore, Sept. 3, 1806. "Before I left the capital of Tanjore, the rajah was pleased to honor me with a second audience. this occasion he presented to me a portrait of himself, a very striking likeness, painted by an Hindoo artist at the Tanjore court.* The missionary, Dr. John, accompanied me to the palace. The rajah received him with much kindness, and presented to him a piece of gold cloth. Of the resident missionary Mr. Kohloff, whom the rajah sees frequently, he spoke to me in terms of high approbation. This cannot be very agreeable to the Brahmins; but the rajah, though he yet professes the Brahminical religion, is no longer obedient to the dictates of the Brahmins, and they are compelled to admit his superior attainments in knowledge. I passed the chief part of this morning in looking over Mr. Swartz's manuscripts and books: and when I was coming away Mr. Kohloff presented to me a Hebrew psalter, which had been Mr. Swartz's companion for fifty years; also a brass lamp which he had got first when a student at the college of Halle, and had used in his lucubrations to the time of his death; for Mr. Swartz seldom preached to the natives without previous study. I thought I saw the image of Swartz in his successor. Mr.Kohloff is a man of great simplicity of manners, of meek deportment, and of ardent zeal in the cause of revealed religion, and of humanity. He walked with me through the Christian village close to his house; and I was much pleased to see the affectionate respect of the people towards him; the young people of both sexes coming forward from the doors on both sides, to salute him and receive his benediction."

It is now placed in the public library of the University of Cambridge. That I may give to those who are interested in the promotion of christianity in the east, a more just view of the character of Swartz's successor, the rev. Mr. Kohloff, I shall subjoin an extract of a letter which I have since received from the rev. Mr. Horst. "TANJÖRE, Sept. 24, 1807. The rev. Mr. Kohloff is sometimes rather weak, on account of so many and

"September 4, 1806.

"Leaving Tanjore, I passed through the woods inhabited by the collaries (or thieves) now humanized by christianity. When they understood who I was, they followed me on the road, stating their destitute condition, in regard to religious instruction. They were clamorous for bibles. They supplicated for teachers. "We don't want bread or money from you, said they; but we want the word of God.'Now, thought I, whose duty is it to attend to the moral wants of this people? Is it that of the English nation, or of some other nation?"

"Tritchinopoly, Sept. 5.

"The first church built by Swartz is at this place. It is called Christ's church, and is a large building, capable of containing perhaps two hundred people.* The aged missionary, the rev. Mr. Pohle, presides over this church, and over the native congregations at this place. Christianity flourishes; but I found that here, as at other places, there is a 'famine of bibles.' The jubilee was celebrated on the 9th of July, being the hundredth year from the arrival of the messengers of the gospel. On this occasion their

various cares that assail him without ceasing. He provides for the wants of this and the southern missions (Tritchinopoly excepted) by disbursing annually upwards of 1000 pagodas (about £.250 sterl.) out of his private purse, partly to make up the difference between the income and expenditure of this and the southern mission (of which I annex an abstract) and the rest in assisting the deserving poor, without regard to religion; and for various pious uses. To him, as arbitra tor and father, apply all Christians that are at variance, disturbed from without or from within, out of service or distressed; for most of our Christians will do any thing rather than go to law.

"All these heterogenous, but, to a missionary at Tanjore, unavoidable avocations, joined to the ordinary duties of his station, exercise his mind early and late; and if he is not of a robust constitution, will undermine his health at last. Happily, several neighboring churches and new congregations, belonging to the mission of Tanjore, afford Mr. Kohloff frequent opportunities to relax his mind, and to recruit his health and spirits, by making occasional short excursions to see these new Christians, who were professed thieves only a few years ago, and many of them are now an honor to the Christian profession, and industrious peasants. It is pleasing to behold the anxiety with which a great number of our Christian children inquire at such times when their father will return; and how they run several miles to meet him with shouts and clapping of hands, and hymns of thanks to God, as soon as they discern his palankeen at a distance.” * Probably an error of the Press for 2000.-Amer. Ed,

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venerable pastor preached from Matt. xxviii, 19; 'Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.' At this station, there are about a thousand English troops. Mr. Pohle being a German, does not speak English very well; but he is reverenced for his piety by the English; and both officers and men are glad to hear the religion of their country preached in any way. On the Sunday morning, I preached in Christ's church to a full assembly, from these words, 'For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to woship him.' Indeed what I had seen in these provinces rendered this text the most appropriate I could select. Next day some of the English soldiers came to me, desiring to know how they might procure bibles. It is a delightful thing, said one of them, to hear our own religion preached by our own countryman.' I am informed that there are at this time above twenty English regiments in India, and that not one of them has a chaplain. The men live without religion, and then they bury each other. O England, England, it is not for thine own goodness that Providence giveth thee the treasures of India!

"I proceed hence to visit the Christian churches in the provinces of Madura, and Tinavelly."

The friends of christianity in India have had it in their power to afford some aid to the Christian churches in Tanjore. On the 1st of January of the present year (1810,) the rev. Mr. Brown preached. a sermon at Calcutta, in which he represented the petition of the Hindoos for bibles. A plain statement of the fact was sufficient to open the hearts of the public. A subscription was immediately set on foot, and lieut. general Hewitt, commander in chief, then deputy governor in Bengal, subscribed .250.. The chief officers of government, and the principal inhabitants of Calcutta, raised the subscription, in a few days, to the sum of £.1000 sterling. Instruc

tions were sent to Mr. Kohloff, to buy up all the copies of the Tamul scriptures; to distribute them at small price amongst the natives, and to order a new edition to be printed off without loss of time.*

VERSIONS Of the scriptures
FOR THE HINDOOS.

Having now seen what the Hindoos are in their state of idolatry, as at Juggernaut, and in Bengal; and what they may become under the influence of christianity, as at Tranquebar, Tritchinopoly, and Tanjore; it remains, to give some account of the translation of the scriptures into the languages of the Hindoos.

There are five principal languages spoken by Hindoos in countries subject to the British empire. These are, the Hindostanee, which pervades Hindostan generally; and the four languages of the four great provinces, viz. the Bengalee, for the province of Bengal; the Telinga, for the northern Sircars; the Tamul, for Coromandel, and the Carnatic; and the Malayalim, or Malabar, for the coast of Malabar and Travancore.

Of these five languages, there are two into which the scriptures are already translated; the Tamul, by the Danish missionaries in the last century; and the Bengalee, by the Baptist missionaries from England. The remaining three languages are in progress of translation; the Hindostanee, by the reverend Henry

The chief names in this subscription, besides that of gen. Hewitt, were Sir John Royds, Sir W. Borroughs, John Lumsden, esq George Udney, esq. J. H. Harrington, esq. Sir John D'Oyley, colonel Carey, John Thornhill, esq. R. C.. Plowden, esq. Tho's Hayes, esq. W. Egerton, esq. &c. &c.

Thus, while we are disputing in England whether the bible ought to be given to the Hindoos, the deputy governor in Bengal, the members of the supreme council, and of the supreme court of judicature, and the chief officers of the government, after perusing the information concerning the state of India sent from this country, are satisfied that it is an important duty, and a Christian oblgation

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