228

NEW CHAPEL AT NEGAPATAM.

him the burden of the public and private services, I had opportunities of observing the effects of his labours amongst various classes of the inhabitants, and rejoiced to find that he had not laboured in vain.

A new chapel erected by subscription, on land presented for the purpose by an inhabitant, was a testimony to the usefulness and acceptable nature of Mr. Mowat's ministry. I had the pleasure of opening this chapel on the 21st of November; my sermon was in Portuguese, as the chief part of the congregation were persons using that language : several of the English residents also were present to shew their approbation and afford their assistance. On the Tuesday evening following I preached in Tamul in the same place. The chapel was principally intended for evening services in Portuguese and Tamul, as the church in which the English congregation assembled was too large for frequent services, and was not convenient to be illuminated for evening worship.

I thus continued in Negapatam till the close of the year 1824.

CHAPTER XXII.

1825.

Fever at Negapatam-Journey to Madras-Controversy with Catholics-Translation of Catechisms-Salubrity of the Mission House-Musquitoes in Black TownMissionary excursions-St. Thome feast-Argument with a heathen native-Feast at Conjeveram-Dispute at Trivaloor-Instance of heathen prejudice—Mr. and Mrs. Williamson-Tamul Missionary Report-Preaching at Poonamallee-French Jesuit at KeelcheriState of the Catholics of India-Improvement at Tripassoor-New place for Tamul worship in Black Town.

In the beginning of January, 1825, Mr. Mowat's family and myself were visited by a fever which had been prevalent for several months throughout the whole of India. The attack usually commenced with severe pains in the joints and limbs; it continued only a few days, rarely proved fatal, but in many instances left effects very difficult to shake off.

Being tolerably recovered by the 8th, I commenced my journey to return to Madras, and passed the following day, being Sunday, at Tranquebar with one of the Church Missionaries then stationed there. At his request I preached in one of the churches erected by the venerable Missionaries of former days; but though pleased with the appearance and attention of the congregation, I could not conclude favourably on the state of religion among the people, when out of upwards of a thousand who profess Christianity, not more than one hundred attended public

230

WEATHER IN JANUARY-MR. MARTINS.

worship. A faithful ministry of the word of God, and a vigilant pastoral superintendence, are equally as necessary to the prosperous continuance, as to the commencement of a Mission.

The rains of the Monsoon had now ceased, and had left a delicious coolness in the earth and air, affording some respite from the burning heat which is the general character of this unenviable climate, and of which we had experienced such an undue proportion for the past two years. The Thermometer now ranged from 76° to 80° in the shade; the land was covered with the promise of harvest, trees of all descriptions had put on their new and best foliage, and the brisk and merry movements of the beasts of the field, and of "every bird of every sort," indicated that they also enjoyed the temperature of the season. January and February are the pleasantest months in the year in the South of India, during which the European hopes to gather new strength, to enable him to bear the succeeding heats.

My journey to Madras was shorter as well as pleasanter by the mildness of the season; we were only seven days in travelling one hundred and eighty miles, which however tedious it may appear to the mere English traveller, is good running for one set of palankeen bearers.

I found Mr. England in Madras still indisposed, and consequently a good deal of work awaiting me. Encouragement, however, was not wanting; several Roman Catholics began to attend our Tamul preaching who subsequently united themselves to us and became steady and useful members of our society.

The attention and opposition of the Romish church were more particularly roused about this time, by our commencing a Portuguese service in St. Thomè, in which Mr. Martins, the Franciscan friar, (mentioned page 205,) who had now lived with us twelve months, and had afforded sufficient evidence of his sincerity and conversion, took a

part. He had held some communications, whilst residing with us, with Frè Clemente, the head of his order in Madras, a very respectable and somewhat clever man. I have now one of his letters addressed to Martins, in which, after labouring to convince him of the errors into which he had fallen by embracing the Protestant faith, Clemente concludes with the following questions :

"1°. Quæro. An tua ecclesia sit antiqua vel nova? 2o. Vera Christi ecclesia aut fallibilis aut infallibilis ? 3o. Vel homines possunt salvari in ecclesia Romana vel non possunt?

4°. Ecclesia Lutherana, si fuit in mundo ante Lutherum, vel erat visibilis vel invisibilis ?

5o. Vestra ecclesia si fuit in mundo ante Lutherum, vel fuit sancta, vel non sancta?

6°. Scriptura sacra non est nata cum Luthero, sed eam accepit ab ecclesia Romana quando ab ea defecit in anno 1517. Quæro igitur hoc modo Ecclesia Romana a qua Lutherus accepit Scripturas Sacras, vel fuit tunc temporis vera vel falsa Ecclesia?"

It is not my object here to enter into the controversy, but to shew that there is some activity among the Roman Catholics of India, and that they did not part with Mr. Martins, or, as they called him, Frè Jose de Santa Anna, without an effort; and that Missionaries to that part of the world should be prepared, not only to labour amongst the heathen, but to enter into the lists and combat with some advantage against the advocates of the Romish faith.

Our schools received a regular proportion of our attention and began to revive: the means of Christian instruction afforded in them received a valuable addition by the introduction of the "Wesleyan Methodist Catechisms," of which we now received copies from England. A translation of the first Catechism was soon in the hands of our native children; the excellency and suitableness of this epitome

人

232 TRANSLATION OF CATECHISMS-MUSQUITOES.

of Christian truth, were evinced by the readiness with which the whole was understood and committed to memory by them. I found a translation of the second Catechism a work of more time; it was, however, subsequently finished and extensively used in our schools: and it was also read with great interest by our adult natives. I had not completed a translation of the third Catechism when I quitted India.

The St. Thomè school, chiefly composed of children of Catholics, was for some time in an irregular state, from the threats of the Priests against those who attended our preaching, or sent their children to the schools: after a little opposition it recovered itself, and improved considerably.

In the month of February, Mr. Crisp of the London Society, who had been dangerously ill, came with his family from another part of Madras to reside with us at our Mission House, for the benefit of the change of air: the advantage he derived was greater than could have been anticipated, and strongly evinced the salubrity of our situation, which, though low, is free from the stench of the burning grounds, where the bodies of the dead natives are consumed by fire, (the general method of disposing of the dead amongst the Hindoos,) and from the other annoyances common to crowded neighbourhoods in India, and from which few situations in the vicinity of Madras are exempt.

I

Whilst Mr. Crisp occupied my rooms in Royapettah, I made the experiment of living in Black Town, with a view to giving more attention to our societies and congregations there the object I had in view was for a time accomplished, but at a considerable expense of rest and comfort. occupied one of the rooms under the chapel in Black Town, which during the day was agreeably cool at this season: but in the evening and throughout the night, the hosts of musquitoes that filled the air and indefatigably laboured to satisfy their thirst for blood, defied all attempts at