AGED FRENCH PRIEST.

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a Frenchman, whose name is Austrey, welcomed me kindly and gave me a good deal of his company. Being the only European residing in the neighbourhood, he seemed to have conformed himself in a good measure to the native mode of living. His dress was only a shirt of coarse calico and a pair of loose drawers of the same; a rude staff assisted him in walking; a slight ailment in one of his legs rendering its support necessary; otherwise he was a strong, hale man, though seventy-eight years of age. His residence was a square of the verandah of the chapel, only large enough to contain his chair, table, and couch; his library consisted of a Latin Vulgate and a few volumes of Cicero: he conversed in Latin with fluency and ease, and was very communicative.

He told me he had left France in 1788, and, referring to the revolution, he said he thought it attributable to the assistance and countenance afforded by Louis to the American Colonies in their struggles to throw off the British yoke. During his residence in India, he had made many converts; he had now under his care three thousand souls, scattered through about twenty villages, among which his colleague was itinerating. I asked if he was acquainted with the Abbe Dubois; Oh yes, he replied, he knew him exceedingly well, they had been colleagues many years: he had neither seen nor heard of the publication of the Abbe's letters on Christianity in India; and when I told him of the character the Abbe gave to the Hindoo Roman Catholics, he said it was not correct of them all. When I inquired if he belonged to the order of Jesuits, which I had reason to believe he did, he replied "Societas Jesu extincta est.” I referred to the smallness of his habitation and the absence of many comforts, but he said "Satis est, satis est." In him I found a realization of what I had often fancied might be the character and state of many of those talented men, who, when they were driven from Europe, with a zeal

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IGNORANCE OF ROMAN CATHOLICS.

worthy of a better cause, penetrated into the interior of countries then very partially known, and raised from amongst the heathen population a cause and an influence in some measure compensating for what they had lost in Europe.

The proficiency in religious knowledge he required in his people, did not extend beyond the creed and catechism; with regard to every thing else, they were taught to say that they believed as the Holy Roman Catholic Church believes. It was no wonder then, that when I conversed with some of his people, among whom was a catechist and others employed as assistant teachers, I found them ignorant of the essential doctrines of Christianity; they listened, however, with candour and attention to my statements concerning justification by faith in Christ, and the influences of the blessed Spirit of God, on both which subjects they seemed to have been in profound ignorance. Such, there is reason to apprehend, is the state of the great majority of the Roman Catholics of India. With little knowledge, much of superstition and ceremony, and an absence of all that is vital and sanctifying, it cannot be expected that their moral or religious character should stand higher than that of their heathen neighbours; nor is it a matter of surprise, that the difficulties in the way of Protestant Missionaries should have been considerably increased by the unworthy associations thus connected with the name of Christianity amongst the Hindoos.

My host got very warm on the subject of the Reformation and Protestantism; he wondered at the presumption of men in rejecting doctrines which had been received by the church for ages, and confirmed by such a host of saints and learned men, and became angry when I told him that the heathen priests had just the same arguments in their favour. However, we parted friends and with mutual expressions of good will.

Setting out before sunset, I could not but admire the situation chosen by the priest for his church and place of residence: it is a high spot, in the midst of a fertile country, commanding a pure free air, and an extensive view. Were similar judgment exercised by Europeans in general in the choice of their residences, it is probable they would more frequently enjoy a robust health similar to that of my aged friend.

The 30th, I passed at Tripassoor, and was led to contrast the present state of the place with its religious condition when I first visited it. It was then unnoticed and hardly known even by name to the Missionaries of Madras. A feeling of compassion for the religious destitution of such a number of our fellow countrymen as are pensioned here, and the probability of being serviceable to their native wives and their rising families, appeared now to have roused the zeal and attention of the Missionaries of different societies. Those of the Church had frequently visited them and assisted in their school; those of the London Society had given them some attention and formed a religious society of some of the more serious and steady amongst them. At every visit I thought I discovered improvement, but at none more than this, when the gratitude of some of the people seemed to have no bounds.

On the 18th of December, I opened another place for Tamul preaching in the centre of Black Town, in Madras. It was only a temporary erection of bamboos and palmyra leaves; but being in a populous neighbourhood and near a crowded market, it was calculated to afford opportunities of addressing multitudes, to whom we otherwise should have had no access. The result proved that we had not miscalculated in this respect: the shed itself, for it was little better, would accommodate one hundred and fifty persons; we calculated there were as many in it at its first opening; and the open front and side were generally crowded by heathens

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or others, whose prejudices and fears would not permit them to enter a place dedicated to Christian worship.

This place continued to be useful as a school and preaching house till the middle of 1828, when, from its frail construction, having been a second time blown down by a hurricane, as we had not the means of constructing it more durably, we removed the services to the old chapel on the Mission premises. It is still, however, a desirable object with me to see a place for Christian worship of a more permanent character in the neighbourhood referred to, and I have hopes that the generosity of my liberal and zealous friends will enable me to accomplish it on my return to Madras.

CHAPTER XXIII.

1826.

Sir T. Munro-Native Congregation-Missionary excursion-Mahommedan and Hindoo-Chingleput―Two inquirers at Conjeveram-Chittoor-CongregationsFemale School-Return to Madras-Bishop HeberDeath of Mrs. Williamson - Departure of Mr. Williamson.

IN January, 1826, we held our District Meeting in Madras for the first time, and took the opportunity of all the brethren being assembled, to wait on the Governor, Sir Thomas Munro. Our visit appeared to interest and gratify

MAHOMMEDAN.

HINDOO.

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him; he inquired into our operations and successes, and dismissed us with assurances of the full protection of government, and his own good wishes for the success of our labours.

My engagements were now chiefly among the natives, and I had the pleasure of seeing considerable improvement both in the schools and congregations: still, however, it was seed-time rather than harvest; a time of scattering abroad the means of knowledge and happiness, more than of gathering many souls into the church. The congregations, especially in the bungalow mentioned in the last chapter, were considerably increased; many hundreds of heathens of all classes, there heard the word of God read and explained, and some of out own people were roused into increased activity by observing the interest and inquiry thus excited amongst them.

In February, I again left Madras for an excursion among the natives in the interior. On the 22nd, I passed the day under a tree on the banks of a large tank, where I was visited by several persons who listened to my conversations. Among other applicants for tracts was a Mahommedan religious mendicant, or Fakeer, who appeared in some measure convinced of the truth; he said he would translate the tract I gave him into Persian, and inquired where I lived with a view to visiting me at some future time.

The person who had charge of one of the temples in the neighbourhood, presented himself before me, his body disgustingly daubed over with holy ashes; in his hands he held a metal dish filled with the same substance, into which he desired me to throw an alms for the temple. I told him that I did not believe the idol of the temple to be God, and that as its worship was hateful to Him, I should be doing wrong if I complied with his request; he appeared satisfied with my reasons, but rejoined, that gentlemen generally gave something. It is not an uncommon thing for Europeans,