them, to be made by the ministers of the National Church, under the authority and regulations of an act of the Legislature."

And how many ministers of the National Church does Dr. Barrow think would engage in this undertaking? if there be a sufficient number to justify his proposal, why do they not supply the Episcopal mission on the Coast of Coromandel? The worthy successors of Schwartz have long proclaimed the harvest in India to be great, and the labourers to be few. Scarcely a Report of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge has appeared since the death of that great man, without calling out for more Missionaries.

"Mr. Gericke," says the Society, "laments the want of more assistance at Tanjore. How happy a thing, he observes, would it be if God were to furnish a faithful Missionary for the assistance of Mr. Kolhoff, and another or two for the congregations southward of Tanjore. It is delightful to see the growth of the Tanjore mission, and the southern congregations dependent on it. The inhabitants of whole villages flock to it. What a pity that there are not labourers for such a delightful harvest! At Jaffna, and all the coast of Ceylon, there is another great harvest. We have sent such of our native catechists as could be spared; but many are required for that extensive work."

Such was the report in 1803; and did any of the ministers of the National Church offer themselves for the service? I believe not; but we are told that "applications had been repeatedly made to the professors at Halle in Saxony, to furnish the Society with some new Missionaries."

The Report in 1804, among other things, gives the cheering intelligence of" the inhabitants of four villages being unanimous in their resolution of embracing the Christian faith; and of their having put away their idols, and converted their temples into Christian Churches." It is added by Mr. Gericke, "It seems that if we had faithful and discreet labourers for the vineyard of the Protestant mission on this coast, to send wherever a door is opened unto us, rapid would be the progress of the gospel."

The following is the answer which the Society was enabled to make to these solemn and impressive calls: "It is with concern

that the Society still has to report that no new suitable supplies of new Missionaries have yet been heard of, to succeed the good men who have finished their course."

If we look to the next year, 1805, we find "The Society cannot yet report that any new Missionaries have been engaged in Europe to carry on the work of promoting Christian knowledge in the East Indies, although many efforts have been used to find out suitable persons to be employed in this labour of love."

In the Report of 1806, the complaints are repeated; but no mention is yet made of any new Missionaries; and none in that of 1807, just published.

:

I do not reflect upon the English Clergy. There are many among them who, I am persuaded, would willingly engage in any service which appeared to be their duty; but who, from the purest motives, might consider themselves called to labour in another quarter. Neither do I reflect upon the Society for how can they send out Missionaries till there are Missionaries to be sent ? I only ask, how could Dr. Barrow, with these facts before his eyes, preach and write as he did? How could he purpose to take the whole work of evangelizing India into the hands of the ministers of the National Church, when that part of it which had a special claim upon them was known to be standing still, in a manner, for want of assistance ?

Let there be what excellence there may in the Established Church, (and far be it from me to wish to depreciate it,) it is not from thence exclusively that we are to look for the accomplishment of this work. To furnish a sufficient number of suitable men for so great an undertaking, is not in the power of any one denomination, established or unestablished; nor, as I suspect, of the friends of Christianity in all of them united; but if, like her that anointed the Lord's feet, we do what we can, we shall be approved.

For many ministers and members of the Established Church I feel a most sincere regard; and sorry should I be to wound their feelings. It is a circumstance that has afforded me pleasure in this otherwise disagreeable controversy, that its tendency is to unite the friends of Christianity in a common cause. If, in my remarks

on the Episcopal Mission in the East, I have seemed to interfere in concerns which do not immediately belong to me, it is because I have found it necessary, in order to repel the propositions of a writer, WHOSE AVOWED INTOLERANCE KNOWS NO LIMITS BUT THE WANT OF POWER!

Whatever this gentleman may allege in behalf of “ one uniform and general attempt, to be made by the ministers of the National Church exclusively," the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge cannot, with any consistency, second the motion. They must know that such a proposal, whatever it may appear on paper, could not be reduced to practice. And surely it is not too much to infer, that if it be right and desirable to introduce Christianity among the Hindoos, others should be allowed to take part in the work as well as they, especially as there is no desire of interfering in any of their labours. Let the Church of England do what it can. Let it send out ministers who are willing to spend and be spent in the work, and we with all our hearts shall pray for their success. From Missionaries of this description we should have no apprehensions. Such men would not wish to "exclude" those who are already employed, whether they could fully accord with them, Their language would be, Let there be no strife between us, for we are brethren! Is not the whole land before us? If you will go to the left hand, then we will take the right; or if you depart to the right hand, we will go to the left. Nay, more; their language already is, "GOD BLESS ALL MISSIONARY INSTITUTIONS! MAY THE WORK OF GOD PROSPER IN ALL THEIR HANDS!"*

or not.

For our parts, observing of late that Christianity itself was powerfully assailed, we have, in a manner, laid aside inferior objects, and made common cause with the Christian world. We have been less attentive to the things in which we differ from other Christians, than to those wherein we are agreed; and to the best of our abilities have joined with them in defending the common faith. Our zeal has not been expended in making proselytes to a party, but in turning sinners to God through Jesus Christ. It was in pur

* See the Rev. Basil Wood's Sermon, prefixed to the last Report of the Committee of the Society for Missions to Africa and the East. pp. 175-178.

suit of this object that we first engaged in Missionary undertakings. We had no interest to serve but that of Christ. It was in our hearts to do something for his Name among the heathen; and if it might be, to enlarge the boundaries of his kingdom. Such also we know (as far as men can know each other,) were the motives of our brethren, the Missionaries. And now that it hath pleased God in some measure to prosper our way, it is our humble, respectful, and most earnest entreaty . . . HINDER US NOT!

We ask not for any temporal advantage, any participation in trade, any share of power, any stations of honour, or any assistance from Government: we ask merely for permission to expend such sums of money as may be furnished by the liberality of Christians, earned chiefly by the sweat of the brow, in imparting the word of life to our fellow-subjects in Hindostan.

APPENDIX.

Extracts of a Letter from Lieutenant-Colonel SANDYS, who, after twenty-two years service in India, returned in 1804; in answer to one addressed to him since the veracity of the Missionaries has been called in question by Major Scott Waring.

"FROM my acquaintance with Messrs. Carey, Ward, Marshman, &c. before I left India, I feel a repugnance to answer the question on their veracity. I can believe that, as all men are fallible, they, in some of their impressions and relations, may have been mistaken: but as to their veracity, I do not, cannot, dare not doubt it. I can also readily conceive that a common village tumult in India may in England be considered as a very serious affair: but an English mob and an Indian mob are very different things. A Missionary may go with a small boat, thirty or forty miles to a village market, sit down, converse, and afterwards preach. Perhaps some brahman will oppose him. This introduces the Hindoo idolatry; and while he remains calm, they will become vociferous. As he proceeds to his boat, the boys may be encouraged to throw mud at him; but no personal injury follows; and the Missionary, as he is going away, may be asked by a villager when he will come again, and hold conversation with his brahman: but this is all.

"Having served at different times in various staff departments of the army, particularly in Mysore, under the Marquis Cornwallis, I had a great variety of people, of different casts, under my direction, and had full opportunity of observing their customs and

manners.

"I never heard of any thing worthy of being called a tumult or disturbance occasioned by the Missionaries while I was in India, which I think I should, if there had been any; and I do not believe