"We return you thanks for these accounts, and it will be "acceptable to us, if you continue to communicate whatever "shall occur in the progress of your mission.

"In the mean time we pray you may enjoy strength of body "and mind for the long continuance of your labours in this "good work, to the glory of God, and the promotion of "Christianity among the heathens; that its perpetuity may not fail in generations to come.'

"Given at our Palace at St. James's, "the 23d February, 1727, in the "13th Year of our Reign.

"GEORGE R."

13. The English nation will receive these letters (now sent back in the name of the Hindoos) with that reverence and affectionate regard, which are due to the memory of the royal author, considering them as a memorial of the nation's past concern for the welfare of the natives, and as a pledge of our future care.

Providence hath been pleased to grant the prayer of the King," that the work might not fail in generations to come." After the first missionary Ziegenbalgius had finished his course, he was succeeded by other learned and zealous men; and lastly, by the apostle of the East, the venerable Swartz, who, during the period of half a century, has fulfilled a laborious ministry among the natives of different provinces, and illuminated many a dark region with the light of the Gospel.

14. The pious exertions of the King for the diffusion of religious blessings among the natives of India, seem to have been rewarded by heaven in temporal blessings to his own subjects in their intercourse with the East; by leading them onward in a continued course of prosperity and glory, and by granting to them at length the entire dominion of the peninsula of India.

15. But these royal epistles are not the only evangelic documents of high authority in the hands of the Hindoos. They are in possession of letters written by the Archbishop of Canterbury, of the same reign;t who supported the interests of the mission with unexampled liberality, affection, and zeal. These letters, which are many in number, are all written in the Latin language. The following is a translation of his grace's first letter; which appears to have been written by him as president of the "Society for promoting Christian Knowledge."

Niecampius, page 284. + Archbishop Wake.

From 1749 to 1800.

"To Bartholomew Ziegenbalgius and John Ernest Grundlerus, "Preachers of the Christian Faith, on the coast of Coroman"del.

"As often as I behold your letters, reverend brethren, ad"dressed to the venerable Society instituted for the promotion "of the Gospel, whose chief honour and ornament ye are; "and as often as I contemplate the light of the Gospel either" "now first rising on the Indian nations, or after the intermis"sion of some ages again revived, and as it were restored to "its inheritance; I am constrained to magnify that singular (6 goodness of God in visiting nations so remote; and to ac"count you, my brethren, highly honoured, whose ministry it "hath pleased Him to employ, in this pious work, to the glory "of His name and the salvation of so many millions of souls." “Let others indulge in a ministry, if not idle, certainly less "laborious, among Christians at home. Let them enjoy in "the bosom of the church, titles and honours, obtained with"out labour and without danger. Your praise it will be (a "praise of endless duration on earth, and followed by a just "recompense in heaven) to have laboured in the vineyard "which yourselves have planted; to have declared the name "of Christ, where it was not known before; and through "much peril and difficulty to have converted to the faith those, ་ among whom ye afterwards fulfilled your ministry. Your "province therefore, brethren, your office, I place before all "dignities in the church. Let others be pontiffs, patriarchs, "or popes; let them glitter in purple, in scarlet, or in gold; "let them seek the admiration of the wondering multitude, "and receive obeisance on the bended knee. Ye have acquir❝ed a better name than they, and a more sacred fame. "when that day shall arrive when the chief Shepherd shall "give to every man according to his work, a greater reward "shall be adjudged to you. Admitted into the glorious society of the Prophets, Evangelists, and Apostles, ye, with "them shall shine, like the sun among the lesser stars, in the "kingdom of your Father, forever.

And

"Since then so great honour is now given unto you by all "competent judges on earth, and since so great a reward is "laid up for you in heaven; go forth with alacrity to that "work, to the which the Holy Ghost hath called you. God "hath already given to you an illustrious pledge of his favour, "an increase not to be expected without the aid of his grace. "Ye have begun happily, proced with spirit. He, who hath "carried you safely through the dangers of the seas to such a "remote country, and who hath given you favour in the eyes "of those whose countenance ye most desired; He who hath

"so liberally and unexpectedly ministered unto your wants, " and who doth now daily add members to your church; He "will continue to prosper your endeavours, and will subdue "unto himself, by your means, the whole continent of Oriental "India.

"O happy men! who, standing before the tribunal of "Christ, shall exhibit so many nations converted to his faith "by your preaching; happy men! to whom it shall be given to say before the assembly of the whole human race, 'Behold "us, O Lord, and the children whom thou hast given us ;' happy men! who, being justified by the Saviour, shall receive "in that day the reward of your labours, and also shall hear "that glorious encomium; Well done, good and faithful "servants, enter ye into the joy of your Lord.'

"May Almighty God graciously favour you and your la "bours in all things. May he send to your aid fellow-la"bourers, such and so many as ye wish. May he increase "the bounds of your churches. May he open the hearts of "those to whom ye preach the Gospel of Christ; that hearing you, they may receive life-giving faith. May he protect "you and yours from all evils and dangers. And when ye "arrive (may it be late) at the end of your course, may the same God, who hath called you to this work of the Gospel " and hath preserved you in it, grant to you the reward of your labour,-an incorruptible crown of glory.* "These are the fervent wishes and prayers of,

66

Venerable brethren,

"Your most faithful fellow servant in Christ,

"From our Palace at Lam-2 "beth, January, A. D. 1719. S

"GULIELMUS CANT."

Such was the primary archiepiscopal charge to the Protestant missionaries, who came to India for the conversion of the heathen. Where shall we look, in these days, for a more perfect model of Christian eloquence; animated by purer sentiments of scriptural truth, by greater elevation of thought, or by a sublimer piety !†

* Niecampius, page 215.

† Before this letter reached India, Ziegenbalgius had departed this life at the early age of thirty six years. The expressions of the archbishop corresponded in many particulars with the circumstances of his death. Perceiving that his last hour was at hand, he called his Hindoo congregation and par took of the holy Communion, "amidst ardent prayers and many tears;" and afterwards addressing them in a solemn manner, took an affectionate leave of them. Being reminded by them of the faith of the Apostle of the Gentiles at the prospect of death, who "desired to be with Christ, as being far "better," he said, "That also is my desire. Washed from my sins in his "blood, and clothed with his righteousness, I shall enter into his heavenly

16. By the letters of the King, and his long continued care of the mission, and by the frequent admonitory epistles of the archbishop, an incalculable sum of happiness has been dispensed in India. The episcopal charges infused spirit into the mission abroad; and the countenance of majesty cherished a zeal in the Society at home, which has not abated to this day. From the commencement of the mission in 1705, to the present year, 1805, it is computed that eighty thousand natives of all casts in one district alone, forsaking their idols and their vices, have been added to the Christian church.

17. In the above letter of the archbishop, there is found a prophecy, "That Christ shall subdue unto himself, through "our means, the whole continent of oriental India." It is certainly not unbecoming our national principles, nor inconsistent with the language or spirit of the religion we profess, to look for the fulfilment of that prophecy.

18. Many circumstances concur to make it probable, that the light of Revelation is now dawning on the Asiatic world. How grateful must it be to the pious mind to contemplate, that while infidelity has been extending itself in the region of science and learning, the divine dispensation should have ordered that the knowledge of the true God should flow into heathen lands !

Under the auspices of the college of Fort William, the Scriptures are in a course of translation into the languages of almost Could the royal the "whole continent of Oriental India."

patron of the Tamul Bible, who prayed" that the work might not fail in generations to come," have foreseen those streams of revealed truth, which are now issuing from this fountain, with what delight would he have hailed the arrival of the pres-, ent æra of Indian administration. In this view, the Oriental college has been compared by one of our Hindoo poets, to a "flood of light shooting through a dark cloud on a benighted "land." Directed by it, the learned natives from every quarter of India, and from the parts beyond, from Persia and Arabia, come to the source of knowledge: they mark our prin

"kingdom. I pray that the things which I have spoken may be fruitful. "Throughout this whole warfare, I have entirely endured by Christ; and "now I can say through him,"" I have fought the good fight; I have "finished my course; I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up "for me a crown of righteousness;" which words having spoken, he desired that the Hindoo children about his bed, and the multitude filling the verandahs, and about the house, might sing the hymn, beginning" Jesus my Sa"viour Lord." Which when finished, he yielded up his spirit, amidst the rejoicings and lamentations of a great multitude; some rejoicing at his triumphant death, and early entrance into glory. And others lamenting the early loss of their faithful apostle; who had first brought the light of the Gospel to their dark region from the western world. Niecampius, p. 217, and Annales Miss. p. 20.

ciples, ponder the volume of inspiration," and hear, every "man in his own tongue, the wonderful works of God."

19. The importance of this Institution as the fountain of civilization to Asia, is happily displayed in a Speech in the Shanscrit language, pronounced by the Shanscrit teacher,* at our late public disputations. The translations of this discourse (being the first in that language) we are induced to give entire; not only from our deference to the authority of the venerable speaker, who describes with much precision, the present state, true object, and certain consequences of this Institution; but also, because the facts and reasoning contained in it bear the most auspicious reference to the various subjects, which have been discussed in this Memoir.

As Moderator of the Disputation, he addresses the student, who had pronounced a declamation in the Shanscrit language :

" SIR,

"IT being a rule of our public disputations, that the Moderator should express before the assembly, his opinion of the proficiency of the student in the language in which he has spoken, it becomes my duty to declare my perfect approbation of the manner in which you have acquitted yourself, and to communicate to you the satisfaction with which the learned Pundits, your auditors, have listened to your correct pronunciation of the Shanscrit tongue.

"Four years have now elapsed since the commencement of this Institution. During that period the popular languages of India have been sedulously cultivated; and are now fluently spoken. Last in order, because first in difficulty, appears the parent of all these dialects, the primitive Shanscrit; as if to acknowledge her legitimate offspring, to confirm their affinity and relation to each other, and thereby to complete our system of Oriental study.

"Considered as the source of the colloquial tongues, the utility of the Shanscrit language is evident; but as containing numerous treatises on the religion, jurisprudence, arts and sciences of the Hindoos, its importance is yet greater; especially to those to whom is committed, by this government, the province of legislation for the natives; in order that being conversant with

* The venerable Mr. Carey; for many years past the Protestant missionary in the North of India; following the steps of the late Mr. Swartz in the South; in Oriental and classical learning his superior, and not inferior in laborious study and Christian zeal. Mr. Carey is author of a Grammar of the Shanscrit Language, 900 pages 4to; of a Grammar of the Bengal Language; of a Grammar in the Mahratta Language; of a Translation of the Scriptures into the Bengal Language; and of various other useful publications in Oriental literature.

† Clotworthy Gowan, Esq.