more numerous Churches of the Syro-Romish Christians in Malabar, who also use the Syriac Language.

THE ROMISH CHRISTIANS IN INDIA.

IN every age of the Church of Rome there have been individuals, of an enlightened piety, who derived their religion not from "the commandments of men," but from the doctrines of the Bible. There are at this day, in India and in England, members of that communion, who deserve the affection and respect of all good men; and whose cultivated minds will arraign the corruptions of their own religion, which the Author is about to describe, more severely than he will permit himself to do. He is indeed prepared to speak of Roman Catholics with as much liberality as perhaps any Protestant has ever attempted on Christian principles: for he is acquainted with individuals, whose unaffected piety he considers a reproach to a great body of Protestants, even of the strictest sort. It is indeed painful to say any thing which may seem to feeling and noble minds ungenerous; but those enlightened persons, whose good opinion it is desirable to preserve, will themselves be pleased to see that truth is not sacrificed to personal respect, or to a spurious candor. Their own Church sets an example of "plainness of speech" in the assertion of those tenets which it professes, some of which must be extremely painful to the feeling of Protestants, in their social intercourse with Catholics; such as, "That there is no salvation out of the pale of the Romish Church."

This exclusive character prevents concord and intimacy between Protestant and Catholic families.

1

On the principles of Infidelity they can associate very easily; but on the principles of Religion, the Protestant must ever be on the defensive; for the Romish Church excommunicates him: and although he must hope that some individuals do not maintain the tenet, yet his uncertainty as to the fact prevents that cordiality which he desires. Many excellent Catholics suffer unjustly in their intercourse with Protestants, from the ancient and exclusive articles of their own Church, which they themselves neither profess nor believe. If they will only intimate to their Protestant friends, that they renounce the exclusive principle, and that they profess the religion of the Bible, no more seems requisite to form with such persons the sincerest friendship on Christian principles.

At the present time we see the Romish Religion in Europe without dominion; and hence it is viewed by the mere philosopher with indifference or contempt. He is pleased to see, that the "seven heads and the ten horns" are taken away; and thinks nothing of the "names of blasphemy." But in the following pages, the Author will have occasion to shew what Rome is, as having dominion; and possessing it too within the boundaries of the British Empire.

In passing through the Romish Provinces in the East, though the Author had before heard much of the Papal corruptions, he certainly did not expect to see Christianity in the degraded state in which he found it. Of the Priests it may truly be said, that they are, in general, better acquainted with the Veda of Brahma than with the Gospel of Christ. In some places the doctrines of both are blended. At Aughoor, situated between Tritchinopoly and Madura, he witnessed (in October 1806) the Tower of Juggernaut employed to solemnize a Christian festival. The old

Priest Josephus accompanied him, when he surveyed the idolatrous car and its painted figures, and gave him a particular account of the various ceremonies which are performed, seemingly unconscious himself of any impropriety in them. The Author went with him afterwards into the Church, and seeing a book lying on the altar opened it; but the Reader may judge of his surprise, when he found it was a Syriac volume, and was informed that the Priest himself was a descendant of the Syrian Christians, and belonged to what is now called the Syro-Roman Church, the whole service of which is in Syriac. Thus, by the intervention of the Papal power, are the ceremonies of Moloch consecrated in a manner by the sacred Syriac Language. What a heavy responsibility lies on Rome, for having thus corrupted and degraded that pure and ancient Church!

While the Author viewed these Christian corruptions in different places, and in different forms, he was always referred to the Inquisition at Goa, as the fountain-head. He had long cherished the hope, that he should be able to visit Goa before he left India. His chief objects were the following:

1. To ascertain whether the Inquisition actually refused to recognize the Bible, among the Romish Churches in British India

2. To inquire into the state and jurisdiction of the Inquisition, particularly as it affected British subjects. 3. To learn what was the system of education for the Priesthood; and

4. To examine the ancient Church-libraries in Goa, which were said to contain all the books of the first printing.

He will select from his Journal, in this place, chiefly what relates to the Inquisition. He had learnt from

every quarter, that this tribunal, formerly so well known for its frequent burnings, was still in operation, though under some restrictions as to the publicity of its proceedings; and that its power extended to the extreme boundary in Hindostan. That, in the present civilized state of Christian nations in Europe, an Inquisition should exist at all under their authority, appeared strange; but that a Papal tribunal of this character should exist under the implied toleration and countenance of the British Government; that Christians, being subjects to the British Empire, and inhabiting the British territories, should be amenable to its power and jurisdiction, was a statement which seemed to be scarcely credible; but, if true, a fact which demanded the most public and solemn representation.

"Goa; Convent of the Augustinians,

Jan. 23, 1808.

"On my arrival at Goa, I was received into the house of Captain Schuyler, the British Resident. The British force here is commanded by Colonel Adams, of His Majesty's 78th Regiment, with whom I was formerly well acquainted in Bengal.* Next day I was introduced by these gentlemen to the Vice-Roy of Goa, the Count de Cabral. I intimated to His Excellency my wish to sail up the river to Old Goa,t (where the Inquisition is,) to which he politely acceded. Major Pareira, of the Portuguese establishment, who was present, and to whom I had letters of introduction from Bengal, offered to accompany me to the city, and to in

The forts in the harbor of Goa were then occupied by British troops (two King's regiments, and two regiments of Native infantry) to prevent its falling into the hands of the French.

†There is Old and New Goa. The old city is about eight miles up the river. The Vice-Roy and the chief Portuguese inhabitants reside at New Goa, which is at the mouth of the river, within the forts of the harbor. The old city, where the Inquisition and the Churches are, is now almost entirely deserted by the secular Portuguese, and is inhabited by the Priests alone. The unhealthiness of the place, and the ascendancy of the Priests, are the causes assigned for abandoning the ancient city.

troduce me to the Archbishop of Goa, the Primate of the Orient.

"I had communicated to Colonel Adams, and to the British Resident, my purpose of inquiring into the state of the Inquisition. These gentlemen informed me, that I should not be able to accomplish my design without difficulty; since every thing relating to the Inquisition was conducted in a very secret manner, the most res pectable of the Lay Portuguese themselves being igno. rant of its proceedings; and that, if the Priests were to discover my object, their excessive jealousy and alarm would prevent their communicating with me, or satisfying my inquiries on any subject.

"On receiving this intelligence, I perceived that it would be necessary to proceed with caution. I was, in fact, about to visit a republic of Priests; whose dominion had existed for nearly three centuries; whose province it was to prosecute heretics, and particularly the teachers of heresy; and from whose authority and sentence there was no appeal in India.*

"It happened that Lieutenant Kempthorne, Commander of His Majesty's brig Diana, a distant connexion of my own, was at this time in the harbor. On his learning that I meant to visit Old Goa, he offered to accompany me; as did Captain Stirling, of His Majesty's 84th regiment, which is now stationed at

the forts.

"We proceeded up the river in the British Resident's barge, accompanied by Major Pareira, who was well qualified, by a thirty years' residence, to give information concerning local circumstances. From him I learned that there were upwards of two hundred Churches and Chapels in the province of Goa, and upwards of two thousand Priests.

I was informed that the Vice-Roy of Goa has no authority over the Inquisition, and that he himself is liable to its censure. Were the British Government, for instance, to prefer a complaint against the Inquisition to the Portuguese Government at Goa, it could obtain no redress. By the very constitution of the Inquisition, there is no power in India which can invade its jurisdiction, or even put a question to it on any subject.