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ever, may be collected from undoubted authority, by which it may be inferred, that they have been for nearly fifteen centuries established in India ; for we find, in ecclesiastical history, that at the first council at Nice, in the year 325, a bishop from India was amongst the number composing that memorable synod; and, in the creeds and doctrines of the Christians of Malabar, internal evidence exists of their being a primitive church; for the supremacy of the Pope is denied, and the doctrine of Transubstantiation never has been held by them; and they regarded, and still regard the worship of images as idolatrous, and the doctrine of purgatory to be fabulous-moreover, they never admitted as sacraments, extreme unction, marriage, or confirmation: all which facts may be substantiated on reference to the acts of the Synod established by Don Alexis de Meneses, archbishop of Goa, at Udiamper, in the year 1599.

"The history of this council will be found most ably detailed in a work printed in French, and entitled, “ The history of Christianity in India," published at the Hague, in the year 1724, by La Croze, the celebrated Jibrarian to the king of Prussia.

"The object of this work was to deduce, from authentic materials, the rise, progress, and establishment of Christianity in the East; and to hold up to disgrace, and to merited indignation, the bigotted and unworthy conduct of the Roman Catholic church, in the persecution set on foot by her emissaries, under her avowed sanction, against the primitive Christians, who were found settled on the coast of Malabar; and La Croze seems to have discharged his duty to the public in a most faithful, interesting, and able manner.

"When the Portuguese first arrived in this country, in the beginning of the sixteenth century, they found a Christian church using the SyrioChaldaic language, established in the neighbourhood of Cranganore; and, though it was published to the world many centuries before that period, that such a church existed, yet we find their ignorance expressed in the wonder which it excited.

"These Christians met the Portuguese as natural friends and allies, and rejoiced at their coming; but the Portuguese were much disappointed at finding the St. Thomê Christians firmly fixed in the tenets of a primitive church; and soon adopted plans for drawing away from their pure faith this innocent, ingenuous, and respectable people: however, after using for nearly a century, all the customary arts and abominable persecutions of the church of Rome to no purpose, Don Alexis De Meneses, the archbishop of Goa, appeared amongst them; and, by his commanding influence, his zeal, and his learning, and on the authority of what he called the Council of Udiamper, forced the Syrian Metropolitan, his priests, and people, into the Roman pale. The Archbishop, however, had not long quitted the scene of this triumph of bigotry, ere the people sighed for their old religion, and cherished it in private; but on the 22d of May, 1653, they held a congress at Alingatte, and great numbers, headed by their Metropolitan, revolted publicly from the Romish communion; nor has all the inAuence of the Roman Pontiff, and the kings of Portugal, been able to draw them away again from their old faith.

"Leaving the history of this interesting people, which is affectingly delineated in La Croze's book, I shall, in this report, confine myself more particularly to the existing state of Christianity in Malabar; and, in order that your lordship may have the subject clearly before you, I shall consider each sect of Christians by itself, under the head of, 1st, St. Thomê, or Jacobite Christians ;-2dly, The Syrian Catholics, who have been forced from the Jacobite Church into the Romish pale; and, 3dly, The Latin Church.

St. Thomé, or Jacobite Christians.

"These people, who still retain their ancient creed and usages, consider themselves as the descendants of the flock established by St. Thomas, who is generally esteemed the Apostle of the East. Their ancestors emigrated from Syria, and the Syrio-Chaldaic is the language in which their church service is still performed. They admit no images within their churches, but a figure of the Virgin Mary with the child Jesus in her arms, which is considered merely as an ornament, and not a subject for idolatrous worship. They are generally denominated by the country people, Nazaranee Mapilles. Nazaranee is obviously derived from Nazareth; but the origin of the word Mapillah is variously accounted for ;— by some it is ingeniously supposed to refer to the Virgin and Child, the only image admitted within their churches; as Ma implies Mother, in various languages, derived from the Sungscrit; and Pillah, Child. Others again, construe the term to indicate the rank originally conferred on these Christians by the sovereign of Malabar. Poolah signifies a class, in a state synonymous with our secretaries. Ma or Maha signifies great or superior. The term Mapillah is indiscriminately applied to Jews and Musselmen as to these Christians, distinguishing each by the prefix of the Jew, Syrian, or Nazaranee, or Musselman.

"It is certain that grants of honour and emolument were formerly possessed by these Christians, given to them by a king of Malabar, named Peremaul, engraven on copper, five of which engravings are still in existence; a fac-simile of which I have seen in the possession of the Resident of Travancore.

"It has been long believed, that these Christians held the tenets of the Nestorian heresy, and that they were obliged to leave their own country in consequence of persecution: however, it appears that the creed which they now follow denies that heresy, and seems to coincide in several points with the creed of St. Athanasius, but without its damnatory clauses.

"Baron Von Wrede has written a memoir on the subject of these Christians, which appeared in the 7th volume of the Asiatic Researches, and which has the merit of calling our attention to these people; though it is no better than a lame transcript of information, which may be fully and satisfactorily obtained in La Croze's book, from whence every material part of that memoir is obviously taken: indeed, wherever the Baron departs from his author, he becomes less interesting, or misleads his reader. That the Christians in Malabar were early taught the tenets of Nestorius,

is proved by La Croze, on the direct authority of Cosmas, an Egyptian merchant, (himself a Nestorian,) who published his voyage to India in the year 547. It seems, however, not improbable that Christians had been planted in these shores, long before the time of Nestorius; and, I am inclined to regard the tradition of its having spread hither in the age of the Apostles, as very far from fabulous*.

"With respect to their religious tenets, writers may and will disagree: upon such subjects human reason avails nothing. The disputes which on these points have agitated the world, are in general no better than the perverse offspring of verbal differences.

"The following is a version of the present creed of these people, being a written communication from the Metropolitan to the Resident at Tra

vancore:

"In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, We, the Christians, "believers in the religion of Jesus Christ, subject to the jurisdiction of "Mar Ignatius, patriarch of Antioch, being loyalf Jacobians, hold the "following creed:

"We believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three Persons in one "God, neither confounding the persons, nor dividing the substance, one "in three, and three in one.

"The Father generator, the Son generated,—and the Holy Ghost "proceeding.

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"None is before nor after other in majesty, honour, might, and power; co-equal, unity in trinity, and trinity in unity.

"We do not believe with Aerius and Eunomius, that there are three "different and separate substances.

"We do not believe, as Sabellius believes, by confusion of substance.

Eusebius informs us, that there were Christians in India as early as the year 189, who had the Gospel of St. Matthew in Hebrew, which they declared was received from St Bartholomew.

t Eastern Christians, who renounce the communion of the Greek church, who differ from it both in doctrine and worship, may be comprehended under two distinct classes. To the former belong the Monophysites, or Jacobites, so called from Facob Albardai, who declare it as their opinion that, in the Saviour of the world there is only one nature; while the latter comprehends the followers of Nestorius, frequently called Chaldeans, from the country where they principally reside, and who suppose that there are two distinct persons or natures in the Son of God. The Monophysites are subdivided into two sects or parties, the one African and the other Asiatic. At the head of the Asiatics is the patriarch of Antioch, who resides for the most part in the monastery of St. Ananias, which is situated near the city of Merdin, and sometimes at Merdin, his episcopal seat; as also at Amida, Aleppo, and other Syrian cities. The govern ment of this prelate is too extensive, and the churches over which he presides too numerous, to admit of his performing himself all the duties of his high office; and, therefore, a part of the administration of the pontificate is given to a kind of colleague, who is called the Maphrian, or Primate of the East, and whose doctrines and discipline are said to be adopted by the eastern church beyond the Tigris. This primate used formerly to reside at Tauris, a city on the frontiers of Armenia; but his present habitation is the monastery of St. Mat thew, which is in the neighbourhood of Mousul, a city of Mesopotamia. It is further observable, that all the patriarchs of the Facobites assume the denomination of Ignatius.-Mosheim, vol. 4, Section xi. page 257.

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"We do not believe, as Macedonius said, that the Holy Ghost is less "than the Father and Son.

"We do not believe, as Mawney and Marcianus said, that the body of "Christ was sent down from heaven.

"We do not believe as Julianus† said, that Christ was only man.

"We do not hold, as Nestorius, the doctrine of two natures, and two "substances in the Messiah.

"We do not believe, as the Chalcedonians said, that there are two na"tures in the Messiah.

"But we believe, by the doctrine of the Trinity, that the Son is co“equal with the Father, without beginning or end; that in the appointed "time, through the disposition of the Father and Holy Ghost, without "disjoining from the right side of the Father, he appeared on earth for the "salvation of mankind-that he was born of the Virgin Mary, through the "means of the Holy Ghost, and was incarnate, God and Man. So that "in the union of the divine and human nature, there was one nature and "one substance.-So we believe."

"The service in their church is performed very nearly after the manner of the church of England; and when the metropolitan was told that it was hoped that one day an union might take place between the two churches, he seemed pleased at the suggestion.

"The present Metropolitan, Mar Dionisius, is now old and infirm, but a very respectable character, and of the most venerable and prepossessing appearance. A person has been sent from Mousul, a city in Mesopotamia, to succeed to his station, in the event of his decease ;-but this stranger, ignorant of the language of the country, with the character of being violent in his temper, and not averse, as it is supposed, to the views of the Romish church, it is to be hoped, will be prevented from ever taking charge of this precious remnant of a pure and valuable people.

"The Metropolitan has several archdeacons and deacons under him, who act as Vicar-Generals. They have fifty-five churches: and the number of their people, as given in to the Resident, is estimated at 23,000.

"The residence of their Metropolitan is at Candenatte, twelve or fourteen miles inland from Cochin. In some of their churches divine service is performed in the Syrian and Latin ritual alternately, by the priests of the Christians of St. Thomê, who have adhered to their ancient rites, and those who have been united to the church of Rome. When the latter have celebrated mass, they carry away the images from the church before the others enter.

"The character of these people is marked by a striking superiority over the Heathens in every moral excellence; and they are remarkable for

• These I suppose might be Manes and Marcian.

Perhaps Julian, Bishop of Halicarnassus.

This shows a spirit of toleration and Christian liberality, very different from the bigotry of the Romish church.

their veracity and plain dealing. They are extremely attentive to their religious duties; and abide by the decision of their Priests and Metropolitan in all cases, whether in spiritual, or, as I heard, in temporal affairs. They are respected very highly by the Nairs, who do not consider themselves defiled by associating with them, though it is well known that the Nairs are the most particular of all the Hindoos in this respect; and the Rajahs of Travancore and Cochin, admit them to rank next to Nairs. Their numbers, it is conjectured, are under-rated in the statement given to the Resident, as it is generally supposed that they may be estimated at 70 or 80,000. They are not persecuted; but they are not permitted to make converts, by the governments under which they reside; and it is supposed, that many respectable Hindoos would be happy to join their sect, were it not for this circumstance: but at present they suffer, as far as I can learn, no other hardship.

"If good men from Syria could be obtained, not as parish priests, but to superintend and regulate their concerns, I conceive it would be a great blessing to these good people.

"The direct protection of the British government has been already extended to them; but as they do not reside within the British territories, I am somewhat doubtful how far it may be of use to them.

"To unite them to the church of England, would, in my opinion, be a most noble work and it is most devoutly to be wished for, that those who have been driven into the Roman pale might be recalled to their an cient church; a measure which it would not, I imagine, be difficult to accomplish, as the country governments would, it is supposed, second any efforts to that purpose.

"Their occupations are various as those of other Christians; but they are chiefly cultivators and artizans; and some of them possess a comfortable, if not a splendid independence. Their clergy marry in the same manner as Protestants. Their residence is entirely inland.

Syrian Roman Catholics.

"THESE people, as stated above, were constrained to join the Latin church, after a long struggle for the power of maintaining their purity and independence; and still appear a people perfectly distinct from the Latin church, being allowed to chant and perform all the services of the church of Rome in the Syrio-Chaldaic language by a dispensation from the Pope. They live under the authority of the Metropolitan of Cranganore and the Bishop of Verapoli, and dress differently from other priests. They wear a white surplice, while the priests of the Latin communion wear black gowns, like the Capuchin friars of Madras. The Roman Catholic Syrians, it is thought, are much more numerous than the members of the original church. Their clergy are spread through the ancient churches, and, by retaining their language, and acting under the direction of the church of Rome, they leave no means unessayed to draw over their primitive brethren to the Latin communion. It appears to me, that they are allowed to use their original language, and to frequent the original church, entirely