CHAP. iv. A CATHOLIC CHAPEL. 75 



A Roman Catholic chapel had been erected in a wild 

 part of the country by some zealous missionary, who 

 prided himself upon the number of his converts. He 

 left his chapel during a few weeks' absence in some 

 other district, during which time his converts paid 

 their devotion to the Christian altar. They had made 

 a few little additions to the ornaments of the altar, 

 which must have astonished the priest on his return. 



There was an image of our Saviour and the Virgin : 

 that was all according to custom. But there were 

 also ' three images of Bhudda] a coloured plaster-of- 

 Paris image of the Queen and Prince Albert upon the 

 altar, and a very questionable penny print in vivid 

 colours hanging over the altar, entitled the ' Stolen 

 Kiss.' So much for the conversion of the heathen in 

 Ceylon. The attempt should only be made in the 

 schools, where the children may be brought up as 

 Christians, but the idea of converting the grown-up 

 heathen is a fallacy. 



