3o 

 o 



who abound in India; they daily frequent their churches, fast and 

 pray, and use many penances. The English alone appear uncon- 

 cerned about an event of the greatest importance !" 



On such a theme the candid mind cannot remain in a state of 

 neutrality. The lukewarm church of Laodicea appears to have 

 been the most offensive, and the most severely rebuked of all the 

 Asiatic churches to whom the divine admonitions were sent. Those 

 interested in the important concern of establishing Christianity in 

 British India, must in the preceding paragraph behold a weighty 

 obstacle to its success. What fruit can be expected from seed 

 sown by the most prudent and zealous missionary if the lives of 

 professing Christians militate against the doctrinal truths and moral 

 precepts of the Gospel? Those Hindoos who read, and in some 

 degree enter into the spirit of the Bible, allow its beauty and 

 purity; nor do tliey seem to doubt its authenticity. In that re- 

 spect, the disciples of Brahma are liberal; but, as a quiet thought- 

 ful people, they wonder that Christianity has so little influence on 

 the practice: they wonder such sublime precepts, such affectionate 

 invitations, such awful threatening^, should not have more effect 

 on its professors. The incarnation of the Son of God is no rock 

 of offence, no stumbling block to the Hindoo, who believes in the 

 avatars of his own deities. But he finds it difficult to reconcile a 

 Christian's faith Avith what he sees of his conduct. " By their 

 fruits ye shall know them" is the grand criterion pointed out by 

 the Founder of that faith, to prove his disciples. 



The differing castes and tribes of Indians in the English settle- 

 ments, know that we have one day peculiarly set apart for public 

 worship, as well as themselves: how do they see it observed? They 



VOL. III. F 



