4 A DISCOURSE, &C. 



he introdüced previously to the general adoptiop. 

 of the Cbeistian Religion in the Eiist; butthey 

 were aware of the diSiculties to be enconnter- 

 ed under the circumstances ia which tlie Colouies 

 of Holland were then placed, and a considerabie 

 period elapsed before the design was carried 

 into effect. 



At leiigtb, in the year 1777^ when Mr. Rader- 

 macher and bis father-in-law, the Governor Ge- 

 neral De Klerk, were iiewlj elected Directors of 

 the S()cietj of Haerleni^ a Programma appeared, 

 which contained the plan of extending the 

 branches of that Society to the ïndies. The dis- 

 taTiCe and extent of ihe Dnlch Colonial posses- 

 sions in the E ist, did not however admit of this 

 plan being realized^ but the idea being thns 

 brought forward to public noticc^ a separate 

 Society was^ by the uniemitting perseverance of 

 Mr. Rad er ma dier, who may be called the 

 founderofthe lustitution, establiahed at Bntavia. 



On the 24th of April^ 1778, this Society was 

 duly cstablished under the authorify of Govern 

 ment, and afler the example of liiierleinj took 

 for its motto, The Public ütilihj. On its first 

 organizalion the Society consiï^ted of 192 Mem- 

 bcrs^ tha Goveraor General being Chief Dircc- 



