136 CEYLON BRANCH — ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. 



selves to the study of the native languages, in order to 

 preach and to aid in the translation of the scriptures. Se- 

 veral instances are on record of the Clergy excelling in the 

 knowledge of the^ Singhalese or Tamil language, so that 

 their preaching and their versions were highly spoken of by 

 the natives. As however all did not feel themselvs fully 

 competent to this work, especially those who had arrived in 

 the Colony at a later period of life, a distribution of labour 

 appears to have been usually adopted ; some confining them- 

 selves to their duties in Dutch and occasionally preaching 

 to the Natives by interpretation, especially during their in- 

 land visits to schools and churches, and others, taking a turn 

 in Dutch preaching, but making it their principal work to 

 visit quarterly all the fixed native congregations. Thus 

 Negombo, Cotta and Caltura were visited quarterly and 

 Sacraments administered. 



The Colombo Consistory recommended in their correspon- 

 dence with the Classis that young Ministers should, when- 

 ever practicable, be appointed, in order that they might apply 

 themselves during the first years of their stay in the Colony 

 to the Singhalese language. This led to the practice of 

 sending out from time to time young men, even before they 

 were ordained, in the capacity of Proponents, who were to 

 make the study of the Native languages their principal work 

 for two or three years, and then be admitted into the Mi- 

 nistry for the benefit, though not exclusively, of the native 

 Christians. Thus in the year 1704 there was one studying 

 Singhalese at Matura, and another Tamil at Jaffna. In 

 the annual official statement to the home Government these 

 were reported as making great progress in their studies. In 

 1713 there were two at Matura, of whom one died prema- 

 turely, and the other Mr. Conyn proved, after his ordina- 

 tion in 1715, a most valuable and distinguished Singhalese 

 scholar and preacher, and contributed largely to the transla- 

 tion of the scriptures. The Colombo Consistory had not 

 the power to ordain such persons without a special qualifica- 

 tion from one of the Classis, accompanied with the autho- 

 rity of the East India Company to the Governor. If either 

 of these orders failed to reach the Colony, the ordination 

 could not take place, as appeared in the case of the Propo- 

 nent Cramer in 1724, whose ordination had to be postponed 

 a year until the Government authority, which had not been 

 received simultaneously with the authority of the Classis, 

 should be obtained, But the young men having been gra- 



