CEYLON BRANCH ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. 1 



was not advisable that a single Consistory should take upon 

 themselves to state what not only they but their brethren in 

 other places were doing, the plan was adopted of sending to 

 Colombo once a year deputies from the respective stations. 

 The letter above alluded to is in connection with this subject. 

 The Galle Consistory state that they were about to send one 

 of their brethren to be present at the framing of the general 

 Report, and express their willingness to conform for the sake 

 of uniformity to all that the united clergy may deem beneficial 

 and necessary in the mode of conducting Ecclesiastical mat° 

 ters ; and request to that end a copy of their conclusions and 

 arrangements. 



They had just ordained two new elders and four deacons. 

 The Dutch congregation at Galle was in a satisfactory state. 

 Though most of the Military were away from the Fort engaged 

 in skirmishes with Rajah Singa, King of Kandy, yet those 

 who remained and other inhabitants were diligent in the as- 

 sembling of themselves together for divine worship. As to the 

 establishing and extending of native Churches and Schools in 

 the country nothing could as yet be done ; the Governor Van 

 Goens had visited the district but cursorily and was not as 

 yet able to express his authoritative opinion as to localities ; 

 and what had been begun had retrogaded on account of the 

 war with the Singhalese King. The clergy hoped that the King's 

 heart might be moved to desire peace and tranquillity. Their 

 Deaconie-funds had suffered much from the cessation of judi- 

 cial proceedings, the fines and penalties of which went to that 

 fund, so that nearly a hundred poor had to lose their chari- 

 table allowances. 



A letter from the Colombo clergy to those at M alacca dated 

 May 1662 gives the following account. " The external con-* 

 " dition and good order in divine worship in the Church and 

 " in other places of assembly, on Sundays and weekdays, both 

 " in the Portuguese and Dutch Services, are carefully main* 



