CEYLON BRANCH — ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. %$ 



" of Native" Churches and schools, you can perceive that their 

 " care and supervision involves no little labour and trouble, 

 " and that the service of ministers in India is by no means of 

 " the easiest sort, so that not aged but young and strong men 

 " ought to be sent out, who can endure the fatigues of the cli- 

 ** mate, are capable of acquiring the requisite knowledge of 

 u the languages, and by a long residence can aid effectually to 

 " build up Christianity. We therefore request that this be kept 

 " in view in the choice of labourers." 



For the instruction of slaves, belonging to the Company, & 

 school existed in Colombo, which was stated this year to be 

 attended by 200. The slaves of private individuals were taught 

 at their houses by masters employed by the Government for 

 the purpose. There was also at Colombo a Portuguese school 

 with 56 scholars ; and besides the orphan school, a Dutch school 

 which had 80 children. At this time the scholarclial commis- 

 sion is mentioned as having been formed, composed of 6 mem- 

 bers of the Politic Council and 3 clergymen. * 



On the subject of baptism of native children the same letter 

 says that previous to the administration parents were examined 

 on their knowledge of religion, and when they were found defi- 

 cient, the baptism of their children was postponed to the next 

 visitation, the schoolmaster being in the mean time enjoined to 

 impart the necessary instruction to such parents. The same prac- 

 tice of examination was adopted with respect to adult candi- 

 dates for baptism. They who were found imperfect in their re- 

 ligious knowledge and belief were entered on a separate list 

 and at each returning visitation re-examined until judged fit 

 for admission into the Church by b ptism. On this point the 

 clergy remark in their letter of 3d January 1681. "We cannot 



* I mention these facts respecting the educafi nal department be- 

 cause at the time I wrote the pa; er on that subject I was 

 not in possession of information of so early a date. 



