CEYLON BRANCH — ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. 43 



the reception of Christianity, that is of baptism ; that they who 

 are not baptized are declared to have forfeited a third of their 

 property ; and that fines ate imposed on those baptized who do 

 not come to Church, nor send their children to school. 



2ndly — Touching Europeans, first, that in all Psalm books used 

 by the Company, the words, " all perjured persons " are left out 

 of the form for the administration of the Lord's Supper, from 

 whence it would appear either that they could not observe their 

 oath in the manner in which it was taken from them, or that 

 they did not consider perjury to be a sin, 



Sdly— That attempts are made to dispense with preaching on 

 the Lord's day, and that while on occasions of the departure 

 of the fleet to the Fatherland the prescribed day of fasting and 

 prayer is observed for their safe arrival, the ships weigh anchor 

 either before or during die religious service on shore, whereby 

 no opportunity is offered to the mariners,, for whom indeed the 

 prayers are offered, to take a part therein. 



4thly — That hardly a month passes but illegitimate children 

 of Europeans are brought for baptism, while sailors^ soldiers, 

 quartermasters and corporals are forbidden to contract marriages; 

 so that when they are reprimanded the reply immediately is 9 

 " marriage is forbidden, allow us then to marry. '* 



Rev. Sirs and Brethren we would* not judge rashly, as if all 

 these things are so, for we hope and wish the contrary, but still 

 in allusion to the natives we are of opinion that such is not the 

 way to advance the Kingdom of Christ ; our weapons for the 

 casting down of satan's kingdom among them must not be car* 

 nal but spiritual. If we would bring the heathen to God's holy 

 hill, the glory of the Lord must be proclaimed to them by 

 the gospel. The truth of the gospel is the sceptre with which 

 Jesus reigns in the midst of his enemies. No compulsion on 

 the mind of a heathen to forsake his error and to believe in 

 Christ can avail; penalties, force, and such like will effect 

 nothing. Do any in consequence of these means adopt chris* 



