48 CEYLON BRANCH ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY* 



religion, not a single tenet of which they are able to state; 

 knowing nothing more than that there are eood and evil hours 

 to men, ascertained from certain prognostications, that the heavenly 

 bodies are the gurrdians of human life, which however they 

 cannot in the least explain or account for, (superstitions from 

 which even many European protestants are not free). Exor- 

 cism, transmigration of souls into certain ' animals, distinctions of 

 cast (if indeed this be a part of their religion) are matters, 

 from which, as experience teaches, they are easily recovered by 

 means of good instruction and even led to regard them as ri>- 

 diculous deceptions. We should also be cautious lest we 

 designate some as attached to heathenism, who may not in re- 

 ality be so, or of whom it cannot be asserted on good ^autho- 

 Tity ; for remember that not all the inhabitants of the Galle dis- 

 trict belong to the schools; the mrjority are professed heathens; 

 that these publicly practice their superstitions is obvious, but we 

 should carefully distinguish such as attend our schools and 

 Churches, though it may be that some of the former class 

 creep in. " 



In 1 724 a Resolution of the Politic Council proposed that 

 since the vigorous prosecution of the translation of the scrip- 

 tures into Singhalese was highly desirable, the Rev. Mr. Conyn 

 who had already translated the three gospels, should proceed 

 with the rest of the New Testament, and that he be assisted 

 by the Rev. "Wetzelius, who had applied himself with success 

 to that language and had translated D'Outreins sketch of reli- 

 gion ; and that these two be relieved of their ministerial duties 

 in Dutch, by the other clergy, in order that more leisure be 

 given for their Singhalese studies. The proposal was gladly ac- 

 cepted. Mr. Wetzelius was highly spoken of for h s atta n- 

 ments ; he preached in Singhalese also with great success to a 

 concourse of natives. The Negombo proponent, having proved 

 a disgrace to his calling, was dismissed, but the two who 1 ad 

 been lately promoted from the seminary were conducting them- 



