CEYLON BRANCH— ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. 59 



examined, with the view of admission as a preacher. The 

 Colombo consistory accordingly admitted him proponent, in 1 741 

 and recommended his being employed at Galle, to preach in 

 Portuguese. He was represented in poor circumstances, and his 

 application for appointment written in bad latin, as also the 

 little satisfaction he appears to have subsequently given, indi- 

 cate him as a person of not much ability. 



The Dutch congregation at Colombo had increased in a few 

 years from 300 to 786 members, but their spiritual state was 

 considered to be low, from the fact that though the num- 

 ber of members was so great, yet their attendance at Church 

 was so indifferent that the ministers had not unfrequently to preach, 

 as it were, to empty seats. 



In 1757 the same complaint was renewed in the following 

 terms ; that the Europeans were on the whole not exemplary 

 in the religion they professed; that they led indeed moral lives, 

 but their object was more to seek the praise and favour of 

 men ; being destitute of inward piety they made luxury a vir- 

 tue, carnal indulgence their happiness, pride their glory. That 

 of a congregation at Colombo of 1000 members, very frequently 

 no more than 50 were present at divine service and in the af- 

 ternoon none at all. Much evil on the native mind was ap- 

 prehended from this circumstance. 



There were in 1745 but two ministers at Colombo, and one 

 at Jaffna. Galle had been destitute for three years, owing to 

 the necessary removal from thence to Colombo of Mr. Fabri- 

 cius. It was apprehended that the Church there would fall into 

 confusion. The natives complained that there was no one to 

 solemnize their marriages and baptize their children. By order 

 of Government the rector of the Colombo seminary paid peri- 

 odical visits to Galle until provision could be made ; and in 

 1747 there were five ministers in all in Ceylon, three at Co- 

 lombo, one at Jaffna and one at Galle, which scanty supply 

 induced them to apply to Batavia to send over any that could 



