CEYLON BRANCH— ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY, 61 



practiced what Romanists teach on the following tenets, viz, 

 The seven sacraments, transubstantiation, good works, the Virgin 

 Mary, the Crucifix and Images. That this contradiction in their 

 secret belief and outward confession made them doubt the sal- 

 vation of their souls, and therefore prayed that they might be 

 allowed the free exercise of their religion, declaring that, not- 

 withstanding the Protestant instruction, they would not forsake 

 their religion. The recommendations of the clergy on this me- 

 morial were as follows. 1st. That the Government regulations 

 should be strictly enforced and the fines on non-attendance at 

 school renewed. 2d. That Romish baptisms and marriages should 

 not be acknowledged nor sanctioned, 3d. That none but Pro- 

 testant headmen should be employed by Government in the dis- 

 tricts. The Politic Council on the receipt of these recom- 

 mendations came to the following decision. 1st. That it was 

 not the province of the consistory to trouble themselves about 

 penalties or matters which belong 1 to the Civil administration; 

 2d. That the subject of Roman Catholic baptisms and marri- 

 ages was under the serious consideration of the Batavian Go- 

 vernment ; 3d. That Government would regret being obliged 

 to admit no headmen into their employ but such as profess 

 Protestantism, as the scarcity of this class would subject them 

 to much inconvenience. They concluded with advising the 

 clergy, as the best means of promoting the good cause, to ac- 

 quire a thorough and familiar knowledge of the native lan- 

 guages, and thus to instruct the people more effectually, and 

 reclaim them from popery. The clergy agreed in 1753 for 

 this purpose to hold weekly meetings and catechi zings at pri- 

 vate dwellings, in the Malabar language. The Roman Catho- 

 lics erected places of worship at Caltura, and began public ex- 

 hibitions and processions. Their principal leader herein was ap- 

 prehended, brought to Colombo, and banished by Government 

 to Tutucoreen. At Negombo the Romanists persecuted the 

 Protestants, reviled them, spoke disrespectfully of their clergy 

 and nearly killed a Protestant. 



