ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. 



15 



sons for this suggestion were as follows : 1st — Because such 

 appears to have been the practice in the time of Baldeus and 

 others in 1662 and 1663. 2nd — The benefits resulting thence, 

 namely, a closer union of the several consistories and their 

 Churches in the Island, which would help to strengthen each 

 other's hands, and moreover afford greater pleasure to their 

 brethren in the fatherland. All cordially joined in the sug- 

 gestion, and a resolution was passed to that effect. But its 

 execution was objected to by His Excellency The Admiral 

 and Governor of Ceylon in Council, who communicated 

 through their Commissary Politic, that he did not approve of 

 their writing to the classes a letter drawn up from the parti- 

 cular letters of the respective consistories, but thought that 

 each consistory should write its own annual report. His 

 Excellency further expressed his opinion, that he considered it 

 his prerogative, not only to receive through his Commissary 

 Politic, who had a seat in the consistory, letters written in that 

 meeting, but also to seal those letters, and to forward them to 

 Holland. The Colombo consistory strenuously objected to 

 this breach of their resolution of 1668, which was sanctioned 

 by the then Admiral and Governor and undersigned by all 

 the clergy. They objected to the innovation of having 

 Ecclesiastical letters submitted to the Governor for approval 

 previously to their being forwarded, as contrary, first, to 

 Ecclesiastial rule, which forbad letters written and approved of 

 by their body being subsequently opened out of their meeting; 

 secondly, to the instructions of the East India Company to all 

 their Colonial clergy ; namely, that by every opportunity of 

 the returning fleet, that is, once a year, the state and progress 

 of religion and of schools should be communicated in writing 

 to the respective classes, from whom, with the approbation of 

 the Company, the clergy had received their instructions ; as 



