ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. 



17 



between the Political and Ecclesiastical departments. It seems 

 that the classes were very solicitous lest any extraneous inters 

 ference might impede the functions of their clergy. They 

 express themselves strongly in their letter of 1674, and invite 

 their Ceylon brethren to unite with them, that " neither the 

 local Governments, nor the high authorities get a footing in 

 Ecclesiastical matters which would be prejudicial to the spiri- 

 tual welfare of the Church." From this time forth the mode 

 of getting up the annual statement was placed on a firmer basis. 



In 1674 the children in the schools of the Colombo dis- 

 trict amounted to 1300. Ministers in the Colony in 1679 were 

 10. The Dutch congregation in Colombo, and Native Chris- 

 tians in its districts were daily advancing both in knowledge 

 and in numbers, especially school children, amounting together 

 to 3,787. It was on the schools principally that they built 

 their hopes, forasmuch as the adults were generally speaking 

 supposed strongly imbued with the leaven of popery. The 

 account given of the Singhalese of Matura, in a letter of the 

 Rev. A. Japin in 1680, represents matters as not very en- 

 couraging. The number of idolators was on the increase, 

 so that he began to hesitate and seriously to consider how he 

 was to act with respect to the baptism of Native children, lest 

 that which is holy be given unto the dogs. There was more 

 the name than the reality of Christianity, the people would 

 neither continue to attend preaching, nor send their children 

 to school, which Mr. Japin ascribes to their ignorance of God 

 and His attributes. Every thing he says is pro jorma and by 

 constraint. With but three or four exceptions the schoolmas- 

 ters served for the sake of a livelihood and not with any desire 

 for the truth, either to save their own or the souls of others. 

 He gives this graphic description of them : — ff If I put them 

 any questions, they stand looking on not knowing what they 



d 



