18 



CEYLON BRANCH 



shall say. The best of them know but so much as to answer 

 that there is a God who dwells in heaven, and is distinguished 

 in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost ; but ask them 

 the peculiar operations of each of these persons, they stand 

 with their mouth full of teeth, and know not what to reply. 

 Indeed one of them is suspected of being a devil dancer, and I 

 have resolved in this visitation to make strict inquiries. With 

 such teachers the state of the congregation can easily be ima- 

 gined. These things have not become so in my time, but I 

 have found them thus. When on my last visitation, some 

 women were present who desired to have their children bap- 

 tized ; among these one, with a child in her arms, appeared so 

 listless during the service, that I put the question to her, 

 whether she knew where she was, and that she had to do with 

 a God, who though in heaven, knew every thing that took 

 place ? She replied she did not know where that God was, nor 

 where He dwelt. There are also here several devils-trees, of 

 which two are in blossom, with a wall surrounding them and 

 huts adjoining, where offerings are made. I have more than 

 once remarked to a certain person that such things ought not to 

 be tolerated ; he as frequently returned that such things should 

 not be so narrowly inquired into, or else all the Singhalese would 

 have to be driven out of the country. In my former visitations 

 I used to be accompanied by an ensign Mr. De Groot, but 

 since his death they have given me a corporal ; what appear- 

 ance this makes before the Singhalese you may easily judge." 



In 1681 the garrison at Negombo having been diminished, 

 the clergyman was removed, and the Native churches in the 

 neighbourhood were, as formerly, visited by ministers from Co- 

 lombo. In the Colombo district there were at this time 24 

 Native Churches and schools, visited twice a year, which occu- 

 pied eaoh minister more than a month. The Lord's prayer, 



