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CEYLON BRANCH 



used by the Company, the words, " all perjured persons" are 

 left out of the form for the administration of the Lord's Supper, 

 from whence it would appear either that they could not ob- 

 serve their oath in the manner in which it was taken from 

 them, or that they did not consider perjury to be a sin. 



3rdly, — That attempts are made to dispense with preach- 

 ing on the Lord's day, and that while on occasions of the 

 departure of the fleet to the Fatherland the prescribed day of 

 fasting and prayer is observed for their safe arrival, the ships 

 weigh anchor either before or during the religious service on 

 shore, whereby no opportunity is offered to the mariners, for 

 whom indeed the prayers are offered, to take a part therein. 



4thly — That hardly a month passes but illegitimate chil- 

 dren of Europeans are brought for baptism, while sailors, 

 soldiers, quartermasters and corporals are forbidden to contract 

 marriages ; so that when they are reprimanded the reply im- 

 mediately is, ' marriage is forbidden, allow us then to marry.' 



Rev. Sirs and Brethren, we would not judge rashly, as if 

 all these things are so, for we hope and wish the contrary, but 

 still, in allusion to the natives, we are of opinion that such is 

 not the way to advance the Kingdom of Christ; our weapons 

 for the casting down of Satan's kingdom among them must not 

 be carnal but spiritual. If we would bring the heathen to 

 God's holy hill, the glory of the Lord must be proclaimed to 

 them by the gospel. The truth of the gospel is the sceptre 

 with which Jesus reigns in the midst of his enemies. No com- 

 pulsion on the mind of a heathen to forsake his error and to 

 believe in Christ can avail; penalties, force, and suchlike will 

 effect nothing. Do any in consequence of these means adopt 

 Christianity, they are and remain nevertheless the enemies of 

 Chris t, his cross and his truth, they submit to him but in ap- 

 pearance. You know how cautiously the Jewish Church acted 



