ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. 



47 



with their proselytes, as also the primitive Christians when 

 they admitted any out of heathenism as members of Christ's 

 Church. That laudable example ought the overseers of Christ 

 still to follow. As to our remark about Europeans : you know 

 how heinous the sin of perjury is, and how severely it was 

 punished even among pagans, as appears from the writings of 

 Plato, Plutarch, Sophocles, &c, who said that even the posterity 

 of perjurers were visited with the sins of their fathers. And 

 what is more proper than that they, for whose prosperous 

 voyage a day of prayer is solemnly set apart, should also join 

 and pray for themselves. And what offence fornication among 

 Christians must cause to heathens you can yourselves judge. 

 How desirable therefore that all we have mentioned be removed 

 and reformed. To that end we shall do our best, and recom- 

 mend you to guard with all vigilance against these offences ; 

 and is your labour in vain, you have the inward satisfaction 

 of having done your sacred duty." 



In reply to the application for more ministers, the classis 

 replied, that their delegate had appeared before the Council of 

 XVII. and forcibly represented the likelihood of the Island 

 becoming destitute of ministers by the occurrence of the least 

 inconvenience ; that there was a time when the Island had 14 

 or 15, and that there were now but 4 capable of doing duty, 

 of whom Agotha, at Galle was far advanced in life ; Doude, 

 at Jaffna not yet restored to health ; and that since the last 18 

 months they had been deprived of 5 ministers. The arrange- 

 ment was then made that one or two who could be spared in 

 Java and Malacca should proceed to Ceylon. A selection of 

 six was also made, four for J ava and its dependencies, one for 

 Ceylon, and one for the Cape, the latter being required to 

 preach in French as well as in Dutch for the benefit of the 

 French refugees settled at the Cape. 



