ftOYlL ASIATIC SOCIETY. 



was Carefully examined with the help of the Interpreters of 

 Government, and pronounced good. 



In 1720 the Dutch congregation at Colombo had 175 

 Communicants, at Negombo, Caltura and Hangwelle together, 

 269, Jaffna 123, Manaar 30, Trincomalie 35, Batticaloa 31, 

 Galle 90, and Matura 21. Two krankbezoekers were sent out 

 from Holland. The Leper Hospital near Colombo began from 

 this time to be visited quarterly by a minister, accompanied 

 by an elder, and the Lord's Supper was administered to the 

 patients who were members. Negombo was supplied with a 

 resident minister. Mr. Cramer, who had come out in the ca- 

 pacity of proponent, and had been applying himself for several 

 years to the Tamil language at Jaffna, as also assisting the 

 other clergy occasionally by preaching, was ordained and sta- 

 tioned at Negombo, where he was very acceptable both to the 

 European and Native congregations in and about that town. 

 Heathenism and popery had prevailed there, but now the pure 

 doctrine of the gospel was confessed, and 180 natives, both 

 Tamils and Singhalese, were stated communicants. Cotta was 

 one of the most flourishing native congregations, having 196 

 Church members with an increase in the year 1723 of 26. The 

 favourable report given of these christians by the clergy excited 

 the interest of the Governor, who directed that a handsome 

 Church be built at Cotta. Respecting the religious knowledge 

 of adults among the Singhalese about Colombo the following 

 remarks are made in the report of 1724. "It is hardly pro- 

 bable that the amount of knowledge in those who have just 

 emerged from the darkness of heathenism to the light of the 

 gospel can be so great as with those who from their birth, and 

 as it were by inheritance* are blessed with the means of grace, 

 which are very scanty among this people. It is also true, that 

 though they bear the name of Christian, yet many are found 



H 



