ttOYAL ASIATIC SOCIETTf. 



5? 



the salutary placards issued by Government, 5th.— The in* 

 efficiency and unfaithfulness of school-masters and other 

 servants : but on the other hand, as they were not paid for 

 teaching adults, reading sermons and going about to the people, 

 they were irregular herein, and their poverty obliged them 

 to seek some work out of school hours, to get money. The 

 recommendation for a fixed pay was favourably received by 

 Government. 6th.— The offensive lives of many Europeans, 

 and not to mention other instances, concubinage, not only 

 among sailors and soldiers who may not marry, but also among 

 those who may, even persons of rank &nd standing, which 

 could not but create resentment on the part of the natives, 

 who on being convicted of like offence must either pay a 

 penalty or go to hard labour. 



The Galle consistory complained that owing to the non« 

 existence in Ceylon of an Ecclesiastical ccetus or presbytery 

 invested with power to excommunicate and entertain important 

 cases occurring in the respective Churches, they stood too 

 much sub-regimine mundano, which impeded them in the full 

 exercise of Church discipline towards persons high in rank 

 and office ; an instance of which, relating to their designed 

 Governor Von Donberg, they submitted to the classis in Hol- 

 land with all the papers relating thereto. They complained 

 further of great apathy in religion among Europeans, whose 

 laxity also of conduct had obliged them to debar some from 

 the Lord's table. The Colombo consistory likewise regretted 

 the backwardness of their congregation in attending divine 

 service, except on feast days. A worldly spirit possessed 

 many. The clergy admonished and warned sometimes power- 

 fully, at other times gently and in love, but often without 

 success. They found their work hard, and sighed unto the 

 Lord that piety might shine forth in the conduct of the inha- 



