ROMAN CATUOMC REUOlOtf. 



the liberal ists amongst them are little better than mo- 

 ralists m a scholastic sense, and very irreligious. 



I , it lie, therefore, would be Tost to any of these classed 

 f>y a renunciation of their crude dogmas and phi- 

 losophical morality — even were that to he in favor « i 

 a religion of a for less reasonable tendency th-m the 

 most bigoted Catholicism. There is also touch in the 

 external ceremonies of the Komish Church which 

 assimulutes strongly with the pomp and circumstance 

 attendant on IJuddhism, whether Chinese ur Indn-Chi- 

 liese; so striking indeed, is the resemblance in several 

 instances, that the Propaganda and other Roman C;u 

 tholic missionaries, who h*r%t visited China, were highly 

 indignant and scandalized at it. 



There are two Roman Catholic chapels on the 

 Island, of substantial architecture; also a female se- 

 minary and several schools. The two latter are, it 

 is believed, well conducted and cannot fail to do 

 good. 



It has been rarmised that the Roman Catholic 

 pastors have it in contemplation to settle a portion 

 of their flock in Keddah. Jint it is to he hoped they 

 will first weigh the matter well, as the responsibility 

 might be heavy, should the Siamese hereafter treat 

 them as they do their own proper subjects, or in 

 other words, plunder them on some false pretence. 



MALAYAN RELIGION, 

 The Malayan inahometans hold to their faith with 

 a tenacity more the result of habit and education, 

 than of conviction or actual prejudice. Vet there is 

 hardly an instance of one being converted to Christi* 

 anily — I tnean a conversion that i> norm-. They ac* 

 cept with pleasure Malayan versions of the Bible, 

 [the Dutch translation] read the same in a respecta- 

 ble maimer, and are quite alive at the coincidences 

 these exhibit with their own Wan ; and could they 



