1840.] 



Life and Writings of Father BescM. 



259 



8. Tlie Vedha* Vilaccam, or illiistrafion of religion. (The fol- 

 lowing tran^ation of the contents of this book is by Mr. E. 

 Hoole). *' The first chapter treats of tl e rise of proiestanism ; the 

 second chapter recounts the divisions in the protestant church ; the 

 third defends the worship of saints; the fourth, the wsrsliip of the 

 "Virgin Mary ; the fifth assert the antiquity of such worship; the 

 sixth defends the worship of images ; the seventh asserts the antiquity 

 of such worship ; the eighth is on the decrees of the church ; the 

 tenth asserts that the Romish church is the only true church ; the 

 eleventh is on purgatory ; the twelfth on the sacraments generally j 

 the thirteenth, on the sacraments particularly ; the fourteenth, on 

 transiibstantiation ; the fifteenth, on the sacrifice of the mass; the 

 sixteenth, on the holy Scriptures: the seventeenth, on the mirarles of 

 the church ; the eighteenth, confirmation of what had been advanced. 

 The work concludes with a confession of faith on the principles defend- 

 ed in it. 



*' The book then closes with the particulars of the place, date, and 

 quantity of ihe composition, and the author's name. It is dated 1728." 



— Pedagamaruttal- — Refuting differences.— This work arose out 

 of the circumstances related in the preceding note, and is a reply to 

 the church history of the Tranquebar missionaries, which, instead of 

 300 pages as stated by Mr. Hoole, consisted according to Beschi of only 

 13 pages, and was, probably, a totally diffi^rent work. A copy of it 

 was sent to them by Beschi, but the controversy does not appear to 

 have proceeded further. 



10. — Gnana-Unarttal. — Instructions of wisdom. — Remarkable for 

 the beauty, ornament, and elegance of its language. It commences 

 with the most simple, and gradually ascends to the most elevated 

 style of composition. Tliis book was particularly composed as a guide 

 for the preachers of the Gospel. 



11. — Tiruchabei Canidam. — A treatise on astronomy, and designed 

 for the use of the church in fixing the observance of Ash-wednesday, 



^and other festivals. This work is in verse and prose. 



* Tliis work was composed by Beschi in consequence of an attempt made by the Da- 

 nish missionaries to circulate, in the vicinity of Tiiooltavaloor, where Beschi resided, 

 a translation of the new Testament. The missionaries had deputed a zealous catechist 

 for that purpose, and provided him with a large supply of their own version. 



Mr. Hoole says that " the publication of a Church History in Tamil, an octavo volume 

 of more than three hundred pages by the missionaries of Tranquebar, afforded perhaps 

 the most suitable answer this v/ork could receive. I was told at Tranquebar that a copy 

 of that History was sent to Beschi, who never ventured to impugn its statement." 



In putting forth this statement, Mr. Hoole does not seem to be aware that the work 

 ealled Pedagamaruttal, the next on the list, was specially composed on this occasion. 



