"outwardly; neither is that baptism which is "outward in the flesh." The fact was this, the Romish Church preached Christianity in the East without the Bible.

Let us now enquire what has been the consequence of sending the Bible to the East. It is nearly one hundred years since the Bible was sent to the Hindoos; but not by our country. This honour belongs to the Protestant churches of Denmark and Germany., It was sent by them to the Tamulian nation, in the south of India; for there are many nations in Hindoostan. What then was the effect of giving them the Bible? It was the same as that which followed the giving the Bible to us, while we lay in almost Hindoo darkness, buried in the ignorance and superstition of the church of Rome. It gave light and knowledge; God blessed his own word to the conversion of the heart, and men began to worship him in sincerity and truth.

That province in India which was first blessed with the Bible, hath since continued to see "a great light." During nearly the whole of the last century, multitudes of Hindoos (both heathens and Roman Catholics) became members of the Protestant Church, one generation succeeding another; and amongst them there has ever been found, according to the records

of their churches, * such a proportion, of serious piety, as you might expect to find, when the Gospel is preached with faithfulness and zeal.

During the whole of the last century, Providence favoured them with a succession of holy and learned men, educated at the Universities of Germany; among whom was the venerable SWARTZ, called the Apostle of the East; and others not much inferior to him, men, whose names are scarcely known in this country, but who are as famous among the Hindoos, as Wickliffe and Luther are amongst us. The ministry of these good men was blessed in many provinces in the South of India, and the bounds of their churches are extending unto this day. The language of the country is called the Tamul; and the first translation of the Bible, in that language, was made, as we said, about a hundred years ago. Like Wickliffe's Bible with us, it became the parent of many versions, and, after a succession of improved editions, it is now considered by the Brahmins themselves, (like Luther's Bible in the German) as the classical standard of the Tamul tongue.

* These records are published in upwards of thirty volumes, thick 4to.

The

A Jubilee has lately been celebrated in India, in honour of the Gospel. In the month of July, 1806, a Jubilee was observed by these Hindoo churches, in commemoration of the arrival of the two first Protestant Missionaries on the 19th of July 1706. The year 1806, being the hundredth year (or the second fiftieth) since the Gospel first visited their land, was to them" the year of Jubilee." happy occasion had been long anticipated, and was marked with demonstrations of joy and gladness; the people, as we were informed, walking in procession to their churches, carrying palms in their hands, and singing the 98th Psalm; and after offering up praises and thanksgiving to the Most High, they heard a sermon suitable to the day. The Sermon at the Jubliee of Tritchinopoly was preached by their aged Minister, the Rev. Mr. Pohle, from these words: "Go ye, therefore, and teach "all nations; baptizing them in the name of "the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy "Ghost."*

These were the effects of sending the Bible to the East. Men were brought to the knowledge of the truth;" and at the end

*See accounts of the "Society for promoting Christian "Knowledge," for the year 1809.

of a hundred years, the natives kept the Jubilee of the Bible.

Such, my brethren, was the Light in the South of India. And now a Light hath sprung up in the North, of which you have heard. Our own country hath begun, though late, to dispense" "the word of Life." And although the time has been short, the success has been great. In the North, in the West, and in Ceylon, translations of the Scriptures are going on in almost all the languages of Oriental India. "In the fulness of time," we trust the different Christian societies of Britain have. come forth, as with one consent, to commence the work of evangelizing the East. "In the "fulness of time," hath this country begun, by these instruments, to employ her great power, and her enlightened zeal, in extending the knowledge of the true God throughout the world.

We ought not to regret that the work is carried on by Christians of different denominations; * for if they teach the religion of the

*The Protestant Missionaries in Bengal, who have been mentioned in terms of disrespect by some writers in England, are a respectable body of men, entitled to the support of their country, and are an honour to our Christian nation. The names of some of the humble Teachers of Christianity, will be remembered in India, when the warriors and statesmen of their age shall have been long forgotten.

Bible, their labour will be blessed. We have no contentions in India, like those of Britain, between Protestants of different names. There

they are all friends. The strife there is between Light and darkness; between the true God and an idol. So liberal is the Christian in Asia, (while he looks over the map of the World, and can scarcely find where the isle of Britain lies) that he considers even the term "Protestant" as being, in a certain degree, exclusive or sectarian. "The religion " of the Bible," or, "the religion of Christ," is the name by which he would describe his creed. For, when the idolater once abjures his own cast for the Gospel, he considers the differences of Protestants (if he ever heard of them) as being very insignificant. Indeed he cannot well understand them. In the great revolution that takes place in his mind (if his conversion be real) he cannot contemplate these minute objects. We ought not then to regret that different classes of Christians are employed in the work. For the case is an exact parallel of that recorded in the Gospel : (Mark ix. 38.) "And John answering said, "Master, we saw one casting out Devils in . thy name, and he followeth not us; and we "forbad him, because he followeth not us. "But Jesus said, FORBID HIM NOT."

On my arrival from India, a few months ago,