1812. The Sabbath. wasted upon newspapers. When he becomes familiar with this habit, the Sabbath, far from being a season of religious instruction, is utterly perverted, and becomes a day of ease and idleness, of worldly conversation Unless and secular pursuits. God signally interposes in favor of such a man, and awakens him to a sense of his danger, he will proceed in a rapid course of moral declension till all his Sabbaths will have been spent in vanity and sin. It is sometimes said, that there is a great necessity that merchants, and others, who have great interests continually at stake, should receive letters on the Sabbath, so as to profit by the latest intelligence, or at least to escape impending evils. But if they may receive letters, they may doubtless answer them, or transact any business which may appear to be necessary in consequence of any new intelligence. In other words, they may transform the Sabbath into a day of business, if, in their opinion, any temporal advantage will probably accrue from it. But who gave them a dispensation from the duty of obeying the law of God? They ought to feel, indeed, that they have higher interests to be consulted, than any which will terminate with their lives, or with the world which we inhabit. There are other causes, which have had more or less influence, but which cannot here be described. Among the evils to be deplored respecting this subject are the lax habits of many Christians, (and of some Ministers of the Gospel too,) in permitting and a worldly themselves to fall into worldly conversation, use course of thought, on the Sab- one It is surprising, though painful, to see with what readiness professedly religious persons fall into a lax manner of keeping the Sabbath; often, would hope, without reflecting on the serious injury they are doing themselves and others. The great causes why real Christians depart from the strict rules of practical godliness in this matter, are probably a fear of being thought too rigid, and a wish to make themselves agreeable to those worldly men with whom they are conversant. Hence it is necessary to unite in common topics of conversation; topics in which religion has little share, and less apparent interest. To the accurate observer of men and things, it must appear strange, that it should be found so posssible, as it is proved to be by experience, to banish from the conversation of multitudes, who profess religion, every thing which would naturally lead the thoughts to God. After returning from the house of God, from hearing a solemn sermon, and engaging in the devotional exercises of the sanctuary, how easy is it to fall into some light conversation on the weather, public affairs, dress, fashions, and all the subjects of that class? How entirely do these light and trivial things exclude every weighty subject of conversation from the mind? And how easily are we brought to such a state of mind, as that religion appears an intruder, even on a day devoted to religion? Though religious persons are principally in danger from temptations to indulge in unprofitable conversation on the Sabbath, there are dangers from other sources also. It is common in many places to prepare a better dinner for Sunday, than is customary on other days. Wherever this practice has become established, a large part of the family is detained from public worship to make preparations for dinner; and the remaining part, it is to be feared, will be more engaged in the pleasures of the table than in the pursuit of Divine knowledge, more anxious to pamper their perishable bodies than to consult the interests of their immortal souls. Let every serious man consider how easy it is to introduce practices unfriendly to religious improvement, and how difficult to put an end to such practices when once established. Let Christians universally feel the importance of keeping the Sabbath holy, according to the Divine command. Should it be asked, What shall be done? and, Where shall reformation begin? I answer: It is the duty of all who profess reli gion to examine this matter; and to inquire diligently how the Sabbath should be sanctified: and when they have become firmly established in their own minds as to the course to be pur sued, et ther resolutely obey God rather than man. It requires great courage to perse vere in the path of virtue and piety; but they, who earnestly and humbly atempt to do so, will be strengthened from above; they will be finally victorious over all their enemies. Parents will do well to remember, that it is morally im possible to give children a relig ious education, unless they are habitually taught by example and precept to observe the Sab bath; and, if the rising genera tion are not religiously educat ed, piety must decline. The prosperity of the Church in future ages depends much upon the manner in which Christians of the present day educate their offspring. Most ardently does the writer of these paragraphs desire, that every Minister, and 1 every private Christian, would exert all the powers of persuasion, authority, and example, to revive the ancient strictness of this country, in the religious ob servance of the Lord's Day. Then might we confidently assure ourselves, that God has spoken good things concerning our Zion. A. B. MISCELLANEOUS. NEOUS EVANGELICAL EXERTIONS IN ASIA. No. II. Containing a short account of the Syrian and Syro-Roman Christians in Malabar and Travancore, with some notice of the Black and the White Jews in that region, and a brief sketch of the Danish Mission on the Coromandelcoast, together with a general view of those communities and associations that have assisted in the illumination of the East. THE SYRIAN CHRISTIANS. THE Syrian Christians, otherwise called St. Thomas's Christians, inhabit the interior of Malabar and Travancore, in the South western part of India, and have been settled there from the early ages of Christianity, probably from the days of the apostles. The tradition among them is, that the Gospel was planted in India by the apostle Thomas. Landing at Cranganor from Aden in Arabia, he was well received by Masdeus king of the country, whose son Zuzan he baptised, and afterwards ordained a deacon. After continuing some time at Cranganor, he visited the coast of Coromandel, and preached the Gospel at Melapoor, and finally at St. Thomas's Mount, near Madras, where he was put to death. His tomb long remained an object of veneration. In the sixth century Gregory of Tours saw a man who had visited it: in the ninth century Sighelm, bishop of Shireburn, was sent there by king Alfred of England, in consequence of a vow. At Paroor, near Cranganor, there is a church, supposed to be the oldest in Malabar, that still bears the name of this apostle. "I am satisfied," says Dr. Buchanan, "that we have as good authority for believing that the apostle Thomas died in India, as that the apostle Peter died at Rome."* That Christians early existed in India, is a fact fully attested. Pantænus of Alexandria visited that country about the year 189, and found Christians there who possessed the Gospel of Matthew in Hebrew, which they said they had received from St. Bartholomew. The primate of India was present and signed his name at the Council of Nice in the year 325. The next year Frumentius was consecrated to that office by Athanasius of Alexandria, and afterwards lived long and founded many churches in India. Marultra, a Hindoo, and bishop of Suphara, assisted at the Synod of *Ch. Res. p. 148, 164, 165, Ed. R. No. 32. p. 587, 388. Sides in Pamphylia, in the year 385. In the fifth century a Christian bishop from Antioch, accompanied by a small colony of Syrians, emigrated to India, and settled on the coast of Malabar. In the year 530, Cosmos, an Egyptian merchant, found in Hindostan and Ceylon many churches and several bishops. The Syrian Christians enjoyed a succession of bishops appointed by the Patriarch of Antioch, from the beginning of the third century till they were invaded by the Portuguese. They still retain the Liturgy anciently used in the churches of Syria, and employ in their public worship the same language that was spoken by our Savior in the streets of Jeru salem.* The first notices of this ancient people in modern times are found in the Portuguese histories. When Vasco de Gama arrived at Cochin in the year 1503, he found on the coast of Malabar more than a hundred Christian churches. As soon as the Portuguese were able, they compelled the churches nearest the sea coast to acknowledge the supremacy of the Pope, but, through want of power to go further, allowed them to retain in their worship their ancient language and Liturgy. At the same time they burned all the Syriac and Chaldaic books and records on which they could lay their hands. This was in the year 1599. The churches which were thus subdued, are called the Syro-Roman Christians. Those in the interior would not submit Ch. Res. p. 148, 158, 167. Mem. p. 50, 51, 53. Star in E. p. 12 Ed. R. No. 32. p. 388. to Rome, but after a show of union for a time fled to the mountains, hid their books, and put themselves under the protection of the native princes, by whom they have ever since been kept in a state of depression. Tais separation took place in the year 1653. The churches which thus preserved some remains of their ancient liberty, are called the Syrian Christians. Of these there are at present fifty-five churches, comprehending according to one account 23,000, according to another, 50,000 people.* Their vernacular tongue is the Malabar; their Liturgy, as well as their Scriptures, is locked up in the Syriac language. The doctrines of these churches are few in number, but agree in all essential respects with the church of England. Though the body of the people are ignorant, formal, and dead, individuals are to be found among them who adorn their profession by a life and spirit according with the Gospel. The houses in which they worship gery much resemble the village churches in England. When Dr. Buchanan visited this secluded and interesting people in 1806, they had not a single printed copy of the Scriptures, and but very few copies in manuscript. The measures • Dr. Buchanan stated in his Me. moir in 1805, that there were 32 of When he visited them in 1806, he these churches, and 50,000 people. found, instead of 32, 55 churches. The American Editor of the Memoir, after noticing Dr. B's. visit, and that he found more churches than had been expected, adds, (but upon what authority we are not told,) that there are 23,090 people. Mem. p. 52, 91, Note, Ch. Res. p. 156. which have since been adopted to supply them with Bibles, will be noticed in another place. The climate of Malabar and Travancore is delightful, and the face of the country is verdant and picturesque. From the long influence of Christianity on the manners of the people, they have acquired considerably more improvement than is to be found in the Northern parts of Hindostan. THE SYRO-ROMAN CHRISTIANS. THE Syro-Roman Christians, (who must not be confounded with the Latin Roman Catholics,) have in Malabar one hundred and nine churches, besides those in Travancore. Of these, sixty-four are governed by the Pope's Apostolick Vicar in Malabar, (the bishop of Verapoli,) and forty-five by the Archbishop of Cranganor. The two large dioceses of the bishops of Cochin and Quilon are in Travancore. The Syro-Roman churches contain upwards of 100,000 people, stretched along the sea coast through the whole extent of Malay-ala. The houses in which they worship are larger than the churches of the Syrian Christians. Those in Travancore extend to Cape Comorin, and are visible from the sea. This circumstance is noticed by a late traveller in the following beautiful description. "Having kept as close to the land as possible, the whole coast of Malabar appeared before us in the form of a green amphitheatre. At one time we discovered a district entirely covered with cocoa-nut trees, and immediately after, a river winding through a delightful vale, at the bottom of VOL. IV. New Series. which it discharged itself into the sea. In one place appeared a multitude of people employed in fishing, in another a snow white church bursting forth to the view from amidst the thick-leaved trees. While we were enjoying these delightful scenes with the early morning, a gentle breeze which blew from the shore, perfumed the air around us with the agreeable smeli wafted from the cardamon,pepper, beetel, and other aromatic herbs and plants."* BLACK JEWS. IN the interior of Malabar and Travancore are multitudes of Black Jews, who removed to India after the destruction of the first temple. So deep a complexion has been burnt upon them by an Indian sun, that they are hardly distinguishable from the Hindoos. They possess synagogues, and have obtained from the White Jews some complete copies of the Old Testament. The great body of them live in the interior; but they have one synagogue at Jews' Town near Cochin. THE WHITE JEWS. Ar Jews' Town, one mile from Cochin, is a little colony of White Jews, who, according to their own account, are the remains of a large body that removed to India after the destruction of the second temple. They first settled at Cranganor, where their numbers were increased from time to time by accessions from Judea, Spain, and other parts. Here they continued about a thousand Ch. Res. p. 148-166. Mem. p. 19, 51-54, 85 Note, 91 Note. 69 |