"ceased: that Mr. Sichterman, the Dutch di"rector at Hougly in Bengal, greatly wishing "a Protestant Mission might be established at "Calicatta, had promised to give any Missionaries "all the liberty and encouragement in the Dutch territories, in his power.

In the Report for the year 1743, the Rev. Mr. Philip Fabricius acquaints the Society with his arrival at Madras, to supply the place of Mr. Schultze, who was returning to Denmark.. "That "he cannot say more in this beginning of his "ministry, but only that he shall put his trust in God, and depend upon his providence and grace in the overcoming all difficulties, and bringing the good work he has begun there to "perfection, and for raising up benefactors who may be able and willing to supply all the wants of the Mission, in like manner as pri"mitive believers did on the first preaching of "Christianity. That the Roman Catholics are " in so much credit in the town, as to have per"mission to christen and instruct the slaves

even of English families, who he wishes would' "shew somewhat more of countenance and regard to a Protestant Mission, under the sole "direction of the English Society for promoting Christian Knowledge,

"He acknowledges the grant of £100 from "Mr. Professor Franck, out of his remittance "to the Mission at Tranquebar: that there was

66

66

66

"added to the Malabarian congregation the last year, 3 baptized persons, and 6 communinicants; and to the Portuguese congregation, "2 baptized, and 3 communicants: that from among the Heathen they had gained 3 proselytes, a man and his wife, with their child, "who were baptized the 2nd of January, and were now instructing and preparing for bap"tism 7 grown persons, most of them rela"tions to these proselytes, and that with the Divine blessing, they were in hopes of being more successful than ever in their labors for "the glory of God, and salvation of souls." It is then stated, "that the Mission had sus"tained a great loss by the death of governor

Hobart, who was one of its best friends. Aş "to the schools belonging to it, they have in the "Malabarian 40 Heathenish children, instructed, "but not maintained. In the Portuguese school

they have at present but 5 children, instructed "and maintained, with 2 slaves, maintained by "their masters, who are to be baptized as soon "as they are taught and qualified."

"The Society," it is added, "considering "the present state of their Missions, and that Mr. Schultze is returned to Copenhagen, and "his place at Madras only provided for by a temporary supply from Mr. Fabricius, the Society considering these things, and how "much the glory of God, and the salvation of

"souls, are concerned in a successful promoting "of Christian knowledge in this trading part "of the world, upon receiving likewise a "most friendly and Christian letter from Mr. "Professor Frank, of Halle, in Saxony, full of

good-will toward their Missions at Madras ❝and Cuddalore, and proposing to pay the whole expence of sending two Missionaries thither,' have desired him to look out two proper per"sons for this work, and have agreed to allow "them a salary of £50 a year each, notwith

standing they have no settled fund to support "so extraordinary an expence, but depend for "it, from year to year, on the voluntary bene"factions of such charitable and well-disposed

persons as have in them the same spirit of "zeal as moved the Society to begin and en

large these their Missions, in hopes that the

same wise and good providence of God which "hath hitherto blessed them in all their undertakings to spread the pure Gospel of his Son, "Christ Jesus, in all parts of the world, will "raise up benefactors to contribute whatever money shall be wanted toward this: and the more so, considering that most of the discou"ragements and obstacles that attend the begin

nings of Missions, are in good measure over"come, inasmuch as many of the natives are "now qualified for schoolmasters and catechists in the Indian language; nay, some at Tran

86

quebar to be Missionaries themselves. Accordingly, Mr. Professor Franck, as an earnest "of his regard to the Society, as well as his "zeal to this branch of their Designs, has this "year remitted £250 towards the support of these English Missions."

86

The Tranquebar Missionaries state," that they had sent Mr. Fabricius to Madras, but hoped for his return to them again, if fresh "labourers could be found; that the Portuguese "Church among them is augmented with 18 "members, viz. 13 infants baptized, and 5 con"verted from the Church of Rome: and that to "the Malabarian town Church are added 127 "souls, viz. 52 infants, 67 Gentiles baptized, "with 6 Roman Catholic converts, and 2 "Christians from other places. That the Ma

labarian town school is now opened, where "98 boys and 59 girls are taught and maintained. "That what they had long desired, the having "little schools in the country, was now accom

plished, there being two opened, viz. one at "the town of Tanshaur, and one in that of Tirapalarutey. In the first are 10 Christian "and some Gentile children, in the other 7

children instructed gratis; that the country "Church is this year augmented with 148 souls, "viz. 69 children baptized, 70 adults, and 9 "Roman Catholics: that the ministers often "meet those dispersed over the country, by

"which means they have frequent opportunities "of bringing the Heathen over to the knowledge "of Christ; that the Missionaries in the town, "and the native labourers in the country, had "this year about 1100 communicants, that Mr.

Wezelius, the Dutch minister at Columbo, is very industrious in edifying the Singalean and Malabarian people upon the Island of Ceylon; that some Malabarian Christians came to them "from Columbo, and desired the Holy Bible, "and some other spiritual books, with which "they supplied them, upon assurances that the "books they formerly had were handed about, "and read by some good Christians who meet together in order to edify one another."

In the account for the year 1744, the Rev. Messieurs Guiesler and Fabricius, the Society's Missionaries at Madras, near Fort St. George, in their joint letters, dated 4th January, 1743, acquaint the Society "that they had received "the several benefactions sent from England; that "as they had not then kept a particular journal "in English of all their transactions, they en"closed an abstract of the state of the Mission, from the beginning to that time, by which it re appears, that from the 26th of September, 1728, till the end of the year 1743, there had "been christened, or admitted into their congregations, from Heathenism and Popery, "children included, 753 souls, viz.

tr