Feligious Denominations, &c. Present State of Religion, &c. and were followed by the Fran- Morrison has long been employciscans. Their success at first ed, at Canton and Macao, with was rapid and extraordinary; indefatigable labour, in instruct but their imprudence (as is asing the natives and translating serted) brought on a persecution the Scriptures into the language which lasted 40 years, and end-of that vast empire. And, haved in their utter extermination.ing been joined by Mr. Milne, Population, 25,000,000. Gov- the great work of the translation ernment, absolute monarchy. has been completed. Though the missionaries may not be alTHIBET, or TIBET. lowed to penetrate to the interiThe worship of the Grand or of the empire, they find Lama is the established religion means, by the assistance of the (see Thibetians) mixed with va- natives, whose curiosity is much rious shades of Paganism. Pop-excited, to convey the scriptures ulation 2,000,000. Subject to China. INDIA beyond the Ganges, including the Birman Empire, Malaya, Siam, &c. and religious tracts into many of the great provinces. There are, already, five missionary stations, and nine missionaries, connected with which are thirteen schools. The gospel is occasionally preached in Chinese and Malay. Upwards of 150 thousand Christian publications have been printed, besides many copies of the Scriptures. INDIA. The Baptist Foreign Mission Society of this country have a mission at Rangoon, in the Birman Empire, in connexion with the English mission at Serampore. This is conducted with prudence and great persever The Birman and Siamese Hindoos, are disciples, not of Brahma, but of Boodu; but the Malays are chiefly Mahometans. Some Dutch and Portuguese settlements exist in dif-ance. And, though the obsta ferent parts of this extensive country. The Catholics boast of 300,000 converts in Tonquin, and 160,000 in ChochinChina. Population 20,000,000. Government, chiefly despotic. cles arising from the sanguinary despotism of the government, and the extreme ignorance and obstinate paganism of the people, are great, it has not been without success, and its prospects are encouraging. Religious Denominations, &c. HINDOOSTÁN. The native inhabitants are Hindoos, (followers of Bramah) Mahometans and Persees among whom, about 14 millions are reckoned to be British subjects. The Afghans are supposed to be the descendants of the ten tribes of the Israelites carried into captivity, to whom a mission is projected from G. Britain. It is mentioned, in some accounts, that there is a considerable body of professing Christians in the interior of the country. In the report of Dr. Kerr, the Christians of St. Thomas are stated at 70, or 80,000; the Syrian Catholics at 90,000, and the Roman Catholics (strictly so) at 35,000. For the use of the Syrian Christians, a Malayan version of the New Testament has been lately printed at Bombay. Present State of Religion, &c. HINDOOSTAN. Almost all the existing Missionary Societies have made attempts to convert the Hindoos. The "Society for promoting Christian Knowledge" has Missionaries at Trinchinopally, Tanjore, Madras, and Cuddalore. The Danes while they had possessions in the East Indies, where active in this good work. The Baptists have been particularly successful; besides the settlement at Serampore, they have missionaries at Cutwa, Goamalty, Dinagepore, Saddomahl, &c. in Bengal, and in other parts of India. Calcutta itself is not the seat of infidelity as formerly; but contains many hundred serious Christians in all the ranks of society. The Missionary Society (of London) has missionaries in Vizigapatam, Madras, Ganjam, Bellary, Chinsurah, Oodagerry, &c. The Society for missions to Africa and the East have also Pop-two or three missionaries, with For the religion of the natives see Hindoos and Yogeeys. The forms of government are various, but chiefly monarchical. ulation 100,000,000. native readers and catechists; and there are perhaps among all the Societies, nearly 100 persons engaged in the instruction of 100 millions of inhabitants ! The United Brethren had a Mission in the neighbourhood of Tranquebar, and attempted one in the Nicobar Islands, but both have failed. An Auxiliary Bible Society has been formed at Calcutta to co-operate with the Society in London, and with the Baptist missionaries Religious Denominations, &c. ASIATIC ISLES, Ceylon, Celebes, Present State of Religion, &c. missionaries, in translating and printing the scriptures in every considerable language of the East; and great progress has been already made in this important work. The American mission at Bombay, with branches in the vicinity, was established in 1814, and has been conducted with great prudence and fidelity. It has sustained severe trials from the ravages of disease, but has been favoured with much success. Great exertions are made for the instruction of native children, and the missionaries have more than a thousand in their schools. ASIATIC ISLES. The Borneo, Java, &c. The London missionary society Pagans and Mahometans, with has 3 missionaries at Batavia, the an intermixture of European set- capital of the Isle of Java, under tlers of various nations. The in- protection of the British governhabitants of Amboyna, a Dutch ment, one of whom is invited to settlement, were in 1796 more Amboyna, the chief of the Mothan 45,000, among whom were lucca Isles. Here many Chinese nearly 16,000 protestants, and reside, and others trade, by about 25 Christian chapels. The whom it is expected Christianity native religion of Ceylon is the may be carried into the heart of same as that of the Birmans; be- China. The same society has sides which it is said to contain two or three missionaries in Cey100,000 protestants, a great num-lon, and the Baptists one. ber of papists, and in the whole Methodists have also very reabout a million and a half of in-cently commenced a mission in habitants. Population 20 mil- this island, and all have been lions. Government chiefly des- very favourably received. potic. bible society was formed at Columbo, in this island, 1812.The American mission at Ceylon, established in 1816, is in a very prosperous state. It occupies several stations, and has not less than 800 adults and children in its schools. A physician and a printer are attached to the mission. A considerable portion of the natives of Ceylon and some parts of India are able to read. A Religious Denominations, &e. AUSTRALASIA. Under this term are comprehended the vast and innumerable islands of the South Sea. are Present State of Religion, &c. AUSTRALASIA. NEW SOUTH WALES. At Sidney Cove, in 1809, the population amounted to between 8 and 9000, and has been gradually increasing. The gospel is preached by Mr. Marsden, Chaplain to the Colony, and Schools NEW HOLLAND. Geographers not yet agreed whether to call this a continent or an island, or several ad-opened under his patronage. Several of the missionaries sent jacent islands; the whole length being 1960 miles, and its breadth to the South Seas have occasion1680, which is nearly two thirds ally resided and preached here; the size of Europe, besides the schools have been opened both surrounding islands. The orifor the Europeans and natives, ginal inhabitants are savages of and one of them has met with two or three races, and in the very encouraging success in his lowest state of barbarism. In attempts to teach the latter, who 1770, Captain Cook took posses-prove far more docile than was sion of the eastern coast in the expected. name of his Britanic Majesty, and called it New South Wales, and here a colony has been settled, at Sidney Cove, chiefly formed of convicts from Great Britain. Dr. Carey estimated the population at twelve millions; but I can find no authority to justify such a calculation; the coast is thinly peopled, and great part of the interior perhaps uninhabited. Van Dieman's Land, formerly supposed a part of New Holland, is found to be a separate island. On mature consideration I cannot rate the whole population at more than four millions. NEW ZEALAND, New Guinea, New Britain and Ireland, &c. New Zealand is the most considerable island in this neighbourhood, being about 600 miles in length, and 150 broad. The others are inferior islands, differing greatly in population, but the whole probably not exceeding 1,000,000. NEW ZEALAND. An island (600 miles in length by 150) has been lately made a missionary station, by the Church Society for missions to Africa and the East. Religious Denominations, &c. POLYNESIA, Pelew Isles, Ladrones, Carolines, Sandwich Isles, Marquesas, Society Isles, &e. Present State of Religion, &c. OTAHEITE. This is the only one of these islands on which a permanent mission has been established, after the perseverance of more than 20 years. The king himself has made a profession of Christian After all that Navigators have said, I dare not reckon the inhabitants of these islands at more than the preceding. Pink-ity, though not a very honourable erton remarks that navigators have overrated them at least ten to one. one; schools have been established to instruct the natives, particularly their children. Á Christian church has been formed among the natives of Otaheite, and civilization may be expected to advance rapidly. Missionaries are solicited for some of the other islands. On the whole, no Pagan country in modern times has been Christianized with more success, than the islands of the Marquesas, Society Islands, &c. |