bishops of Cranganore," added he, "have al-
ways followed his example. This display, which
all the prelates of India have made, is abso-
lutely necessary in a nation of barbarians, who
can form no idea of God if they do not behold
an exhibition of grandeur."6 This notion is
very erroneous indeed, as many faithful and
simple preachers of the Gospel in India have
since proved. Indeed, the Roman Church, not-
withstanding all her magnificence, and her
study to accommodate her tenets and cere-
monies to the idolatrous customs of India, has
for many years past been rapidly declining in
that country. This has already been stated in
the present Volume, as the avowal of a Jesuit
missionary after thirty years' experience in
India. 7 The missionaries of his order soon
discovered, that the natives were not so easily
captivated by pomp and magnificence as the
Carmelite pretended; and they tried the op-
posite experiment of imitating the Hindoo de-
votees, assuming, as
assuming, as we have shown, their
appearance of poverty, their mortifications of
the flesh, and indifference to the pleasures
of society. It will be remembered, that when
they announced "themselves as brahmins,
they made it their study to imitate that tribe,'
even in their idolatrous practices, as well as
their more simple customs.
But this expe-
dient in the end met with no better suc-
cess than the display of the Carmelites -

History of Joseph de St Marie, p. 39. La Croze, p. 398.
7 Book v.
ch. iii. See Letters on the State of Christianity
in India, by Abbé J. A. Dubois. Also the evidence of the
Abbé given before a committee of the House of Commons in
1832. 'Affairs of the East India Company, Part I. Minutes
of Evidence." See also the Author's Reply to the Abbé's
"Letters," published by Seeley, 1824.

A. D.

1661.

CHAP. 11.

Simple preaching of

more im

pressive.

as we have intimated in the foregoing Chapter, and shall detail more fully in the sequel.8

11. But while these devices, which the word the Gospel of God not only does not sanction, but condemns, have, upon the romanists' own showing, totally failed; the simple means commanded by our Lord and used by His Apostles for the propagation of the Gospel, have since proved as successful in India as in any other country under ordinary circumstances. The faithful publication of the truth, without any pomp in the announcement, and with no carnal motives proffered to induce its acceptance, has penetrated the souls of thousands even in Hindoostan, and turned them from dumb idols to serve the living and true God. This effect, however, is not to be attributed merely to the preaching of the Gospel, but to the Divine blessing attending it for without the Holy Spirit's application, even the Word of God, with whatever fidelity or eloquence proclaimed, could neither enlighten the mind, nor touch the heart. Then, do not these opposite results from such contrary means prove, that while the Almighty has withheld His grace from those who presumed to substitute pomp and ceremony for His truth; and also from those who endeavoured to recommend their own modification of it by the practice of deception; He has honoured and prospered it when preached in sincerity? This

8 Another Jesuit missionary, Father Bouchet, wrote home from India to caution future missionaries not to assume too much humility before the heathen, who were likely to take their word, and believe them to be the sinners they avowed themselves. (Lettres Edifiantes, onziéme Recueil, p. 69. La Croze, pp. 399, 400.) How unlike the Apostle's example, (Rom. vii.) and the injunction given by the pious author of The Imitation of Jesus, Ama nesciri et pro nihilo reputari, 1. i. c. 2.

success may also be fairly regarded as a proof of His approbation of the means which His servants, of the protestant missions, have employed for the propagation of Christianity in India. This will be abundantly proved in the subsequent volumes of our History.

A. D.

1661.

varied pro

gress.

12. The first place visited by the new Bishop Bishop's was Mutane, where he was welcomed in a manner that corresponded with the idea of display that he thought it necessary to make. Departing hence on the 25th of August, he arrived on the following day at Calurcate, in the kingdom of Porca. The inhabitants of this place were not favourably disposed towards him, and would have shown him very little civility, had not the pagan Rajah sent an officer to compel them to submit to his authority. But, notwithstanding this coercion, it was with difficulty that they could be induced to receive confirmation at the Bishop's hands; for they were persuaded, as in the time of Menezes, that the sign made on the forehead, and the box on the ear that followed it, were indignities invented by the Portuguese, who thus showed, as was thought, their intention to make them slaves. On leaving this place, the Bishop had an audience with the Rajah of Porca, who received him in great state, and on his arrival and departure saluted him with all his artillery, of which he had a good supply.

between the

Arch

13. This favourable commencement of the Conference prelate's visitation, though to be attributed to Bishop and the influence of the Portuguese and the power deacon. of the heathen princes, rather than to the disposition of the people, did not fail to alarm the Archdeacon and his friends. The Rajah of Cochin had confiscated the lands of the churches of Candanate and some other places in his kingdom, in consequence of their refusal to obey

CHAP.
II.

Conference carried on

by deputies at the Court

of Cochin. Bishop attempts to justify

the Bishop. The inhabitants, therefore, resolved
to come to some terms with him, or rather, to
deliver themselves by some stratagem from
such vexatious oppression. For this purpose
they sent a deputation to Diamper, which was
already reduced to submission, to propose an
interview between the prelate and the Arch-
deacon, in order to put an end, as they said, to
all the misunderstandings which divided their
church. The Bishop repaired immediately to
Diamper, expecting the Archdeacon to go as
promptly to Candanate, the place assigned him
in the vicinity, which was within the dominions
of Cochin. But Thomas de Campo knew
better than to trust himself so near the Portu-
guese. He was induced, however, by the soli-
citation of his friends, to venture to repair
to Molandurtè, which was not far from Diam-
per. He made choice of this place, because it
was on the frontiers of the kingdom of Bar-
cate, whither he might easily make his escape,
on the first appearance of danger from any
movements of the Portuguese party to secure
his person.
It will soon appear that, under the
good Providence of Almighty God, he owed his
life to this precaution.

14. The two ecclesiastics being brought so near each other, they agreed to carry on their discussions by deputies, who were to meet in a third place. The town fixed upon was Trepunettare, where the aged Rannee of Cochin then the employ held her courts, and the affairs of both parties were discussed in presence of the brahmins and ministers of state. These heathen were in no way competent to judge of the ecclesiastical questions to be debated before them; but as all were under the influence of the Portuguese, who assembled there in great force, and the

ment of heathen judges in this ecclesi

astical

cause.

66

party of the Carmelite prelate also was strong,
every thing was carried in his favour. It was,
probably, by way of apology for employing
heathen to decide ecclesiastical questions, that
the Bishop laboured to make it appear neces-
sary, in order to counteract the intrigues, and
resist the violence, to which, he pretended, the
opposite party had recourse. "It is impossible,"
said he, " particularly to relate what we suf-
"fered in this assembly for the space of a whole
"month, I do not say in conducting the
"negociation, but from the ambushes, calum-
"nies, artifices, and diabolical intrigues of these
"schismatics, to secure the triumph in the
debate, and to ruin these poor Christians
"without remedy. Whoever has read the his-
tory of the church, will see in this miserable
assembly an epitome of all the artifices of
"heretics in ancient and modern times, Arians,
Pelagians, Lutherans, and Calvinists.
"will see also much greater impudence, the
power and favour of idolatrous princes having
"rendered them the judges of the cause of
"Jesus Christ. It was absolutely necessary
"therefore to have recourse to arms in defence
"of the truth so oppressed. She triumphed at
last, covered with the purple stain of her
martyrs' blood, and splendent from the bright-
"ness of the fire which reduced some of their
"houses to ashes, when the schismatics per-
"ceived that their designs were frustrated, and
"their cause defeated." 9

66

66

66

66

He

This is not the only specimen that might be given of this cruel and haughty prelate's misrepresentations. His language is descriptive of his own proceedings, rather than of theirs whom

9 Giuseppe di S. Maria, seconda Speditione. Lib. ii. cap. 7, pp. 45, 46. La Croze, pp. 402, 403.

A. D. 1661.