duties to their own countrymen. Early in the 18. But, though the British authorities were thus indifferent about the religion of their heathen subjects, they did not interfere with the Romish missionaries, but left them at liberty, with the single exception of the Jesuits, to prosecute the work of conversion. Indeed, they favoured them with more than bare toleration: for about the close of the seventeenth century, they took some pains to procure a religious teacher for the numerous romanists within the Madras presidency. A capuchin missionary, named Father Euphrem, touching at Fort St. George, on his way to their mission at Pegu, was invited by the English to remain there, and take charge of the members of his church 3 We have reached the year 1839 without obtaining this, or anything more than the mere toleration of the voluntary exertions of others in the missionary field. A. D. 1707. English encourage CaMadras. puchins at CHAP. III. Rescue a Capuchin missionary quisition at Goa. within the company's territories. Assured of protection and assistance in the exercise of his functions, he acceded to the proposal, and, under the auspices of the English governor, founded a capuchin establishment at Madras which exists to the present day. 19. This missionary had not entered long on the duties of his office before he received subfrom the In- stantial proof that his confidence in the English was not misplaced. On one occasion, when preaching upon the honour that belonged unto God, he exposed the idolatry of the Romish practice of giving greater.honour to the Virgin Mary, and carefully explained the difference between the homage due to God, as Creator, and the respect to be paid to the memory of the Virgin, who, he said, was a mere creature. This was heard by some Portuguese, who had come from St. Thomé; and, being as superstitious as the heathen," says the Romish author, they were much offended at his so depreciating "the Queen of Heaven," and reported the heretical sentiment that he had uttered to the Inquisition at Goa. The inquisitors, who were Jesuits, sent immediate orders to have him apprehended, and transported to Goa. But it was no easy matter to execute these orders while he was under British protection: they, therefore, resolved upon a stratagem to draw him away from Madras. A feigned disturbance was raised at St. Thomé, which Father Euphrem was sent for to appease but he had no sooner arrived than he was seized by the officers of the Inquisition, and carried to Goa as a criminal, bound hand and foot. Arriving there at night, he was hurried at once 6 Memoires du P. Norbert, tom. iii. p. 56. from shipboard, and immediately thrown into one of the dungeons, without going through even the form of a judicial process. The English, at Madras, no sooner heard of this tyrannical proceeding, than their indignation was roused, and they resolved without delay to break the prisoners bonds and restore him to liberty. For this purpose they sent a vessel to Goa, with eight or ten resolute men on board, who, immediately on their arrival there, presented themselves at the gate of the Inquisition, with their weapons concealed under their clothes, and pretended that they were come peaceably, merely wishing to pay a visit to the court. Having gained admittance, two of them secured the gate, and the rest rushed forward sword in hand, and threatened the Inquisitors with instant death if they did not open the prison doors, and set Father Euphrem at liberty. The Father was soon restored to them, when they carried him off in triumph, the sentinels keeping the gate till he was safe on board. They then followed, and the vessel sailed for Madras, where they arrived in safety, and re-instated the Father in his mission, rejoiced at having escaped out of the hands of his tormentors," and filled with gratitude to his generous deliverers. "It required," says our Romish author, " English courage for such an expedition. If Father Norbert had fallen into such a net after his funeral oration, it is very doubtful whether the French at Pondicherry would have exposed themselves to such hazard to draw him out of it, however convinced they might have been of his innocence."7 66 7 Memoires du P. Norbert, tom. iii. pp. 56, 57. The funeral oration here alluded to was delivered at Pondicherry by Father Norbert in 1737, on the death of M. de Visdelou, vicar apos A. D. 1707. CHAP. Refuse to countenance for reasons assigned. After this, the Capuchins acknowledge with gratitude the continuance of the favours shown them by the English at Madras, where their mission prospered to such an extent, that in 1715 they numbered twenty thousand souls 8— no inconsiderable proportion of the whole population within the presidency, which did not much exceed one hundred thousand. They were allowed to build a spacious church on an eligible spot of ground, and were also greatly assisted in its erection by the munificence of the British Governor. 20. The romanists on the coast of Coromanthe Jesuits, del acknowledged the Bishop of St. Thomé for their diocesan; but the present Bishop being a Jesuit, he was not permitted to visit Madras in his episcopal capacity. The English, as well as the Dutch, had too good reason to exclude the Jesuits from their possessions; and it was this which caused the members of that society to feel very jealous of the Capuchins, whom they tried very hard to supplant: "but nothing, tolic at that station: "in which the preacher took occasion to inveigh against the violence with which the Jesuits had resisted M. de Visdelou's authority, though acting as the Pope's representative. Ibid, tom. ii. pp. 468, &c. The liberation of Father Euphrem has been attributed also to the influence of persons in authority at home and in India; but it was very unusual for the Inquisitors to yield to any such influence: and had the story of the Englishmen been untrue, the Jesuits would certainly have contradicted it. See Chandler's History of Persecutions, pp. 176, 177. 8 This, like the other Romish missions, has since declined. In 1815, when the population of Madras was increased to about 400,000, the mission was stated to contain only 10 or 12,000 Christians of several descriptions, natives, country born, &c., living at Madras and its vicinity, It was then under the direction of Italian Capuchins, having for their superior an apostolic prefect, and holding their spiritual powers from the congregation De Propaganda. Abbé Dubois' Letters, pp. 60, 61. says our author, "is more difficult to execute with such a people as the English, who know the Jesuits well, and whom it is not so easy to gain over as the French Company, who had allowed them to establish themselves at Bengal, Pondicherry, and Karical." The Bishop, finding that there was no hope of his being allowed to exercise his episcopal functions at Madras, expressed a wish, through the Capuchins, to receive an invitation from the governor to pay him a visit; for he was apprehensive that his total exclusion from the presidency would prejudice the native Christians against his jurisdiction. The invitation was easily obtained, and was sent through the Capuchin fathers, who were authorized to assure him that he might come in perfect safety. This, however, was not all he wanted, his object being to secure such a reception as would imply a recognition of him as the diocesan of the place. He, therefore, wrote again, desiring to know with what honour he should be received. At this the Englishman was much displeased, and replied, Tell the Bishop of Meliapore that I will receive him as a good merchant, in allusion to the extensive commerce in which the prelate, and most other Jesuits in India, were constantly engaged. The Capuchins tried hard to pacify the governor; but, not succeeding, they begged to be excused sending their Bishop such an answer. The Englishman took this in good part, and wrote himself: but the Bishop, seeing that he had nothing to gain for the honour of his office by a visit on such terms, said no more about it. He did not fail, however, to resent upon the Capuchins 9 Comme un bon marchand. Memoires du P. Norbert, tom. i. pp. 345–354. A. D. 1707. |