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Malabar Congregation. At Vepery Church, he had also administered the Sacrament, in English, to 26 perOn Thursday in Passion Week, Good-Friday, Easter-Day, and the Monday following, he had preached five times in Malabar, four times in Portugueze, and twice in English; and had administered the Sacrament to 96 persons in the Malabar, and to 73 persons in the Portugueze Congregation.

After having celebrated the feast of Pentecost, he had intended to return to his station at Tranquebar, as Mr. Pezold's return to Vepery, from Calcutta, was then expected; but Providence directed it otherwise. During his stay near Madras, he had become acquainted with several reputable gentlemen, and had been introduced to Lord William Cavendish Bentinck, and his lady; who had desired him, with much entreaty, to take charge of the Female Asylum, heretofore under the care of Mr. Gerické. Engaged as he was to the Danish Mission, he hesitated to accept the offer, otherwise so befitting the office of a Missionary, till he could have the consent of his superiors at Copenhagen, and could know the resolution of the Hon. Society, respecting his being fixed in an English settlement. After a consultation with his brethren at Tranquebar, upon the subject, he declined the offer; but, subsequently, receiving a letter from his Excellency General Anker, Governor of Tranquebar, which enclosed the extract of a letter to the Governor from Sir Thomas Strange, both recommending and urging the measure, he had determined, with the consent of his Tranquebar brethren, to comply with the wishes of Lady Bentinck, and to accept the office of Secretary to the Female Asylum, until the pleasure of his superiors in Europe should be known. After having regulated some necessary business at Tranquebar, which kept him there two months, he had returned to Vepery, at the end of July; and within a few weeks after, Mr. Pazold also arrived from Bengal. Mr. Rottler was then occupying Mr, Gericke's house, which he resigned to Mr. Pazold, retiring himself to another near it. Mr. Rottler had also tendered his assistance in the care and labours of the Mission, which had been gladly accepted. They were thus assisting each other, in the business of the Mission, both in Church and School, endeavouring to keep up fraternal love and unity, and to do all things for the

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best;

best; which, he trusted, with the assistance of God, would always be their aim.

Their catechists, David and Canagarayen, with the other assistants of the Mission, continued to labour in their respective functions, as their strength and faculties enabled them; and he trusted in the Lord, that the endeavours of his brethren, as well as those of himself, to raise out of the schools useful assistants for the service of the Mission, would not be fruitless He prays that the Kingdom of God may be enlarged in that Heathen country, and that the whole earth may be filled with the knowledge of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ, as the waters cover the sea; and that God may bless all the undertakings of the Honourable Society.

The Society directed their opinion to be transmitted to Mr. Rottler, that he had very properly accepted the office of Secretary to the Female Asy um, heretofore held by the late Mr. Gerické; and having good reason to believe that the assistance of Mr Rottler,in the important concerns of the Vepery Mission, would be very eligible, he has been appointed one of the Society's Missionaries, under the proviso that the same shall meet with the concurrence of his superiors at Copenhagen.

And, it appearing that Mr. Rottler had been actually occupied in the functions of a Missionary at Pepery, from the month of December, 1803, excepting a short interval, when he returned to Tranquebar, on necessary -business, the Society directed the usual allowance for -two years of 501. per annum, as a payment from Christmas 1803, to Christmas 1805, together with the customary gratuity of 501. for each year, to be remitted to him.

The Rev. Mr. Pohle, in a letter dated at Trichinapally, the 28th December, 1803, mentions particulars of his own serious indisposition, and happy recovery, and of the much lamented death of the Rev. Mr. Gerické; the circumstances of each had been before detailed to the Society: and he also expresses his most earnest hope that a suitable supply may soon fill up the vacancy in the mission.

Another letter from Mr. Pohlé, dated at Trichinapally, the 26th of June, 1804, mentions hiss frequent inability to officiate, through ill health. The Rev. Mr. Ball, one of the Honourable Company's Chaplains, had kindly

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assisted him at the garrison; and he thinks it right to inform the Society, that that gentleman had likewise assisted at the Mission Church at Vepery, to the English Congregation, after the demise of Mr. Gerické, and that he had continued so to do, until, by order of Government, he returned to Trichinapally, in March 1804, just in time to assist Mr. Pohle.

In the course of the preceding year at Trichinapally and Dindegal, there had been baptized 95, including eleven Heathens; buried 16 Natives, and 15 Europeans; married 9 couple; Communicants 65, including English and natives. The English school numbered from $1 to 40 children, and the Malabar from 10 to about 20. To the Portugueze congregation belonged 95, and to the Malabar 272, making together 367 souls. The catechist and schoolmaster were the same as in the preceding year, the former of whom had made frequent excursions around Trichinapally; and in the month of March One catechist, in company with another from Tanjore, had been to Dindegal and Madura, to converse with and instruct the Christians and others. He had furnished them with necessary books for distribution; and they returned after 60 days, having profitably spent their time, according to instructions.

During his illness, Mr. Kolhoff of Tanjore had been twice at Trichinapally, and had officiated for some time; and Mr. Cammerar of Tranquebar had done the like. This assistance was more needful on account of the English congregation, than of the Malabar, and Portugueze, as in these the catechists could officiate, for which purpose they were furnished with his sermons.

He mentions with much satisfaction, their having consecrated a new English school, adjoining to the church-yard, which the vestry had purchased, toge ther with a small spot of ground, as an additional cemetry. D

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The Rev. Dr. Kerr, on his return from England to India, had likewise kindly officiated in his church; and had satisfactorily reported a conversation he had had with some English prelates, on the subject of the Mission. It had been said that the native Christians mixed Heathenism with their Christianity, a charge applicable only to the Papists, and not at all with truth to the Protestant converts. "O that our European Christians," he observes, were not chargeable in that respect, who spent the 24th

of

of December and Christmas-Day, numerously, at the famous (or rather infamous) Sokkawasel Feast of the Heathens, at Sirengam, not attending Divine Service at church."

Mr. Pohlé urges a request, in behalf of Mr. Henry Horst, that the society would allow him an annual salary. He had studied in a German university, had assisted Mr. Gerické in his school at Vepery, and in consideration of his ability, sobriety, and good behaviour, had been stationed at Cuddalore, as a lector to the Mission, in which capacity he had served to the satisfaction of Mr. Gerické, full eleven years. On Mr. Holzeberg's settlement at Cuddalore, Mr. Horst went to Tranquebar, to qualify him more effectually for the service of the Mission. Mr. Gerické had hitherto allowed him a salary, but as that must now cease, and neither the Mission fund, nor Mr. Pohlé could furnish it, he had ventured to ask it of the society, wishing and much needing the assistance of Mr. Horst at Trichinapally; and the is satisfied that the society would not have reason to repent, if it were granted him.

Another letter from Mr. Pohlé, dated at Trichinapally, 5th Oct. 1804, states that the secretary's letter to the late Mr. Gerické, written in July, 1803, and containing a bill upon government for the payment of salaries, &c. to the Missionaries, due at Christmas 1803, had, together with the ship Albion, been taken by the French, and carried to the Isle of France. The papers, however, had been happily restored, and the salaries received.

Mr. Pohlé repeats, what in his last letter he had urged, respecting Mr. Henry Horst, to which he had been led by the advice of the Rev. Mr. Ball, and by the consideration of his having already received assistance from Mr. Horst, in the Mission concerns at Trichinapally.

Prior to the receipt of these letters from Mr. Pohlé, the society had directed a gratuity of 501. to be sent out to Mr. Horst, in consideration of his services to the Mission at Cuddalore, as reported in divers letters from the late Mr. Gerické; and the consideration whether a permanent salary shall be granted to him, is suspended, till such time as the society shall receive further accounts from the Missionaries, respecting Mr. Horst, and his competency to be one of them.

The Rev. Mr. Holzberg, in a letter dated at Cuddalore, the 17th of Feb. 1804, states that the Mission Con

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gregations at that place had much decreased, since the garrison had marched to Trichinapally, in the preceding month of September: the decrease, however, had not been so apparent at Church, as he found it to be, when he visited them at their houses, those who had left the place being such as had not had many opportunities of attending Divine service. The Malabar school, which had been reduced to 4 scholars, had increased since his arrival at Cuddalore, to 14; in which too he had made arrangements for more ample instruction. He had administered the Lord's Supper thrice in English and Malabar, and once in the German language, to about 100 communicants. He had baptized 20, including 2 Heathens; and received from the Romish Church 3 persons: he had married 13 couples, and buried 11 Europeans. He observes that that Mission might again flourish, if it were not so very poor. Since the death of Mr. Gerické, he had not wherewith to pay the catechist and schoolmaster, whose salaries had been furnished by that worthy Missionary; he therefore particularly recommends the state of the Cuddalore Mission to the consideration and benevolence of the society.

Mr. Holzberg's statement, respecting the Cuddalore Mission, being taken into consideration, the Society directed 501. to be sent out, with the other remittances, towards defraying the expences of that Mission.

In the account of the Mission, published by the Society, for the year 1803, mention is made of ill usage, and persecution, experienced by some new converts to Christianity, in the Tinnavelly district. A statement of the particulars having been made, by direction of the board, to the court of directors of the Honourable East India Company, and their interference requested, not only to prevent any similar persecution of Christian Converts in future, but to protect the persons and labours of the Missionaries of the society, in the discharge of those important duties, with which they are entrusted; the Society can now happily report to the public, that a most handsome and satisfactory reply was received from that Honourable Court, together with the copy of an important paragraph, which was to be inserted in their next dispatches to the government of Madras, on the subject referred to, in the representation made by the Society.

The Society cannot yet report that any new Mission

aries

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