he is not resident there. The proper country of these Christians is Armenia, the greater part of which is subject to the Persian Government; but they are scattered all over the Empire, the commerce of Persia being chiefly conducted by Armenians. Their Patriarch resides at Erivan, not far from Mount Ararat.

The History of the Armenian Church is very interesting. Of all the Christians in central Asia, they have preserved themselves most free from Mahomedan and Papal corruptions. The Pope assailed them for a time with great violence, but with little effect. The Churches in lesser Armenia indeed consented to an union, which did not long continue; but those in Persian Armenia maintained their independence; and they retain their ancient Scriptures, doctrines, and worship, to this day. "It is marvellous," says an intelligent traveller, who was much among them, "how the Armenian Christians have preserved their faith, equally against the vexatious oppression of the Mahomedans their Sovereigns, and against the persuasions of the Romish Church, which for more than two centuries has endeavored, by Missionaries, Priests, and Monks, to attach them to her Communion. It is impossible to describe the artifices and expenses of the Court of Rome, to effect this object; but all in vain."*

The Bible was translated into the Armenian Language in the fifth century, under very auspicious circumstances, the history of which has come down to us. It has been allowed, by competent judges of the language, to be a most faithful translation. La Croze calls it the "Queen of

* Chardin, vol. ii, p. 232

Versions."* This Bible has ever remained in the possession of the Armenian people; and many illustrious instances of genuine and enlightened piety occur in their history. The manuscript copies not being sufficient for the demand, a council of Armenian Bishops assembled in 1662, and resolved to call in aid the art of Printing, of which they had heard in Europe. For this purpose they applied first to France, but the Catholic Church refused to print their Bible. At length it was printed at Amsterdam in 1666, and afterwards two other editions in 1668, and 1698. Since that time it has been printed at Venice. One of the editions which the Author has seen, is not inferior, in beauty of typography, to the best English Bible. How far these editions might have supplied the Churches in Persia at that time, he does not know; but, at present, the Armenian Scriptures are very rare in that country, bearing no proportion to the Armenian population; and, in India, a copy is scarcely to be purchased at any price.

The Armenians in Hindostan are our own subjects. They acknowledge our government in India, as they do that of the Sophi in Persia; and they are entitled to our regard. They have preserved the Bible in its purity; and their doctrines are, as far as the Author knows, the doctrines of the Bible. Besides, they maintain the solemn observance of Christian worship, throughout our Empire, on the seventh day; and they have as

Mr. Joannes Lassar, who is now making a version of the Scriptures in the Chinese Language in Bengal, is an Armenian Christian, and translates chiefly from the Armenian Bible. But he also understands English, and consults the English version.

many spires pointing to heaven among the Hindoos, as we ourselves. Are such a people, then entitled to no acknowledgment on our part, as, fellow Christians? Are they for ever to be ranked by us with Jews, Mahomedans, and Hindoos?* Would it not become us to approach nearer to these our subjects, endeavor to gain their confidence, and conciliate their esteem? Let us, at least, do that which is easily practicable. We are in possession of the means of printing, which they have not. Let us print the Armenian Bible, and employ proper persons from among themselves, to superintend the work, and encourage them to disperse their own faithful copy throughout the East. Let us shew them, that the diffusion of the Scriptures is an undertaking to which we are not indifferent; and, by our example, let us stimulate their zeal, which is very languid. But, however languid their zeal may be, it is certain that they consider the English as being yet more dead to the interests of religion, than themselves. Such a subject as this, indeed every subject which is of great importance to Christianity, is worthy the notice of our Government, as well as of individuals and societies. The printing press, which shall be employed in multiplying copies of the pure Armenian Bible, will prove a precious fountain for the evangelization of the

* Sarkies Joannes, an Armenian merchant of Calcutta, when he heard of the King's recovery from illness in 1789, liberated all the prisoners for debt in the gaol of Calcutta. His Majesty, hear ing of this instance of loyalty in an Armenian subject, sent him his picture in miniature. Sarkies wore the royal present suspended at his breast, during his life; and it is now worn by his son, when he appears at the levee of the Governor-General.

East; and the Oriental Bible Repository at Calcutta will be a central and convenient place for its dispersion.

ECCLESIASTICAL ESTABLISHMENT

FOR

BRITISH INDIA.

BEFORE the Author left India, he published a "Memoir of the Expediency of an Ecclesiastical Establishment" for our Empire in the East. The design of that work was first suggested to him by the revered Dr. Porteus, late Bishop of London, who had attentively surveyed the state of our dominions in Asia; and he was encouraged by subsequent communications with the Marquis Wellesley, to endeavor to lead the attention of the nation to the subject. That publication has now been four years before the public; and many volumes have been written on the various subjects which it contains: but he does not know that any objection has been made to the principle of an Ecclesiastical Establishment for Christians in India. An attempt has been made indeed to divert the attention from the true object, and, instead of considering it as an establishment for Christians, to set it forth as an establishment for instructing the Hindoos. But the instruction of the Hindoos is entirely a distinct consideration, as was carefully noted in the Memoir. At the end of the first part is the following paragraph:

"It will be remembered, that nothing which has been observed is intended to imply that any

peculiar provision should be made immediately for the instruction of the natives. Any expensive establishment of this kind, however becoming our national character, or obligatory on our principles, cannot possibly be organized to efficient purpose, without the aid of a local Church. Let us first establish our own religion amongst ourselves, and our Asiatic subjects will soon benefit by it. When once our national Church shall have been confirmed in India, the members of that Church will be the best qualified to advise the State, as to the means by which, from time to time, the civilization of the natives may be promoted."*

An Ecclesiastical Establishment would yet be necessary for British India, if there were not a Mahomedan or Hindoo in the land. For, besides the thousands of British Christians, who live and die in that country, there are hundreds of thousands of native Christians, who are at this moment "as sheep without a shepherd;" and who are not insensible to their destitute estate, but supplicate our countenance and protection. Surely the measure cannot be contemplated by the Legislature, for a moment, without perceiving its ab. solute propriety, on the common principles of justice and humanity.

In regard to the other subject, the instruction of the Hindoos, many different opinions have been delivered in the volumes alluded to, the most prominent of which are the two following: First, That Hinduism is, upon the whole, as good as Christianity, and that therefore conversion to Christianity is not necessary. This deserves no reply. The second opinion is, that it is indeed a

• Memoir, p. 28.