pected to render an account of their stewardship, and are held responsible by law for their official acts. These offices are both executed gratis, and seem somewhat analogous to our office of churchwarden. Parochial records are kept by the pastor, of births, baptisms, marriages, and deaths.

For the government of these churches the regulations (except such as are ordinarily attached to the Romish faith) are received from the diocese of Goa; and the Lord Primate sends a Bishop to visit them about once in three years. There is no ecclesiastical tribunal whatever in the province, and consequently all matters of importance regarding religious government, are referred to Goa, and decided by the Primate. The inquisition is not known; nor any public penances ever imposed. The punishment of excommunication is occasionally, but rarely resorted to, and only for crimes of the greatest magnitude, involving contumacy and disobedience; as for instance-against duellists, comprehending as well the receiver of the challenge and those who assist in the duel, as the challenger; against those who have caused the abortion of an animated fœtus; against homicides; against those who have read false apostles; against those who lay violent hands on any clergyman or monk; against those who presume to usurp any of the goods, rights, rents, fruits, or jurisdictions of the church, &c. The power of inflicting this punishment is vested in the Lord Primate of the East. It is published before the people (being usually communicated by letter from the Archbishop), and intimated to the culprit, either within the church or out of it, three admonitions to amendment having been previously given. The sentence is read by the vicar; and no constraint is put upon the party with regard to his attendance, for though he be not present it has the same effect, provided he be within the limits of the jurisdiction. There are two degrees of this punishment; and those who are excommunicated are either tolerados or vitandos: the tolerados are not specified by name in the denunciation; with these the faithful may communicate, as well in politicis as in sacris. The vitandos are those who are specifically named, or posted in the public rules; with these the faithful must not communicate, nec in politicis, nec in sacris; and what shall be denied them is related in the following lines

Si pro delictis anathema quis afficiatur,

Os, orare, vale, communio, mensa negatur.

What is permitted them is thus stated—

Utile, lex, humile, res ignorata, necesse.

The faithful then are to avoid the "excommunicados vitandos;" but this injunction is not so comprehensive as to forbid the exercise towards them of works of charity and pity; and it is held perfectly lawful to marry into their family.

The fast-days are regularly kept as in Europe; and the native Christians all eat meat on ordinary days.

The mass is celebrated in Latin, as in Europe; but the sermon, the catechism, the explication of the mysteries, and other instructions, are delivered to the congregation in their native language, which is the Kankani, or language of Goa. This is a dialect of the Maharashta, and is in very extended use on the coast between Canara and Bombay. All Oriental Herald, Vol. 3.

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castes, without any reference to rank or condition, assist at the same mass; each person attending according to convenience, without any regard to civil distinction. The women also attend the same mass as the men; but there is a part of the church destined for their particular Occupation. Images of our Saviour, of the Holy Mother and of other saints are in use, and the priests have the same excuses in their mouths for this species of idolatry, as their more tutored brethren in Europe. It does not appear that any miracles are said to have been performed in the province, these very lucrative proofs of divine favour being probably monopolized by the higher powers at Goa. With respect to saints, the most celebrated, probably in consequence of the numerous conversions which he effected in these parts, is the great Francis Xavier, who is dignified with the title of the Great Apostle of India. His body rests at Goa. Next to him in celebrity, though not canonized, is the venerable father Joze Vas; who seems to have been indefatigable in his exertions in the cause of religion. He passed from this coast to Ceylon, where he terminated his days, after effecting numerous conversions in that island. His sepulchre is said to be in Candy.

The feast which in each church is celebrated with the greatest reverence with their limited means pomp cannot be thought of-is that of the Orago, or Patron. A numerous concourse of parishioners assist at the ceremony; and wax lights, which at other times are too expensive to be employed, on this occasion are burned in profusion. Organs are not in use; but a few solemn hymns have been taught by the priests to the congregation, who thus with one accord raise their voices to heaven in an appropriate and most impressive form of sacred song, which subdues the heart, at least of an observer, by its simplicity and natural ease. The feast of St. Francis Xavier is also observed in the churches at Mangalore.

The christening of children should properly take place on the eighth day, but sometimes this ceremony is postponed for the sake of convenience. In regard to marriage, persons are not allowed to make positive engagements until arrived at the age of puberty, namely in men at fourteen, and in women at twelve; but it is usual to be betrothed before the consummation of marriage; and the ceremonies of betrothing and marriage are distinct. Both men and women are permitted to marry more than once; but polygamy is not in use, and is strictly forbidden. The ceremony of marriage is the same as is in use in Roman Catholic countries in Europe. The Christians of different castes do not readily intermarry, but this rather arises from inequality of condition, than from any remnant of Hindoo superstition; for there is no interdiction, nor would other Christians consider the mere circumstance of difference of caste, as degrading to either party. A promise before the age of puberty of future marriage, is not admitted by the church as valid; and if such betrothing should have taken place, it may be broken off when the parties shall arrive at that age. It is necessary, however, that a retraction shall be made at that time. The native priests follow the rule of celibacy imposed on their brethren in Europe.

There is nothing peculiar in the mode of administering the sacraments, either of communion or of extreme unction, excepting that with respect to the latter, as it is supposed possible that the Hindoos, who constitute the mass of the population, might insult any public Christian procession,

the holy viaticum is not carried from the church, but it is permitted the priest to celebrate mass in the house of the sick, and to administer the sacred host to him there. The sacrament of extreme unction is in like manner administered to dying persons.

In the interment of the dead there is this peculiarity, that bodies are generally deposited within the church, which would in a few years be filled with the dead, to the exclusion of the living, were it not that it is usual to remove such remains as may be exposed on digging a fresh grave, and to deposit them in some convenient spot outside the church. The practical effect of this custom is, to expose a disgusting heap of bones, and such other parts of the body as least readily suffer decomposition, to the sight and smell of all who pass the neighbourhood. Scalps, nails and tendons, are thus brought to view, and the stranger is at first at a loss to account for the appearance of such pestilential masses of putridity. The practice of depositing the dead in churches, might in all countries be dispensed with to advantage, as prejudicial to the health of the living; but more especially must it be injurious in so warm a climate as that of India. In that country, it must be owned, the Hindoo method of consuming the body by fire, is preferable to all others, provided a sufficient quantity of fuel be employed in the funeral pile, which is seldom the case.

For the instruction of those who take orders, there are seminaries in Goa with royal foundations, one in each district, where there are classes for the Latin language, philosophy, and theology, both doctrinal and moral. In these seminaries a certain number of youths are educated at the royal expense, and others, who desire to enter them for the benefit of instruction, pay a moderate sum for their support. Besides these, there are in each district two grammar schools, which are supported at the expense of the king; and also several private schools of various kinds. In each convent too, such as of the order De Oratorio, Carmelites, Augustines, Dominicans, and Franciscans, those who wish it may obtain instruction, and advance themselves in literature; although the zeal for study in the convents at the present day is very much abated.

It has already been shown that the Christians of Canara, as respects their religion, have no distinctions of caste; all partake in common of the same sacraments, assist at the same ceremonials, and combine in support of the same establishment; but in their civil habits they still preserve many of the customs of their ancestors, and even in some few cases hereditarily follow their occupations. It may be attributed to this circumstance that they are on such good terms in social life with their idolatrous countrymen; for had the first introducers of Christianity insisted on an abandonment of national institutions, obliged their followers to eat food considered unclean by the Hindoos, to wear unlawful garments, and to adopt European familiarity with regard to the social intercourse of the sexes, not only would they greatly have added to the difficulty of conversion, but have increased tenfold the hatred and contempt of the more numerous Hindoos. As matter of policy, therefore, they abstained from interfering with customs in themselves indifferent, and by so doing they have rendered their sect respectable in the eyes of others, and increased its numbers without difficulty. At the present time the body of Christians is too numerous to be dependent in any degree upon the Hindoos, for the comforts of society. They are a class of themselves, who cart

indulge in their own notions without fear of degradation; but when the task of conversion is only beginning, it is of essential importance not to insist on trifles, and by striving to effect too much, to hazard the loss of concessions already obtained.

The occupations of the Christians have been stated to be various, perhaps as much so as those of an equal number of the Hindoo population. The greater number, as might be expected, are employed in husbandry. Their civil education does not differ materially from that of their neighbours, at least no marked difference could be traced on inquiry. Their religious education is of course under the guidance of their priests. The Bible is forbidden to be read; and the only book of religious instruction which they possess is a selection from the Bible, called the Purana, in which there is an abridgment of a few of the books, accompanied by explanatory remarks, and some account of the mysteries of the incarnation, passion, and resurrection of our Saviour. This book was the work of Thomas Estivaô, a Jesuit. It is understood that there are some printed copies of it at Goa; but in the province of Canara there are only a few manuscripts, for Tippoo had ordered the destruction of all that could be found.

Whatever may be the zeal and fidelity with which the priests discharge their duty as pastors, yet a body of Christians cannot but be considered in a deplorable condition, with regard to instruction, who have on an average not more than one priest (and he probably a native of India) to one thousand souls, and scarcely a dozen copies in manuscript of the only religious book known to them. Christianity thus taught and imperfectly known, has, notwithstanding, a very marked influence on the morality of its followers, as may be proved by the following statement furnished by the law court of the province, and the accuracy of which may be confidently relied on.

Report of the Criminal Court of Onore, from 1812 to 1818.

Number of persons accused of heinous crimes, and committed for trial before the Court of Circuit, 716; of which number, 19 were Christians, several of whom were acquitted, the charges not being proved against them.

Number of persons accused of heinous crimes, but released for want of sufficient proof, 732; of these, 7 were Christians.

Number of persons accused of petty crimes, such as abusive language, affrays, &c. is 5066; of whom 149 were Christians: but to ascertain the exact number of those who were punished and released, it will require time.

N. B.-The magisterial powers being transferred to the Collector in November, 1816, the number of those accused of petty crimes before, and punished or released by the Magistrate since that period, cannot be ascertained.

This account bas reference to serious offences for a period of six years, and it embraces petty misdemeanours for only four years; but this does not affect the comparison about to be made, and the two statements may be thrown into one. It appears then, that in a given space of time 716, 732, 5066, in all 6514 persons, are cited before the proper authorities, accused of various offences, of which respective numbers 19, 7, 149, making 175 persons, were Christians.

Now the whole population of Canara as taken in the last census, in 1815, which happens to be a middle period as respects the above report, amounts to 670,355, and it is understood not to have increased since that period. The Christian population is, as we have seen, for 1818, 21,820; suppose then this statement-gross population, 670,355;

Christians, 21,820; the proportion is as 6,514 to 212. But instead of 212, which ought to be the number of Christians accused of offences, had they borne their relative proportion, there are only 175: or, stated otherwise, the accused are only 825 to 1,000, as compared with the Hindoos. This, when we consider that the average is taken on a large. number, and through several succeeding years, appears to exhibit in a very favourable view the morality of the Christian population. But the moral excellence of their character will shine with a brighter radiance still, when it is recollected that temptations, not always resisted in more enlightened parts of the world, were thrown in the way of these Christians, in the free use of meats and wines; and that there being no poorhouses, or any sort of provision for the destitute, cases of real and urgent distress must occasionally offer, which might palliate offences abhorrent to their nature.

What has been stated may possibly stimulate benevolent individuals and more powerful societies to exertion in favour of the mental and moral improvement of a numerous and respectable body of Indians, who from the simplicity of their general conduct, and their emancipation from the grosser superstition of their countrymen, as well as from the fear of offending the Hindoos, seem to be peculiarly fitted for receiving a more pure and more perfect form of religion than that which they now possess. Persecution and suffering, it will be observed, seem even to have strengthened and enlarged their pious zeal; for although necessarily reduced by poverty and wretchedness to more limited means, it appears that the present population of 21,000 have already erected twenty-one churches, and that three others are in progress; while it has been seen too, that the former population of 80,000 had only twenty-seven churches, even in more favoured times.

The following table of the total population of Canara, as ascertained by the last census in 1815, although only indirectly connected with the present subject, will afford grounds to the philosophical observer for much curious speculation, and will not, perhaps, be thought much out of place.

The simplicity of these people is immediately apparent in the striking contrast between their various occupations and pursuits, when we find in the first item the aggregate of husbandmen to be, 378,644, while the second item of servants amounts only to 16,488, or nearly 23 to 1.

Let us, in conclusion, express a hope that as an act of grace, if not of