reth; but the origin of the word Mapillah is variously accounted for ;by some it is ingeniously supposed to refer to the Virgin and Child, the only image admitted within their churches; as Ma implies Mother, in various languages, derived from the Sungscrit; and Pillah, Child. Others again, construe the term to indicate the rank originally conferred on these christians by the sovereign of Malabar. Poolah signifies a class, in a state synonymous with our secretaries. Ma or Maha signifies great or superior. The term Mapillah is indiscriminately applied to Jews and Musselmen as to these christians, distinguishing each by the prefix of the Jew, Syrian, or Nazaranee, or Musselman.

"It is certain that grants of honour and emolument were formerly possessed by these christians, given to them by a king of Malabar, named Peremaul, engraven on copper, five of which engravings are still in existence; a fac-simile of which I have seen in the possession of the Resident of Travancore.

"It has been long believed, that these christians held the tenets of the Nestorian heresy, and that they were obliged to leave their own country in consequence of persecution: however, it appears that the creed which they now follow denies that heresy, and seems to coincide in several points with the creed of St. Athanasius, but without its damnatory clauses.

"Baron Von Wrede has written a memoir on the subject of these christians, which appeared in the 7th volume of the Asiatic Researches, and which has the merit of calling our attention to these people; though it is no better than a lame transcript of information, which may be fully and satisfactorily obtained in La Croze's book, from whence every material part of that memoir is obviously taken: indeed, wherever the Baron departs from his author, he becomes less interesting, or misleads his reader. That the christians in Malabar were early taught the tenets of Nestorius, is proved by La Croze, on the direct authority of Cosmas, an Egyptian merchant, (himself a Nestorian,) who published his voyage to India in the year 547. It seems, however, not improbable that christians had been planted in these shores, long before the time of Nestorius; and, I am inclined to regard the tradition of its having spread hither in the age of the Apostles, as very far from fabulous *.

"With respect to their religious tenets, writers may and will disagree : upon such subjects human reason avails nothing. The disputes which on these points have agitated the world, are in general no better than the perverse offspring of verbal differences.

"The following is a version of the present creed of these people, being a written communication from the Metropolitan to the Resident at Travancore: "In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, We, the Christians, "believers in the religion of Jesus Christ, subject to the jurisdiction of "Mar Ignatius, patriarch of Antioch, being loyal† Jacobians, hold the following creed;

Eusebius informs us, that there were Christians in India as early as the year 189, who had the Gospel of St. Matthew in Hebrew, which they declared was received from St. Bartholomew.

† Eastern Christians, who renounce the communion of the Greek church, who E

"We believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three persons in one "God, neither confounding the persons, nor dividing the substance, one in "three, and three in one.

"The Father generator,-the Son generated, and the Holy Ghost "proceeding.

"None is before nor after other in Majesty, honour, might, and power; "co-equal, unity in trinity, and trinity in unity.

"We do not believe with Aerius and Eunomius, that there are three "different and separate substances.

"We do not believe, as Sabellius believes, by confusion of substance. "We do not believe, as Macedonius said, that the Holy Ghost is less "than the Father and Son.

"We do not believe, as Mawney and * Marcianus said, that the body of "Christ was sent down from heaven.

"We do not believe, as Julianust said, that Christ was only man.

"We do not hold, as Nestorius, the doctrine of two natures, and two "substances in the Messiah.

"We do not believe, as the Chalcedonians said, that there are two na"tures in the Messiah.

"But we believe, by the doctrine of the Trinity, that the Son is co"equal with the Father, without beginning or end-that in the appointed "time, through the disposition of the Father and Holy Ghost, without "disjoining from the right side of the Father, he appeared on earth for the "salvation of mankind-that he was born of the Virgin Mary, through the "means of the Holy Ghost, and was incarnate, God and Man. So that "in the union of the divine and human nature, there was one nature and 66 one substance. So we believe."

"The service in their church is performed very nearly after the manner of the church of England; and when the Metropolitan was told that it was differ from it both in doctrine and worship, may be comprehended under two dis tinct classes. To the former belong the Monophysites, or Facovites, so called from Facob Albardai, who declare it as their opinion, that in the Saviour of the world there is only one nature; while the latter comprehends the followers of Nestorius, frequently called Chaldeans, from the country where they principally reside, and who suppose that there are two distinct persons or natures in the Son of God. The Monophysites are subdivided into two sects or parties, the one African and the other Asiatic. At the head of the Asiatics is the patriarch of Antioch, who resides for the most part in the monastery of St. Ananias, which is situated near the city of Merdin, and sometimes at Merdin, his Episcopal seat; as also at Amida, Aleppo, and other Syrian cities. The govern ment of this prelate is too extensive, and the churches over which he presides too numerous, to admit of his performing himself all the duties of his high office; and, therefore, a part of the administration of the pontificate is given to a kind of colleague, who is called the Maphrian, or Primate of the East, and whose doctrines and discipline are said to be adopted by the eastern church beyond the Tigris. This primate used formerly to reside at Tauris, a city on the frontiers of Armenia; but his present habitation is the monastery of St. Matthew, which is in the neighbourhood of Mousul, a city of Mesopotamia. is further observable, that all the patriarchs of the Facobites assume the denomination of Ignatius.-Mosheim, vol. 4, Section xi. Page 257. *These I suppose might be Manes and Marcian.

† Perhaps Julian, Bishop of Halicarnassus.

It

hoped that one day an union might take place between the two churches, he seemed pleased at the suggestion.

"The present Metropolitan Mar Dionisius, is now old and infirm, but a very respectable character, and of the most venerable and prepossessing appearance. A person has been sent from Mousul, a city in Mesopotamia, to succeed to his station, in the event of his decease; but this stranger, ignorant of the language of the country, with the character of being violent in his temper, and not averse, as it is supposed, to the views of the Romish church, it is to be hoped, will be prevented from ever taking charge of this precious remnant of a pure and valuable people,

"The Metropolitan has several archdeacons and deacons under him, who act as Vicar-Generals. They have fifty-five churches: and the number of their people, as given in to the Resident, is estimated at 23,000.

"The residence of their Metropolitan is at Candenatte, twelve or fourteen miles inland from Cochin. In some of their churches divine service is performed in the Syrian and Latin ritual alternately, by the priests of the christians of St. Thomê, who have adhered to their ancient rites, and those who have been united to the church of Rome *. When the latter have celebrated mass, they carry away the images from the church before the others enter.

"The character of these people is marked by a striking superiority over the Heathens in every moral excellence; and they are remarkable for their veracity and plain dealing. They are extremely attentive to their religious duties; and abide by the decision of their Priests and Metropolitan in all cases, whether in spiritual, or, as I heard, in temporal affairs. They are respected very highly by the Nairs, who do not consider themselves defiled by associating with them, though it is well known that the Nairs are the most particular of all the Hindoos in this respect; and the Rajahs of Travancore and Cochin, admit them to rank next to Nairs. Their numbers, it is conjectured, are under-rated in the statement given to the Resident, as it is generally supposed that they may be estimated at 70 or 80,000. They are not persecuted; but they are not permitted to make converts, by the governments under which they reside; and it is supposed, that many respectable Hindoos would be happy to join their sect, were it not for this circumstance: but at present they suffer, as far as I can learn, no other hardship.

"If good men from Syria could be obtained, not as parish priests, but to superintend and regulate their concerns, I conceive it would be a great blessing to these good people.

"The direct protection of the British government has been already extended to them; but as they do not reside within the British territories, I am somewhat doubtful how far it may be of use to them.

"To unite them to the church of England, would, in my opinion, be a most noble work: and it is most devoutly to be wished for, that those who have been driven into the Roman pale might be recalled to their ancient church; a measure which it would not, I imagine, be difficult to

* This shows a spirit of toleration and Christian liberality, very different from the bigotry of the Romish church.

accomplish, as the country governments would, it is supposed, second any efforts to that purpose.

"Their occupations are various as those of other Christians; but they are chiefly cultivators and artizans; and some of them possess a comfortable, if not a splendid independence, Their clergy marry in the same manner as Protestants. Their residence is entirely inland.

Syrian Roman Catholics.

"THESE people, as stated above, were constrained to join the Latin church, after a long struggle for the power of maintaining their purity and independence; and still appear a people perfectly distinct from the Latin church, being allowed to chant and perform all the services of the church of Rome in the Syrio-Chaldaic language by a dispensation from the Pope. They live under the authority of the Metropolitan of Cranganore and the Bishop of Verapoli, and dress differently from other priests. They wear a white surplice, while the priests of the Latin communion wear black gowns, like the Capuchin friars of Madras. The Roman Catholic Syrians, it is thought, are much more numerous than the members of the original church. Their clergy are spread through the ancient churches, and, by retaining their language, and acting under the direction of the church of Rome, they leave no means unessayed to draw over their primitive brethren to the Latin communion. It appears to me, that they are allowed to use their original language, and to frequent the original church, entirely with this view; and as far as I can learn, their numbers are gaining ground. There are said to be eighty-six parishes of Roman Catholic Sy rians subject to the dioceses of Cranganore and Verapoli. Their priests, to the number of four hundred, are styled Catanars, which is a Syrian appellation: their congregations are reported at 90,000, (old and young included,) agreeably to the last return transmitted to Rome.-There is an inferior order of Priests, who are called Chiamas, in number about 120. The Hindoos have, as far as I can learn, a much greater respect for the christians of the original church, than for the converts of the Latin communion; which may he accounted for by their not associating with the lower orders of people. Attached to each church is a convent, where the Catanars reside in community, there being three, four, or five to each church. The service is performed weekly, in rotation.-There is a seminary at the college of Verapoli for the education of the Syrio Roman Catholics, and also one for the Latin church. The Syrio Roman Catholics are chiefly engaged, as already mentioned, in drawing their ancient brethren within the Romish pale; but it appears that some of them have been employed formerly in extending the general object of conversion over the peninsula. I saw one of their churches, at a village near Pillambaddy, about thirty miles on the Madras side of Trichinopoly; and I heard of several others. They had at this village adopted the use of a sawmy coach, like that of the Heathens, with the Crucifix and the Virgin Mary in it, instead of the Hindoo sawmy-Their church was much out of repair; and the ignorance of the few Christians remaining in charge of it is striking the letters I, N, R, I, over the figure of our Saviour on the cross, being absolutely inverted; nor did the priest who visits them ever notice

the circumstance. They read prayers in Malabar, according to the ritual of the church of Rome. Their church appears to have been once respectable, but is now fallen into decay.

Latin Roman Catholics.

"WITHIN the provinces of Travancore and Cochin there are one archbishop and two bishops :-the archbishop of Cranganore, and the bishops of Cochin and Verapoli.

"The two former have sees, the latter is titular. The archbishops of Cranganore and the bishop of Cochin are nominated by the queen of Portugal, after the following manner :-Three names are sent, (when either of these sees become vacant,) by the sovereign of Portugal to the Pope, and the Roman Pontiff is bound to select the name that stands first, and to issue his brevet or patent accordingly.

“They are subject in all spiritual concerns to the primate of Goa; who has power also during a vacancy, of sending from Goa a locum tenens, who is styled Padre Governador.-Both sees are at this moment filled by such.

"The titular Bishop, who resides at the college of Verapoli, is appointed directly by the Pope, and is subject to no jurisdiction but that of his holiness, or the propaganda at Rome.-This mission being more susceptible of control and regulation than the others, has been countenanced by the honourable company, as the following copy of a Proclamation issued by the government of Bombay will show.

"PROCLAMATION.

"The honourable the Court of Directors of the honourable English "East-India company, having been pleased to order that the ecclesiastical "jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic churches under this government, "shall be withdrawn from the Archbishop of Goa, and restored to the "Carmelite Bishop of the apostolic mission, the President in Council has "accordingly resolved, that the said restitution shall take place on the "first of the ensuing month; from which time he hereby enjoins all the "Catholic inhabitants in Bombay, as well as the several factories and set❝tlements subordinate thereto, to pay due obedience in spiritual matters ❝ to the said bishops, on pain of incurring the severe displeasure of gov"ernment. "By order of the Honourable the Governor in Council, "Bombay Castle, (Signed) WILLIAM PAGE, Secretary.

"The priests attached to the college of Verapoli are all Carmelites, united to the apostolic mission at Bombay, but not subject to it. The jurisdiction of each is not marked by distinct bounds; the parishes and churches being so intermingled, that it is difficult to form a right notion of their extent. The Bishop of Cochin, however, may be said to have a control over all the Romish churches situated on the sea coast, immediately, (with few exceptions,) from Cochin to Ramnad, and thence round the whole island of Ceylon: the churches are numerous; but as they are in ganeral poor, and are obliged to be supplied with priests from Goa, it would appear that one vicar holls, upon an average, five or six churches. The number of christians composing these churches must be great, as all and every of the fishermen are Roman catholics.The Bishop of Cochin usu