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    m Proof that he is not God ; and a Dialogue between a Calvinistic Missionary and Three Chinese Converts * TlM & eare priftted at Calcutta ; airid the Rev . W . Adam was to bring some copies with him , and pay us a short visit at Madras * in his ivay to Jjjnigland y but ii * his Jast letter , dated 19 tUiSeptwiber , he says , that the encouraging communications that he had from England and America , may probably reader his proposed voyage to England unnecessary , and the pamphlets which he intended to bring with him , \} $ will send by Dawk Banffie . ~ -

    Francis de Siiva , the writer of the enclosed letter , is a Pprtii ^ uese man ; understands Latin , English , Portuguese , and little Tamul : he is about 2 S years of age 5 entirely destitute of friends ^ property , hjoroe , or ^ h y regular employment for his livelihood . About three month $ ago , he becauie ac ~ quainted vvith my friend Antony Maliapah , who , on fifiding Mm well-inclined to Unitarianism , and willing to teach English , took him in his house , in hope

    of making him a good Christian ; and accordingl y he now studies Unitarian books , and teacfies Maliapah and ten of his young scholars to read English . He comes with Maliapah and his friends to Pursewaukum regularly on Sundays . After divine service , which begins in our chapel half-after ten , and ends about half-after twelve or one o ' clock , he takes his dinner with me $

    passes the evening in readings hearing , and conversing on useful topics - , ami after evening family prayer , he returns with Maliapah to Hanicollatn . He has translated Josiah Townsend ' s Collection of Scripture Texts , and some

    other papers , into Portuguese language . His behaviour has been agreeable : if he continues to conduct himself so , no doubt but he will become a very useful person in our little society . His English learners pay about four rupees a month , to which I add three and half more . With these sums he is very kindly boarded by Maliapah .

    I have not yet received the Rev . Thomas Belsham ' s Exposition of Paul ' s Epistles which he has sent , nor the books that the Rev . Dr . Thomas Rees mentions in his letter of the 20 th of February last . Most of my English Unitarian tracts , particularly the small ones , are gone . Our printed Tamul tracts seem to have excited some of the native Roman Catholic Christians to read the Scripture to find out arguments to support their own system , and confute that of the Unitarians . The native Trinitarian Protestants themselves

    have said in our hearing , that Unitarians have excited them to read the Scripture with more attention than they ever did before . Of late , very few of this class ever think of " arguing with me . If any of them come to me , as they do sometimes , it is to get some of our printed tracts ; and I am very happy that I am enabled to do so .

    Our school at Pursewaukum is discontinued from the first of last month , for the following reasons : —Some of the scholars got their learning , and left the school . Several of my brethren , living more near to Haoicollam than Pursewaukum , find it more convenient to send their children to the former school ; consequently , the scholars for the latter being a few , the subscribers to our schools also become very remiss in paying their subscriptions—most

    of them being poor , the increase of their family pleads an excuse : therefore , the remainin g scholars , not above a half dozen , it is thpught best , for the present , to send them to the nearest schools . If please God the number of scholars increase , we shall again open a school at Pursewaukum . We are all pretty well 3 every thing goes on quietly , I remain , my Reverend Sir , Your obedient Servant ,

    WILLIAM ROBERTS , Near Lunatic Hospital , Pursewaukurn , Madras

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Dec. 2, 1824, page 29, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1715/page/5/