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title of Which Shastro should be qjbeyed , in which even an attempt is made to prove the truth of Christianity ; as if it necessarily followed that Christianity is
true because Hindooisin is false , or as if the Hindoos were required or expected to receive a new religion from Christian Missionaries without the ^ offer of proof and scarcely even the permission to object . "—Pp / l 5 , 16 .
Mr . Adam was himself engaged in preparing two tracts in the native languages ; one ^ in Bengallee , consisting * of parts of Macknight ' s Harmony , the other in Sunskrit , designed as an
introduction to . a-series of tracts on the Evidences of Christianity . The plan he adopted was very creditable to his judgment , as the statement of it is marked with ingenuousness .
cc mention of these two tracts leads me to . 1 remark which is not unimportant in estimating the quantity of Missionary exertion . I was not , in the full and proper sense of the term , the author of these tracts ; at least the Pundit whom I employed to assist me in my native studies was as much the author of them
as I was , if not more so . I communicated to him , as clearly as I could , in his own language , the idea which I wished to convey , while he , retaining only the idea and rejecting my erroneous or imperfect expressions , wrote it down in a purer idiom and an easier construction .
By not permitting any thing to pass without fully understanding it , I checked him when he had misconceived my meaning , and sometimes assisted him in improving the expression ; and he , on the other hand , by starting objections , sometimes led to the improvement of the idea ivith which I had furnished him . I have
reason to believe , that most , if not all , of the Missionary tracts have been drawn up in the same , or in some similar way . " —Pp . 16 , 17 .
The third direct means of spreading the Gospel in India , is preaching it in the native languages . This is done by European Missionaries , countryborn Sub-Missionaries , or Native Converts . Among the Baptist Missionaries , as will be recollected l > y all our
readers , Mr . Adam himself laboured . Some of these ( especially Dr . Marssbfnan and Mr . Ward ) formerly employed themselves in traversing the country , to converse with the Hindoos , but , for at least the last fifteen years , this has been discontinued . Of those who have been above live years ia
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the country , at least four or five could not make themselves understood if they addressed a native congregation . Mr . Adam , with some others , devoted himself to native preaching ; but he was of opinion that the
ignorant were unprepared ; and , on the other hand , his brethren ^ could not be induced to approve of the plans by which he wished to lead the wealthy and the learned to hear the gospel . This brought about a separation of their labours ; but this separation ( he
appears desirous , on account of ' the misrepresentations which have been made of the fact > to have clearly understood ) , was prior to , and unconnected with , his expulsion from their communion , which was owing to the alteration of his view ' s on the Trinity .
Native preaching * ( contrary , surely , to what must be the calculation of most who subscribe to the East-India Missionary service ) , is but little practised by Europeans . Indeed ,
" Respecting European Missionaries , it may in general be observed , that so many are engaged in conducting boarding-schools and printing-offices , in teaching charity-schools supported by public contributions , in superintending native schools supported by Government funds
or by voluntary subscriptions and donations , in preaching to English congregations and discharging other pastoral duties , in editing periodical works of a religious and literary character , and m various other religious and philanthrope , literary and scientific pursuits , that few of them can have much time to devote
to native preaching ; a department of Missionary laTxmr which imposes so much fatigue of body and exertion of mind , that those who zealously prosecute it must be indisposed as well as unfit for almost every other pursuit or engagement . "—P . 20 .
From the Country-born Sub-Missionaries more advantageous results might reasonably be expected , taking into account their knowledge of
English and of the native dialects ; but ( p . J L \) they are not , in general , held in much respect by the natives , uoi \ with some exceptions , have they had the advantages of education .
1 he JNative converts are , in most cases , at once employed in endeavouring to convert their idolatrous countrymen ; and ( p . 23 ) before they have had time to free their own minds irom superstiton , or to acquire fcufficienl
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176 Occasional Notice ** of American Publications .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), March 2, 1825, page 176, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2534/page/48/
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