Word of God so basely, so shamefully, so sacrilegiously defaced and perverted; and Mr. Fox echoes the Abbé by predicting, that the Bible will become, unless the Unitarians interfere, the Joe Miller of India.' All that the Abbé professes to adduce as evidence, is, one chapter of an unrevised, unpublished version. Mr. Fox has nothing to offer but a secondhand criticism on two or three texts in the Bengalee version. On grounds such as this, neither of these worthy coadjutors would have had the effrontery, one would think, to bring forward such scandalous charges. But they have both derived the chief part of their information, apparently, from one common source; and when pushed for his authority, Mr. Fox admits that the materials of his false accusations have been supplied by Mr. William Adam, formerly in connexion with the Serampore Missionaries, but now the Unitarian Minister at Calcutta. This is the Protestant ally claimed by the Dublin Anti-biblicals, the nature and value of whose testimony we shall now proceed to examine. In more respects than one, Mr. Adam deserves well of the Papists, for he has spoken handsomely of them, even of their Missions. 'From such authentic information as I have received,' he says, (query, from the Abbé Dubois ?) I am inclined to think that, not⚫ withstanding the paralyzing influence of the changes that ⚫ have taken place in European Catholic countries since the period of the French Revolution, they are doing more, in a quiet and unostentatious way, than I have observed Protestants in India on some occasions willing to admit.' Next to the Papists, the Unitarians, we are told, have been the most successful, if the respectability, wealth, and learning of those who openly encourage Unitarianism be taken into the account. Within two years, that is, the two years following Mr. Adam's embracing the Unitarian misbelief, Unitarianism in Calcutta has most prodigiously flourished and increased. It is impossible to calculate the loss which the Bible Society and the Serampore Missionaries have sustained by the defection of a person so very successful, according to his own account, in promoting the interests of the party to which he has attached himself. But to this point we shall advert hereafter. The queries and replies in the publication before us, were, it seems, drawn up by Dr. Ware, the Unitarian Divinity Professor of Harvard College, in consequence of a letter addressed by Mr. Adam to Dr. Channing, with a view to open a friendly correspondence between Unitarian Christians in that country and the professors of that denomination in the United States ́ of America.' The queries were as follows: 1. What is the real success of the great exertions which are now making for the conversion of the natives of India to Christianity? 2. What the number and character of Converts? 3. Are those Hindoos who profess Christianity respectable for their understanding, their morals, and their condition in life? 4. Of what cast are they generally? And what effect has their profession of Christianity upon their standing? 5. Are they Christians from inquiry and conviction, or from other motives? 6. Of what denomination of Christians have the Missionaries been most successful; Catholic, Protestant, Episcopalian, Baptist, Trinitarian, Unitarian? 7. What is the number of Unitarian Christians? And are they chiefly natives or Europeans? 8. How are they regarded and treated by other Christians? Is it with any peculiar hostility? 9. What are the chief causes that have prevented, and that continue to prevent, the reception of Christianity by the natives of India? May much of the want of success be reasonably attributed to the form in which the religion is presented to them? 10. Are any of the causes of failure of such a nature, that it may be in the power of Unitarian Christians to remove them? 11. Are there any reasons for believing that Christianity, as it is held by Unitarians, would be more readily received by intelligent Hindoos, than as it is held by Trinitarians? • 12. Can any aid be given by Unitarians to the cause of Christianity in India with a reasonable prospect of success? If any can be given,—of what kind,—in what way,-by what means? 13. Would it be of any use to send Unitarian Missionaries with a view to their preaching Christianity for the purpose of converting adult natives? 14. Would it be useful to establish Unitarian Missionary schools for the instruction of the children of natives in the rudiments of a European education, in the English language, in Christian morality, mingling with it very little instruction relative to the doctrines of Christianity; leaving them chiefly or wholly out of view, to be learnt afterwards from our books, and our example? • 15. Are there many intelligent natives who are willing to learn the languages of Europe, to cultivate its literature, to make themselves acquainted with our religion as it is found in our books, and to examine the evidence of its truth and divine origin? 16. Are there many respectable natives who are willing to have their children educated in the English language, and in English learning and arts ? • 17. What benefits have arisen, or are likely to arise, from the translation of the Scriptures into the languages of the East? Are they read by any who are not already Christians? And are they likely to be read generally even by those who are? This question is suggested by the representations which have been made, that con verts to Christianity are mostly, if not altogether, of the lowest and most ignorant classes of society. Is this representation true? 18. Will any important impression favourable to Christianity ever be made, except by the conversion and through the influence of persons of education and of the higher classes of society, who can read our sacred books in the original, or at least in the English version? 19. Are the translations which have been made, faithful;-free from sectarian influence, as to the expression of Christian doctrine? 20. Are there any particular parts of India or of the East, where efforts for propagating Christianity or preparing the way for it, might be made with better hopes than in others?' These twenty questions may thus be summed up. The first eight relate to the matter of fact,-what success has attended the past exertions of the various Missionary Societies respectively. The next six and the last of all relate to the prospects of Unitarianism in India. The 15th and 16th relate to the disposition of the natives to receive instruction. The 17th, 18th, and 19th particularly respect the Serampore translations; but the attack upon these is opened in reply to the first tion. ques Mr. Adam begins by remarking, that, in this question, it is assumed, that the exertions made, are great.' How far,' he adds, ⚫ this assumption is or is not correct, you will be able to judge after an enumeration of the different channels into which Missionary exertions have been directed, and an estimate of the number of labourers and the quantity of labour employed in each.' This assumption in the question, might, one would think, have been passed over, unless Mr. Adam was prepared to deny that great exertions have been made. This, indeed, is plainly insinuated, with the exception of the personal labours of Dr. Carey. But, if something is assumed in the question, much more is assumed in the answer, namely, that Mr. W. Adam was competent to give an accurate and faithful representation of those exertions. Living at Calcutta, it might be supposed that he would take some pains to inform himself on the subject. But what is his own confession? After giving a totally false account of the plan adopted in the translations, he adds: "I do not profess to have full information respecting the mode in which the Serampore translations are executed.' Yet, information on this subject was before the public, of which Mr. Adam might, if he had so chosen, have availed himself. He admits that he had not seen a memoir of the progress of the Translations since he left England. I do not know,' he says, 'whe'ther this is owing to no other memoir of the Translations ⚫ having been published during that period, or, if published, to its not having been circulated, or, if circulated here, to my misfortune in not getting a copy.' This, however, he might easily have known and ought to have ascertained before he undertook to give information on the subject. On subsequently applying to Dr. Marshman, he was immediately put in possession of the Eighth Memoir, dated December 31, *1822, which document, together with any further information, he might at any time have procured by applying to either Dr. Marshman or Dr. Carey. And if he was not conscious of any sinister design, any wish to traduce the Serampore Missionaries, what should have prevented his honestly and openly making the proper inquiries? The mis-statements into which he has had the misfortune to fall, are not a little strange, proceeding from a person resident in Calcutta. He affirms that Dr. Carey is, perhaps, the only person who has devoted his chief attention to the translation of the Scriptures; and even he,' it is added, as one of the pastors of a church consisting both of European • and native members, and as a professor in the College of Fort William, has had numerous other engagements." Next to Dr. Carey, are mentioned the late Henry Martyn, Mr. Chamberlain, Mr. Ellerton, an indigo-planter,' Archdeacon Corrie, the Rev. Mr. Thomason, and Mr. Bowley. These, • as far as my information extends,' says Mr. Adam, ' are the only persons who have engaged with effect in the work of translating the Scriptures into any of the languages spoken or read in the Bengal presidency.' Did Mr. Adam, then, never hear of the late Felix Carey, the eldest son of the Dr., a man who, in some respects, excelled his father in his aptness for acquiring languages, and who, having arrived in India at the age of ten years, spoke and wrote several of the native languages with the greatest ease and accuracy? By this lamented individual, the last edition of the Bengalee Scriptures was printed and corrected, and he assisted in several of the other translations. So indefatigable were his labours, so incessant his studies, that it is supposed they hastened his death at the early age of five and thirty. Mr. Adam's representation of the plan followed at Serampore in translating the Scriptures, is grossly incorrect; which is the more inexcusable as the real plan is developed with some minuteness in the Ninth Memoir. It may be proper to state, that the reason for entering upon so many translations was this. The Marquess Wellesley had, during his administration, collected at Fort William, a number of learned natives, most of whom, on his leaving India, were immediately discharged. The opportunity thus presented to the Missionaries of engaging so many persons well qualified to assist them in the important work of translating the Scriptures into the languages of India, was too valuable to be neglected; and when it is considered, that Dr. Carey had at that time been devoting years to the study of the primitive language of India, the Shanscreet or Sungskrit, from which nine tenths of the words in all the Indian dialects are derived, differing from the Sungskrit chiefly by their different inflexions and terminations,-there was nothing to deter a man of Dr. Carey's acquirements and indefatigable assiduity from undertaking the superintendence of the translations into so many cognate languages. In addition to the whole of the Scriptures in the Bengalee, Dr. Carey wrote with his own hand part of the translation in the Sungskrit; and he did not discontinue it till a pain in his side warned him to desist from the labour. The Sungskrit, therefore, as well as the Bengalee, was in a great measure completed without the immediate intervention of a Pundit. The Pundits employed on the other translations, were for the most part acquainted with the Sungskrit; and among the cognate languages which they have understood besides their own, either the Bengalee or the Hindee has always been included, which has enabled them from the beginning to converse readily with each other and with the European translator. Mr. Adam's representation of the system of successive translation, in which he supposes that the first Pundit translates from the Bengalee into another language,' the second Pundit, perhaps,' from the version of the first, and the third, perhaps,' from the version of the second, is the figment of his own brain. How long such a system has been begun, or to what extent it has been carried, he says, I do not know; but I have been positively informed that it has prevailed at Serampore for a considerable time.' Here is an admission, that he had no personal knowledge of the circumstance which he affirms to be fact. Yet, the statements thus ushered in with a 'perhaps,' and which are no better than mere conjecture, are at last roundly stated to rest on positive information.' Let us remember, however, the saving clause with which Mr. Adam closes this paragraph. I do not profess to have full infor⚫mation respecting the mode in which the Serampore translations are executed.' The reader will perceive, that, between positive' and full information, there is a wide difference. But Mr. Fox has improved upon Mr. Adam's misrepresentation, and with singular temerity refers to the Ninth Memoir as substantiating his charges. We shall first give Mr. Fox's VOL. XXIV. N.S. 2 X |