Christian Reformer.

No. XLIX.]

JANUARY, 1819.

[Vol. V.

A Letter from William Roberts, Teacher of the Native Unitarian Congregation near Madras, to the Rev. Thomas Belsham.

[We began our last volume with William Roberts's Letter to the Unitarian Society: his Second Letter being just received and printed, we deem it not unfit for the opening of the present volume.

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EDITOR.]

"The Letter now published was written in reply to a private letter addressed to William Roberts, and inclosed in a small parcel of books which were sent to that active and intelligent native Christian soon after his letter to the Unitarian Society was received, and before it had been officially noticed by the society; who afterwards directed their secretary to write to him, and to send him a much larger parcel of books, which however it does not appear that he had received at the time when his second letter was written.

66 It appears that the cause is still alive: but there is little reason to hope that it will prosper much, until this worthy man is enabled to print and to circulate a few popular tracts in his own language. That any well-qualified individual should be induced to go from this country, and to submit to the difficulties and perils of a missionary life, in order to propagate pure and uncorrupt Christianity among the poor Indians on the Malabar coast, is an event more to be desired than expected.

"To the Reverend Thomas Belsham. "REVEREND SIR,

:

T. B."

Mr.

"I have received the parcel of your benefaction, with your very kind and very affectionate letter dated 14th July 1817, on the 9th of April this year. How it came I do not know it was put into my hands by my good master, William Harington. On opening your letter, reading, and seeing the books, and finding myself and my brethren are become known to you and to your respectable society, and further encouragement is promised, I became inspired with a new life, and joy inexpressible. May God our heavenly Father, Jehovah the Holy One of Israel, increase this my

joy, and give me and my brethren grace before you and your respectable society!

"The Reverend Theophilus Lindsey has lighted our lamp; the Reverend Dr. Joseph Priestley has supplied this lamp with pure oil in abundance; the Reverend Thomas Belsham has taken a lively interest to stir up the wick of this lamp: may the Reverend Thomas Madge, and the most respectable and benevolent English Unitarian Society at large give hand, encourage, assist and hold up this most glorious and pure lamp till Indian superstition be no more. Though I received the books and your letter on the 8th [or 9th of April, I had no leisure to attend at the chapel before the 3d of May; when, after prayers and the usual custom of explaining a portion of Scripture, I read the contents of your letter to my brethren in Tamul, and shewed them the books. They are very glad that their existence is become known to you, and are very thankful for what has already come to pass by your very condescending goodness; and hope it will be the happy beginning of communication for the best of purposes.

"I am sorry to add that my old friend Megual Annathy did not live to see your letter and the books; he died four months after I wrote to your respectable society, being near 76 years of age.

"Since his death our school is not yet properly settled. At present a Trinitarian Christian of Trinquabar [Tranquebar] keeps the school for our children, agreeable to our rules and regulations: we pay him two pagodas a month by subscription, the same we did to our deceased friend, though it was hardly enough for him he acted from choice-the present man from his necessity. If we could increase this man's pay to three pagodas, most probably he will not think upon another situation; however, at present it is not in our power to increase his pay; even this [these] two pagodas are not paid by the subscribers regularly, so that I am under obligation to make up the deficiency every month. One comfort, he is now at his leisure, reading and copying my books, for which copying I pay him separately. He plainly sees and confesses that the doctrine of the Trinity and the other articles that support it,-such as Original Sin, Election, Atonement for Sin by Jesus Christ, &c.—are not the doctrine of the Bible: indeed, these will be seen more at large, if some of my writings were published and set in circulation.

"Since the death of my old friend Annathy we have no

regular person to do the chapel duty on Sundays in my absence one of the oldest members present reads the prayers, and another reads the portions of Scripture appointed for the day. If there be any christening or any other duty, they generally wait for me.

"I have made an inquiry about having our prayer-book and some other tracts printed. Mr. William Urquhart, agent of the Madras Courier and proprietor of the commercial presses, says that the prayer-book, which will contain about 300 pages in octavo, the printing charges only (without the paper and the binding) will cost 168 pagodas for one hundred copies; 335 pagodas for five hundred copies; but before it can be printed, leave of the government must be obtained. If our prayer-book, and a few other tracts written by me, were printed, and means added to give a suitable maintenance for a few regular teachers, we shall soon be able to find young persons to accept the business, and that will increase our numbers. Helps of books, and little small pecuniary assistance towards those who are grown old and unable to work for their livelihood, is very necessary. If we set out with such means, I have no doubt but that the doctrine of One God and his unbought pardon, with eternal bliss and everlasting life to [the] returning sinner, preached by his holy servant and universal teacher (Matthew xxiii. 8, 10; Acts xvii. 31,) Jesus of Nazareth, will be readily accepted by my countrymen. But should God Almighty, the proprietor of heaven and earth, the supreme ruler of all things, who sees what is proper for man, move the hearts of the English Unitarians in our favour, and send out missionaries to this country, a regular foundation will be laid for instructing my countrymen. At present, things are very feeble: as matters stand now, should the most high God think it proper to put an end to my existence, I do not see who will take the trouble, and be at little expense, and forego some pleasures, so as to be a leader of my poor brethren. I often say in my prayer in the words of Esau, Hast thou but one blessing, my Father?' The Trinitarians (both white and black) teachers and disciples persuade themselves that when William Roberts dies, the name of Unitarians will cease here: this perhaps is also their secret prayer. There is not one European or European descendant among us,-not one rich man,-not one learned man,—even not one that can read English well; this disadvantage does not discourage me at all; I am convinced that the God of the Jewish and Christian Scriptures is the true

and living God, and am also fully persuaded that Moses and the prophets, Christ and his apostles, and the Jewish and first Christian churches, were Unitarians. To this truth I wish to bear my testimony among my countrymen as far as it lay in my power. If this be done, I leave the issue to

Him whose truth I espouse.

"Reverend Sir,-Accept my sincere and heartfelt thanks,. and the thanks of my brethren, for the excellent books that you have sent us, and for all your kind wishes and endeavours -the same to the Reverend Thomas Madge.

6

"Among the books that you have sent us, your Life of the Reverend Theophilus Lindsey,' and your Calm Inquiry into the Scripture Doctrine concerning the Person of Christ,' yourLetters to the Bishop of London,' and the Sermons' of the Reverend Thomas Madge, are quite new things. The first two articles to me are very great and very useful acquisitions. The Unitarian New Testament is precious and is above all price. When I was in England last, Mr. Hunter told me that it was then in the press: the following year a country-born young man went home as a servant to a genAleman returning; this young man, agreeably to my particular request and direction, brought me out a copy of it the very year (1808) that it was published; so you see, my Reverend Sir, that I have been very lucky in my choice.

"I have nothing further to add this time, but wait with patience to hear further from you and from your respectable society. May your blessing rest upon our heads!

"Your most obedient and most humble servant, "WILLIAM ROBERTS, "Madras, 17th June, 1818. "At W. Harington's, Esq."

Discourse on our Lord's Miracles, from John iii. 2. SIR, December 16, 1818. The following sermon was recently preached to a small assembly of Unitarian Christians, and it was suggested to the author, by a gentleman who heard it, that it might usefully occupy a few pages of the Christian Reformer. If, Sir, your opinion should coincide with his, it is very much at the service of yourself and readers.

EURALED.

"For no man can do these miracles which thou doest, except God be with him." St. John. iii. 2.

These words, as is well known, were addressed to our

Lord by Nicodemus, who came to him by night; and they