| Description | Must consider proper line of conduct towards late vicar-general of Verapoli; more than 150,000 Roman Catholics in Travancore and Cochin, and it is desirable to convert them to "a pure system of belief and practice"; as a question of policy it is highly important to establish the closest union between the government and Protestant Christian community in India; Roman Catholics are jealous of Protestant power; during the late war in Travancore some of the most active partizans of the rebel were Roman Catholic servants of the British factory at Anjengo; if the Roman Catholics were converted to the Protestant religion they "would be united to our government by powerful ties of common interest and religion"; M.'s efforts to induce Syrian priests to marry, together with advent of English married clergy has "directed ..... attention to the domestic comforts and happiness enjoyed by the Protestant clergy"; Padre Amelho has made great sacrifices in joining the Protestants, and his example has been followed by others; should be based as missionary in Travancore
6 Sep 1817: Fears of Society relating to interference by missionaries in judicial affairs unfounded; some dealings are necessary as Christians must be assured that the missionaries will be as willing to defend their rights as their native chiefs are; "the Christians should be strictly united to the British Government by the reciprocal obligations of protection and dependance; and they will always consider the protection of the English missionaries as that of the government"; "whether the introduction of the English government in India has tended more to the improvement or the corruption of the morals of the people is a problem perhaps of difficult solution; but if the tendency of our government has been, and I am afraid this is the case, to degrade the character and conduct of the people, every motive of humanity should receive additional strength in urging us to extend the influence of the only religion capable of establishing integrity and virtue among them"; Norton and Bailey were asked to forward any complaints received from Syrian Christians to M., but Norton "far exceeded the limits assigned to him" [copy] |