| Description | Brother has been ill; Mrs. Schmid understands Rhenius's Tamil sermons and reads the Bible and other mission books; the new mission-house, being in a healthier part of town will be of great value to Mrs. Schmid and Bernhard who have both been ill; is being transferred to Calcutta willingly although it involves separation from his brother; hopes that knowledge of Tamil will be helpful in Calcutta in superintending printing of books in Tamil, and will help him to learn Sanscrit; at Calcutta will also be able to use knowledge or Arabic, Persian and Hindustani; Rhenius will not miss S.'s help in the college as Barenbruck will be qualified in a short time; there will also be opportunities in Calcutta for S. to write "compendia" on the subjects he will lecture about, which could later be translated into Tamil; comments on journal sent; enjoys working with Rhenius; brother works hard in the school in their garden; dangers of Bell's system of education; Bernhard would like copy of 'Miss Hamilton's Hints to Conductors of Schools' recommended by the author of 'Hints on the New System of Instruction in Ireland' in the 'Christian Observer' Nov 1817; would also like the didactic works of Amos Comenius; comments on Indian Portuguese language, different from pure Portuguese; does not agree with Mr. Fox, a Methodist missionary in Ceylon, who is proposing to translate the Bible into it, as to perpetuate the Portuguese language would 1) "contribute unintentionally something to the perpetuation of the dominion of Popery in India; 2) by substituting English access will be opened to the best sources of religious and scientific instruction; 3) by extending the knowledge of the English language in India the attachment of the natives with English government will be increased and the political tranquility and welfare of India in some measure promoted", the last reason having little weight from Christian view-point although "political considerations ought not to be neglected altogether, because the interest of the Kingdom of God are intimately connected with Politics"; following disputes with Roman Catholic Portuguese teacher would be grateful to have sent to him 'The Harmony of the Confessions of the Reformed Churches at home and abroad'; comments on report relating to German and English missionaries in a letter from Danish missionaries at Tranquebar published in the abstract of the annual report of the SPCK. |