| Description | Has visited Cannanore; had previously told Mr. Dunsterville that he wished to baptise some native converts; Dunsterville agreed provided it was not "under the sanction of any society dissentient in the smallest degree either in doctrine or discipline to our church"; ceremony took place 2 Sep with Dunsterville, Captain Brett and another officer present; did not use Malayalim translation but read in English with the catechist Jacob Joseph reading in Tamil and the candidates replying in Tamil; slight difficulty in not knowing their ages or the names of their parents but they were specified in the register as adults; they were Simon and wife Margaret with infant daughter Anna, and Maria and brother Daniel (two others had gone to the mount with a detachment of the 69th regiment); Maria was kept by young man at Cannanore who was educated at the Asylum and had situation under a staff officer; after 69th arrived he attended Spring's ministry, came over to Tellicherry and worshipped with group led by Mr. Hands; he became a changed character, separated from Maria and set her up in a shop; Jacob Joseph continues to have trouble with some people, particularly Abraham who breaks law by selling liquor and enticing fellow Christians to drink; Joseph is also accused of getting into debt, and has admitted owing 25 rupees; Spring has lent him 7 rupees to be paid of at 2 rupees per month and asks Committee to raise his salary to 3 pagodas a month; he has a large family to support; reports well of schoolmaster Johnson; he has 63 pupils, small books in history, natural history, arts and sciences, similar to Mrs. Trimmer's book in natural history would be serviceable; have recently opened a hospital; wants asylum for half-caste children; "I mentioned - the name of a native boy who was likely to be converted - Pray do not let his name be published in any way beyond the Committee [Mortlock adds (crossed) endorsement of this request].
A detail of the Protestant congregation at Cannanore 1 Sep 1819
1 Names of old Christians (7)
2 Names of new converts (17)
3 Names of children (17) [copy] |