BEING A

BRIEF VIEW

OF THE STATE OF THE

COLONIES OF GREAT BRITAIN,

AND OF HER

ASIATIC EMPIRE,

IN RESPECT TO

RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION:

PREFACED BY

SOME CONSIDERATIONS

ON THE

NATIONAL DUTY OF AFFORDING IT.

TO WHICH IS ADDED,

A SKETCH

OF AN

ECCLESIASTICAL ESTABLISHMENT FOR BRITISH INDIA.

HUMBLY SUBMITTED TO THE CONSIDERATION OF

THE IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

BY THE

REV. CLAUDIUS BUCHANAN, D.D.

LATE VICE-PROVOST OF THE COLLEGE OF FORT WILLIAM IN BENGAL,

AND MEMBER OF THE ASIATIC SOCIETY.

SECOND EDITION.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR CADELL AND DAVIES, IN THE STRAND.

1813,
Cimit

CONTENTS.

Page

THE Law of God recognised by a Christian Legislature.-

To what Nation chiefly belongs the Duty of extending

Christianity at this time

That duty recognised by Rome for many ages.-Imperfectly

executed— Taught Christianity without the Bible---Col-

lege“ de propaganda Fide"

The responsibility of propagating Christianity devolves on

Great Britain ..

11

The Voice of Providence, in the Course of Events, calls

Great Britain to the undertaking.A simultaneous effort

in all Christian nations to extend Christianity. . . 14

17

THE MEANS OF EXTENDING CHRISTIANITY,

three; viz.

1. Religious Missions. The three Societies of the Church

of England for propagating the Gospel. ...

2. Translations and new Editions of the Scriptures.-OurUni-

versities urged to renew their exertions, at the present

time, as to this mode of extending the knowledge of the

Revelation of God ..

3. Extension of the National Church.--Scarcely any exten-

sion of our Church for 250 years. In that period our

temporal dominion extended over a great part of the

world

27

30

A GENERAL COLONIAL ECCLESIASTICAL ESTA-

BLISHMENT.

West Indies, Bengal, Madras, Bombay, Ceylon, South Africa,