CHAPTER III. RISE AND PROGRESS OF NESTORIANISM. A. D. 527. Cosmas In dicopleustes. His and geogra phy correspond with those of the Hindoos. 1. REFERENCE has already been made to the writer, to whom we are indebted for the earliest authentic record of the state of Christianity in India. This was Cosmas, a merchant of Alexandria, surnamed, Indopleustes, or Indicopleu- astronomy stes,' that is the Indian voyager. In his time the commerce with India and the western world continued to be carried on in its former channel, and both Rome, the ancient capital of the empire, and Constantinople, the new seat of government, were still supplied with the precious commodities of the East by the merchants of Alexandria. But until the reign of Justinian, who ascended the throne, A. D. 527, we have no account of further information being gathered relating either to the internal state of India, or to the progress of geographical discovery in those distant regions. Though by this time the Persians had become formidable rivals to the Romans in this lucrative commerce, yet their merchants were not accustomed to visit the regions eastward of the Indian continent, being 1 'Iydikomλeúσtns. Asseman, Tom. xiii. part 2. p. 405. Cave's Historia Literaria, An. 576, p. 348. III. CHAP. generally satisfied with receiving their silk, spices, and other valuable productions, as they were imported by the native traders into Ceylon, and conveyed thence to the various marts of Hindoostan. During these two centuries, history is silent also respecting the state of the Indian churches, until Cosmas published the information which he collected in his travels. Wearied, probably, with the dangers and fatigues of mercantile adventures, he exchanged them for the tranquillity of the cloister, and in his retirement devoted himself to literary pursuits. There he wrote several works, the principal of which he named Christian Topography, or, the opinion of Christians concerning the world. This work is in twelve books, in which the author betrays extreme ignorance respecting the figure and surface of the earth. Disputing with the philosophers, who maintained that the earth was spherical, Cosmas labours to prove it an oblong plane, twelve thousand miles in length from East to West, and six thousand miles in breadth from North to South. He asserts also that it is surrounded by high walls, and that the firmament of heaven is spread over it as a spacious canopy. He accounts for the vicissitudes of day and night, by supposing the sun to revolve round a vast mountain at the extremity of the North, whose shadow involved in darkness those parts of the earth over which it was thrown. Hence night and day would alternate according to the position of the sun on either side of this huge mountain.2 These absurd notions he un Cosmas' Indic. Topogr. Christ. Lib. xi. 337. Robertson's India, p. 95. 2 Lardner's Gospel History, Vol. xi. pp. 262, 263. Robertson's India, pp. 92, 93. Cosmas is said to have published It is dertakes to prove from reason, Scripture, and Christian writers, who lived before him.' probable, however, that he gathered them from the inhabitants of India, into whose customs and opinions he had evidently inquired with great diligence. To this day the Hindoos entertain ideas of the earth very similar to those of Cosmas,2 except where the light of European science has dissipated the darkness of their understandings. This is not surprising when we consider their limited knowledge of the earth, and that their conclusions are drawn from the appearances and revolutions within their own contracted range of observation. But it is unaccountable how a man like Cosmas, who had seen so much more of the world, should allow himself to regard the rude notions of an uneducated people as tending to confirm the truth, rather than the fallacy, of such vague ideas as had prevailed, in the days of ignorance, in other quarters of the globe. 2. But whatever were the origin of these reveries in the mind of this Egyptian voyager; and though we cannot but regret that a writer of so much intelligence on other subjects, should have committed himself in this manner on the his book at Alexandria, A. D. 547. But Asseman dates it Ap. B. Montfaucon, Nov. Collection, P.P. Tom. ii. 113, CHAP. III. sciences of astronomy and geography, which were at that time sufficiently advanced to have informed him better; yet it is acknowledged, that he seems to relate what he himself had observed in his travels, or what he had learned from others, with great simplicity and regard for truth. The accuracy of his geographical description of the Malabar coast, and of the commerce with India, both by the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, is unquestionable. His testimony also to the canon of sacred Scripture, as now received, is justly esteemed of great value :2 and his account of the Christian Church in India is quoted, both by Protestant and Romish writers, as authentic history. It is thus given by La Croze,' who introduces it with the declaration, that he undertakes to write from good authorities the history of these Indian Christians, and that he cannot begin better than with the testimony of Cosmas, who was an eye witness to part of what he relates. 66 4 "There is," says he, "in the island of Taprobane (Ceylon), in the farthermost India, "in the Indian sea, a Christian Church, with clergymen and believers. I know not whe"ther there are any Christians beyond this island. In the Malabar country also, where "pepper grows, there are Christians, and in "Calliana, as they call it, there is a Bishop, 66 who comes from Persia, where he was con"secrated." 5 In this extract, as La Croze justly 1 Robertson's India, p. 93. 2 Lardner, Vol. xi. c. 148. 3 Histoire, pp. 37, 38. * Σιελενδίβα, Cosmas. He calls the Christians there Persians, and says that they had priest and deacon, and all the Church Liturgy. Mahommedan Traveller's Account, &c. E. Renaudot, Note D. 5 In quoting the original of this passage from Cosmas, remarks, we have an undoubted testimony that Christianity was established in India in the sixth century. The present race of Christians in Malabar claim an antiquity much more remote indeed, and with justice, as already shown: but this is the most ancient authentic record of their existence, as a united and well ordered church, and also of the dependence of their Bishops and clergy upon the primate of Persia. All this may be fairly taken as presumptive evidence in favour of the conclusion drawn in the last chapter, that India proper was the country visited by Pantænus and others. Thus is given in few words an account of one of the most ancient churches in the world. At the time of Cosmas' visit, they are said to have been Nestorians; and although they do not now hold the opinions of that sect, and it is no Mr. Le Bas has added the following Note. "The names MAAE and KAAAIANA, fix the locality beyond all reasonable doubt. Make or Male, in the Malabar language, signifies pepper, from which product this region notoriously has its appellation. With regard to Kaλáva, it has been conjectured that it is identical either with Calicut, or Quilon, spelt also sometimes Coilan, (Coulan)." But it is more probable that the Calliana of Cosmas is the ancient city of Calianapore, of which some ruins are said to be still in existence near the sea-coast, two days' journey to the north of Mangalore.— See Paulinus, India Orientalis Christiana, p. 14. Romæ, 1794. It is, however, by no means impossible that Christianity may then have extended still farther north, to the district known at this day by the name of Callianee, or Calyani, a strong hilly country, extending along the sea-coast of the Aurungabad province, opposite to the island of Bombay, bounded on the east by the Western Ghauts, and situated between the 18th and 20th degrees of north latitude.' Hamilton's Description of Hindoostan, vol. ii. p. 150). Life of Bp. Middleton, vol. i. c. 9. pp. 265, 266. 1 It will be shown in the sequel what grounds there are for this conjecture. A. D. 527. |