To the London Unitarian Society for promoting Christian Knowledge and the Practice of Virtue

by the Distribution of Books.

The humble Representation of William Roberts of Madras, British India,
Respectfully showeth,
That I am a native of the Carnatick, a descendant of Tamul or Malabar heathen parents, of
very indigent circumstances, who taught me to read and write a little of my mother language.
Now in the well known great disturbances of Hyder Ally, in the Carnatick, which began in
1780, both my father and mother died, which misfortune drove me to utmost want and distress.
For want of livelihood, in the year 1784, I quitted my native soil, a village about fifty miles
west of Madras, and came to Madras. Here a Mahometan Moor-man took me in his family, and
about six months afterwards sold me as a slave on board a country ship called Hasting [the
Hastings] to another Mahometan Tindal* named Dauhood or David. Dauhood shortly entered me
in the service of an English European officer in the same ship for his own benefit.
Thus situated in life as a slave, after several coasting voyages the ship came to Bombay,
where my benefactor the officer, Mr. Robison, fell sick and died; but before his death, by his
wisdom and justness of reasoning, released me from my slavery without any cost. After the death
of my benefactor, captain Alexander Jamison (commander of the said ship), agreeable to Mr.
Robisons desire before his death, not only paid me my wages in full for all the time I served Mr.
R., but also took me in his employ. With him I went a voyage to China, and from thence returned
to Bombay; by which time I [had] then been better than three years among the Mahometan
Lascars. Continually hearing the unhappiness of the heathen religion of stock worship, and the
superiority and superior privileges of the Mahometan religion, I became a convert to their
religion , and was circumcised. After this I went to China again with my captain; from China he
took his passage for Europe on Besebbraw [the Besborough] Indiaman, captain Montgomery.
Now, although my captain hired a Portuguese servant on purpose to go with him, contrary to all
my views and my new religion, [he] persuaded me also to go with him: after some hesitation I
consented, and went to with him to Europe. In Dunkirk and in Bologne I lived in his family
about eighteen months; and by degrees, by the assistance of my good fellow-servants, I began to
learn to read English a little, and had the opportunity of hearing something about the Christian
religion. On comparing it with my nominal Mahometanism, - I call it nominal, because I was not
even instructed in the first article of the Koran, which first article is the doctrine of One God,
(though the Koran is not the original source of this most glorious doctrine,) yet, had I been
tolerably well taught of the doctrine of One God from it, I think from my present feeling that I
would never have given a favourable hearing to those who would pay little or no attention at all
to the doctrine of the Unity of God. However, luckily for me, I knew nothing of the Koran,
therefore I thought it necessary once more to change my religion; and accordingly Mrs. Jamison
had an occasion to go over to England, and took me with her. While I was in London, with the
assistance of one by name Butler, (an African,) I got myself baptized in St. Jamess church,
which is between Pall Mall and Piccadilly, on the 3rd of August 1789, and named William
Roberts, being then about eighteen years old. The first thing after my baptism I bought a
Common Prayer Book of the Church of England, and a New Testament.

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On my return to Bologne my benefactress, in the absence of my old benefactor the captain,
for want of better obedience and quickness in business discharged me, but with letters of
recommendation to her friends in London to send me back to India. After passing the Channel on
my way from Dover to London, I met a chance of engaging myself in the service of a French
gentleman, Mr. Mouron; and having delivered my letters in London, I went with him to Bath and
stayed there about two months. The best thing that I did here was the purchase of a Bible. Mr.
Mouron not giving me livery, as he promised he would after one months trial, I took my
discharge from him and came to London. In London, those gentlemen to whom I brought letters
from Mrs. Jamison told me that the opportunity for sending me back to India was lost, and that
they could do nothing for me. Here I found myself in great distress; no friends no home nor
any support except my godfather, the above-mentioned African: he truly proved a steady friend.
After several months, when I could do nothing better; I agreed to work my passage out to Madras
as a servant to George Hoar, esq., who returned to Madras in the ship Queen, in 1790. On our
arrival at Madras Mr. Hoar agreed to keep me as his dressing servant at five pagodas per month,
and in a few months made me his butler at six pagodas. This turn of fortune was very seasonable
and very grateful after the bad fortune I had experienced in England.
Now, from the first, my chief motive for endeavouring to learn to read English was to read
the Bible to my own satisfaction. I had no other books but the Bible and the Common Prayer
Book of the Church of England; these were my friends, and the writers of them my instructors.
As at that time I had no friends or acquaintances, being quite a stranger at Madras, I was at all
times in my masters house. Whenever I had leisure the Bible was in my hands. The first thing
that struck me and I stumbled at was the Creed of St. Athanasius, in the Common Prayer Book.
Three persons of the same power and attributes, each separately God and Lord, yet altogether no
more than one God, was a thing too hard for me to make anything of. The next thing was that of
offering glory to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: in answer to which it is said As it was in the
beginning.Nothing of this kind is to be seen in the prayers of the greatest saints of the scriptures
which are recorded in the Bible. These thoughts very often came across my mind, and cooled
the ardour of my study. Sometimes I thought within myself that these difficulties arose from my
not understanding the English language rightly; and that if I once understood the English
language rightly, most probably these differences will be no more; for I had not yet then seen the
Bible in my own language translated and printed at Tranquebar by the Danish missionaries long
before. I was also secretly ashamed to appear [show] deficiency of faith in these things. The
more I considered, the harder it appeared to my reasoning power; for I had not the wisdom to
consider the contents of the Bible without the Common Prayer Book, and no notions of
corruptions of Christianity in the reformed churches. In this state of mind I went to England
again with Mr. G.H. in 1793. At this time I stayed in London about seven months and bought
some books my doubts and difficulties much the same. When I was ready to return, Mrs.
Hoars new maid-servant, a young woman by name Miss. Raw, one evening having a small Tract
in her hand, made me sit down by her worktable in the servants room, and read several pages to
me, and then left the book on the table and took to her needle. I took that book in my hand, and
was turning page after page: in the end I came to a catalogue of Dr. Priestleys and the Rev. T.
Lindseys publications. In this catalogue I found a list called A List of false Readings and

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Mistranslations of the Scripture. The moment I saw this, one after another several thoughts
came across my mind, and I think I had no sleep almost all night. The next morning after
breakfast I went and bought this List from Johns. and read it several times. When I came to
consider the contents, I was astonished to see that my doubts were not without foundation; and
that the doctrine of the Trinity, at which I stumbled, was not the doctrine of the Bible. The ardour
of my Bible study returned with redoubled vigour.
The List of the Rev. T. Lindseys soon set me in the right road, so as to consider the Bible and
the Bible only to be the rule of faith and practice. I also bought at that time the Rev. T Lindseys
Reformed Prayer Book, and a few other Tracts of his and Dr. Priestleys. Mr. John Raw, brother
to Miss. Raw, also made me a present of a Tract (Dr. Priestleys Appeal to the serious and candid
Professors of Christianity). With this acquisition and full of joy on my new discovery, I returned
to Madras in 1794.
Soon after my return I was hired as a butler in Mr. W. Harringtons family, at eight pagodas
per month, in which family I am continuing still (December 1816).
After I came into the service of Mr. Harrington and got [a] little settled, I sent to Tranquebar
and purchased the Bible in my own language. This Tamul Bible, with the English one, became a
great help, and explained many difficulties. To some of my countrymen who were of the
Protestant and Roman Catholic persuasion, the doctrine of One God, &c. appeared as heathenism
refined. Others saw and still do see it in [a] different light; but to me they became the greatest
comfort and continual rejoicing: the more I read the Scripture, [the] stronger the proof appeared.
I have also procured some books of the Trinitarians, and found their way of stating the Scripture
doctrine to me altogether unsatisfactory.
In 1797 an opportunity offered to commission for some books from England; and by that
means I received Dr. Priestleys History of the Corruptions of Christianity; his letters to Dr.
Horsley; his Early Opinions concerning Christ; his Harmony; the Rev. T. Lindseys Apology and
Sequel; his Examination of Mr. Robinsons Plea; Dr. Clarkes Scripture Doctrine of the Trinity;
Mr. Haynes Attributes; Sales Koran; Brandts History of [the]Reformation; and some other
books. These books became a great source of information.
In 1806 I went to England with Mrs. Harrington and their children. This last time I stayed
only forty days in London, and bought Dr. Priestleys Church history; Institutes of Natural and
Revealed Religion; Notes on all the Books of the Scripture; Comparison of the Institutions of
Moses with those of the Hindoos; the Rev. T. Lindseys First and Second and Addresses;
Conversations on Christian Idolatry; Dr. Lardners Letter on the Logos; and [a] few other
Sermons and Tracts. While I was purchasing these, a young gentleman (Mr. Hunter) in Johnsons
shop very kindly gave me a note to the Rev. J. Joyce, who gave me, gratis, more than a dozen of
Tracts of your Society. When he gave me those Tracts I told him that I wished to speak to him on
the subject of religion, tom which he said he would be very glad to hear me; but not telling me
on what day or where, time slipped away very fast, and I applied to Mr. Hunter, two days before
my leaving London, Told me that I may go to him any time at his house in Gloucester Place,

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Camden Town. The very next day I went, but to my great sorrow he was not at home; I waited
till evening, and came away. The day following I left London for India.
Though my poverty and mean situation in life, and also my disqualification and incapability
to teach, be two great impediments; yet as far as lay in my power I always made a point of
answering, and instructing, and giving all the information I was master of to all those of my
countrymen who would.
Among those who have been my hearers, about ten families and some individuals have
embraced the Unitarian faith; seven out of the ten families are original converts from
heathenism. All of them are poor, their situation in life much meaner than my own. Among them,
the first of my converts and the oldest man, Meguel Annathy, is about seventy-five years of age,
at present very sickly; he was originally a convert to the Roman Catholic persuasion from
heathenism, and twenty years since he has embraced the doctrine of the Unitarians. He is alike a
father and elder to our little society, and maintains himself and his family by keeping a Tamul
school for our children.
Four use I have drawn a set of [of] forms of prayers and other offices in our own language
(Tamul or Malabar), as well as I could, like that of the Rev. T. Lindseys Reformed Prayer Book.
We have a burying ground of our own, and a small place of worship opened on the 19th
December 1813. Those of us that can conveniently go, meet there for divine worship; and if I am
there present, which happens about once in two or three Sundays, I read the Prayers and some
portions of Scripture. In my absence my old friend Meguel Annathy does the same. Here we
baptise, administer the Lords supper, give marriage, and bury our dead.
We shall be very glad to have a regular Unitarian minister to do all these for us; but we do
not know from what quarter we can look for such a blessing, for we are poor and helpless.
Some Europeans as well as natives have interrogated us concerning our faith; and others did
and still upbraid us for being singular and conceited, as they imagine in our way of thinking; and
also for not joining any such other societies of Christians; yet nobody has disturbed us on
account of our religion.
Our Prayer Books and other religious tracts written by me in Tamul (for I have no head or
hand in English, as it will appear plain from these lines), in which language only can I do
anything of the kind, are in hand-writing; we have no means of printing them. We can buy the
Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments from the missionary societies; and of late we are
blessed with sufficient number of New Testaments from the Calcutta Auxiliary Society. On eof
the agents of the Calcutta Auxiliary Society in Madras is the Rev. Marmaduke Thomson, to
whom we are very well known by the name of the Congregation of Native Christians of
Pursewaukum. Pursewaukum is the place where we have our small chapel.
Thus far, most illustrious Sirs, I have taken the liberty of intruding upon your time and
patience in describing my religious progress and our present condition.

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Now, should your illustrious Society, after reading this narrative of my Petition, condescend
to make an inquiry so as to take notice of us, we have [a] few requests to lay before your
illustrious Society.
Our first request is, in case your illustrious Society should ever think upon a mission to this
part of the world, that we may be taken under your paternal care and guidance.
Our second request is, if possible a way be discovered to receive information from time to
time concerning us from Madras.
Our third request is, to favour us with your advice for our conduct; and from time to time [a]
few of your new Tracts, so as to hold up the true light, and encourage and raise our spirits in our
duty.
May your illustrious Society increase more and more with its pure and penetrating sight, and
become the means of enlightening the whole world with rational Christianity.
May God Almighty, even the God and father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the Holy
One of Israel, who neither slumbereth nor sleepeth, the sole Lord and Creator of heaven and
earth, the unchangeable Majesty, hasten it, is the prayer of
Your most obedient and most humble servant
William Roberts.
Madras, East India, Dec. 25, 1816.
P.S. The bearer of this, though not one of our persuasion, yet was he kind enoughto undertake
to deliver this to your illustrious Society.
I am of the intention to send a duplicate of this by another opportunity, for fear this should
not reach your illustrious Society.
W. R.
London: Printed for the Unitarian Society,
BY RICHARD AND ARTHUR TAYLOR,
1818

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