[An Historical Relation Of The Island Ceylon In The East Indies by Robert Knox]@TWC D-Link bookAn Historical Relation Of The Island Ceylon In The East Indies PART IV 238/241
They Sanctifie the Day chiefly by refraining work, and meeting together at Drinking-houses.
They continue the practice of Baptism; and there being no Priests, they Baptize their Children themselves with Water, and use the words, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and give them Christian Names.
They have their Friends about them at such a time, and make a small Feast according to their Ability: and some teach their Children to say their Prayers, and to Read, and some do not. [In some things they comply with the worship of the Heathen.] Indeed their Religion at the best is but Negative, that is, they are not Heathen, they do not comply with the Idolatry here practised; and they profess themselves Christians in a general manner, which appears by their Names, and by their Beads and Crosses that some of them wear about their Necks.
Nor indeed can I wholly clear them from complyance with the Religion of the Countrey.
For some of them when they are Sick do use the Ceremonies which the Heathen do in the like case, as in making Idols of clay, and setting them up in their Houses, and Offering Rice to them, and having Weavers to Dance before them.
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