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said in the Moondak Oopanishad"An ignorant Gooroo, who attempts to instruct an igorant disciple, is like a blind man who attempts to lead a blind man." It is said in the Shasters, that a Gooroo may once receive a fee from his disciple, i. e. on his taking him under his spiritual care: but it is very singular, that Gooroos do, repeatedly in one single year, extort money from their disciples; partly at the various festivals; partly under the pretence of intending to invest their sons with the brahminical thread or to marry them, and under similar pretences. Nevertheless they tell their disciples, in order to gratify them, that they love them, as much as their own sons; but we never saw them give the property of their sons unto their disciples: on the other hand, we see continually that they take the property of their disciples and give it to their sons.

gods on which you meditate are but the fictions of your own mind: for you form in your mind the head of such and such a god-give him a mouth, nose, &c.-endow him with hands, feet, and other limbs-deck him with clothes, beads, and trinkets-and prepare in your mind various presents which you offer to him: when your attention is engrossed by some worldly affair, some limbs are finished and other limbs remain unfinished: in the mean while, if any body should enter into conversation with you, or if the mind should become engaged in any thing else, then this whole fancied image is all at once destroyed, and you are obliged to form it again in your mind. How often does it happen in this manner, in the course of one single day, that you break as it were an image which you have thus made in your mind, and that you form the same image again! This mental wor

If you say—The knowledge and worship of yours is only a mental play. ship of Brahmu is an occupation of the mind, and the meditation on gods possessed of a shape which we practise is also an occupation of the mind: now as by the knowledge of Brahmu salvation is obtain ed, why should not also in the same manner salvation be obtainable by the worship of gods possessed of a shape?

I reply-That Brahmu is the author of the world, does not at all depend upon our notions: in the same manner as a rope will not be a rope, because we consider it so; for the existence of a thing does not depend upon men's considering it as existing but if a rope is not considered as a serpent, but as that which it really is, this cannot be productive of any error; and therefore a person, who employs it for some purpose, will obtain the object which he has in view. In the same manner, it is an idea productive of fatal mistakes, if a part of the world which is not God is considered as the divine author of the world. but if a person consider the author of the world as the author thereof, he will obtain the object which he has in view, (viz. salvation.) But the

You form such an image at what time and in what manner you wish, and then you expect salvation and happiness from such a destructible thing of your own formation! This self-deception knows no bounds. Beings which they themselves form and break in their mind, they consider as their gods; and pray to these imaginary beings, to enrich them with holiness, wealth, prosperity, and eternal beatitude! You see evidently, that beings, which they scrape with their tools and which they carve and polish, they consider as the Lords of the world and their own Lords, and pray to them for what they wish to have. Now who is capable of bringing such stupid people to their senses? Even brute beasts consider lifeless substances as lifeless substances, and stones as stones, and water as water, and beasts as beasts. But how can such a person call himself a man and despise the beasts, who considers trees as gods, stones as supreme gods, the water of some rivers or tanks as a universally-adored god, and jackals, monkeys, and similar beasts as repre

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sentatives of gods, and worship them accordingly?

If you ask-Why is there such a disunion of heart between us and the worshippers of images 9

We answer, in strict accordance with the truth-It is utterly impossible that there should be a union of heart between such as differ from each other, as East and West: for how can we feel any affection for you, while you reproach Him, whom we consider as the infinitely holy, omnipresent, indestructible, Supreme God; by saying that he was born or that he died; and by accusing him of adultery, theft, revengefulness, voluptuousness, anger, and other sinful passions?

Now if we see you involved in various kinds of misery, we must of course pity you. For, though you have all the necessary articles of food, yet you do not enjoy them, under the idea that God will be pleased if you deny to yourselves the use of this food: though you have good opportunity and leisure for working, you abstain from it, because you imagine it is an unlucky hour for it, and spend your time in idleness. You withhold alms from honest poor persons, who stand in need of them; and give them to self-conceited rich deceivers. Flowers, and other things which have a good smell, you do not give to those who have the power of smelling; but you throw them, sometimes into the river, sometimes before lifeless blocks, so that they are of no use. In the cold season, you torment yourselves, on purpose, by bathing in cold water; and, in the warm season, by sitting between fires which you kindle. By day and night you are afraid, on account of imaginary evils. Imagining that God is in some places and not in others, you travel about in various countries and undergo great troubles, and some even die of it. Though you have excellent water, yet you drink brackish water mixed with mire and dirt, and bathe therein (meaning the water of the Hooghly, à branch of the Ganges.) Often, sin

gle men among you marry many women, whereby they make them miserable, lead them into sin, and expose them to infamy, and bring upon themselves great affliction. You buy a block of stone or earth for 20 or 25 rupees, which is less than the price of a horse, and call it your God. You acknowledge as your Gooroos, proud, imperious persons; who are full of pride, the worst of all crimes, and given to lies and deceit. Further, you do not get your children instructed in the Astronomical Shasters, in which it is shewn that the earth is round, and suspended in the air; and that the eclipses of the moon are produced by the shadow of the earth; but you teach them, like parrots, the fables in which religious and moral instruction is conveyed by means of parables, viz. you say that the earth is three cornered, and rests upon the head of a serpent; and that Râhoo, being an enemy of the Sun and the Moon, eats them up; and when, by the friction of the clouds, a sound is produced, you say, that the gods roar. If by chance any body sneezes or a lizard gives a sound, you say, if at that time he is engaged in any thing, he will not be successful. Now we see you continually practising a thousand such foolish customs, and teaching them to others; consequently, we are grieved, when we see persons, possessed of a human shape, acting in such a senseless manner.

Another reason why there exists such a disunion of heart between us, is this that what you consider as duties of religion, and the acts of worship which you perform, we consider actually as irreligious actions. The particulars thereof are these. The blocks of earth and stone, the trees, fowls, beasts, birds, and other things, which you consider as God, we do not consider as such. The bendings of the hands and feet and other limbs, the dancing and playing, ' and the wearing of wood round your neck, and the marks of sandal wood, &c. which you consider as productive

of religious merit, we do not consider as such. You say that drinking the water of particular places, and covering the body with the dust and mud which is found there, is a religious action; which we deny. Some sects among you consider the cating and drinking of intoxicating articles of all sorts, the killing of living creatures and bloody festivals, as spiritual worship; which we do not. Some sects among you declare the eating of that which proceeds from the body of a cow, as an action productive of religious merit; which we do not consider as a religious action. To burn women to death, and to murder old parents by drowning them in water and dragging them upon stones and bricks, you consider as religious actions; which we do not. To gather large companies and to make them presents, you consider as a religious act; which we do not. The clapping together of shells, the ringing of bells, the dancing, the snapping of the fingers, and such like practices, which you consider as religious acts, we do not regard so. To

fast at particular seasons and to make others fast, you consider as a religious duty; which we do not. You declare all kinds of promiscuous sensual intercourse in the worship of particular deities to be religious acts; which we deny. Accordingly, we exhort you once more-" Believe in God as the all-pervading Spirit, who knows the deeds, words, and thoughts of all men; and, by walking according to his commandments, promote your own welfare and that of others, and obtain salvation." If you do not improve the instructions which we have now given you, but hate and revile us, we shall regard this as a matter of very little consequence; for we cannot suffer much loss, nor receive much profit, from that which such miserable ignorant persons say concerning us; whose gods are earth, stone, wood, and metal; and whose objects of worship are monkeys, bears, kites, jackals, and such like creatures. Accordingly, you are to us objects of pity, but not of hatred. We say again

Forsake the playing with images, and believe in the Supreme God."

APPENDIX VIII,

(See Page 116.)

COMMUNICATIONS RELATIVE TO THE BURDWAN SCHOOLS.

Extracts from the Journal of the Rev. John Andrew Jetter, from July 1820 to April 1821.

July 19, 1820. -I read with my Pundit, in my leisure hours, in the Tract" Against Idolatry," which gave occasion to many very serious arguments about the religious ceremonies, &c. of the Hindoos. My Pundit endeavoured to the utmost to defend his idol-worship, but was very soon put to shame. Oh that God would have mercy upon these wretched people, and take away their diabolical pride and superstition; which keep them so in bondage, that they assert things which are in opposition to

common sense, and contradict those very principles which they maintain. If you ask any of them, why he acts against all common sense and his own principles, he will answer—“ What can I do? How shall I live? This is now the custom; therefore I do these things."

July 23, Sunday.-Early this morning, we had our rooms filled with Boys from our Village Schools, who frequently come and see us; but it was astonishing how cautious they were in receiving any book or tract,

except those which we have already in the School.

Aug. 6, Sunday. In the evening, we had a little Bengalee Meeting in our room, consisting of a Native Christian, and some of our English School-Boys. Brother Deerr began to read St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans; and, after reading the First Chapter,made some observations on it. Aug. 12.-Had an examination of the Boys in the English School; and promoted several into higher classes, which I find a very good stimulus to greater exertions.

Aug. 19.-After School, one of the English School-Boys came into my room, complaining of pain in his head, and requested permission to go home to his parents; which having obtained, he wanted some pence, to buy something in the market, and, seeing that I was not willing to comply, he added, "I will learn my lesson very well;" supposing, as they generally do, that I should be greatly benefited by this. This I mention, as one instance out of many in proof, that these Hindoos have not yet been led to think it a favour to be admitted into benevolent institutions, in which they are educated free of expense; but are, on the contrary, apt to think that they do us a great favour by attending our Schools.

This indifference, which is one of the principal features of the character of the Hindoos, proves a great trial to the Missionary. However, we trust that the succeeding generation, which will no doubt perceive the benefit derived from these instructions, will view them in a different light.

Aug. 20, Sunday. In the evening, we had again worship in Bengalee; when I began with the First Chapter of St. John's Gospel. We felt ourselves quite happy on this occasion, and were constrained to thank God for having inclined the hearts of these Boys to attend our Meetings.

Aug. 26. After I had returned

from School, the grand Pundit of the: place paid me a visit. His first inquiry was for the Tract "Against Idolatry," against which he intended at that time to write; but as it is: too argumentative to be refuted, he desisted from it, pretending that he had no time for it. He is a very great enemy to Christianity.

Aug. 30.-Half the English School Boys came, this evening, with one accord, and asked leave, for three days, to attend an idol-feast; which, alas! I could not prevent: but, to my great joy, a good number of Boys came the day following into my room, to receive lessons, with, which I complied with much plea

sure.

We

Sept. 4.-An Old Woman, nearly sixty years of age, burnt herself with her Husband. We intended to prevent her, if possible, from committing such a horrible act. found her sitting on the ground, near the dead corpse of her Husband, ready to be burnt, and so sullen, that she would not even give an answer to what was said to her: her relations were standing round her, with a great number of her sex, rejoicing in the honour conferred on them by this action, and stimulated her to persevere in her resolution. I can hardly express what I felt on this occasion. My heart bled, on account of their great ignorance, and the powerful influence which the Wicked One has over these poor people! Oh! may the Lord have mercy on these Hindoos, by bringing them out of their great darkness into His marvellous light, and out of the bondage of Satan into the glorious liberty of His Gospel!

Oct. 30. This morning I went to see a tree near Burdwan, which has excited great astonishment among the Natives. This tree has grown so as to incline very much to the ground, and is of a spongy nature: being much affected by the Sun during the day, it sinks almost to the ground; and, during the night, receiving fresh

strength from the dew, it rises about two feet and a half until the morning, from which time it begins to fall again. This operation, being perceived by some of the Hindoo Inhabitants living near the place, produced in them the fancy that a god came down to reside in it; and, without listening to any explanation which was given of this phenomenon, they began to worship the tree. But as it afterward left off moving, they desisted from this absurd practice.

March 20, 1821.-We had the great pleasure of seeing the Rev. Mr. Thomason, Mr. Sherer, and Capt. Phipps, at Burdwan; who came up to take an Annual Examination of the different Schools in and near Burdwan. They were accompanied by the Rev. Mr. Mill, Principal of the Bishop's College. This evening was indeed a time of joy for us Missionary Brethren.

March 21.-We all assembled at Br. Perowne's, when Mr. Thomason read the Fifty-fifth Chapter of Isaiab, and concluded with fervent prayer.

After breakfast we resorted to the English School, where the Boys of the first classes of all the different Bengalee Schools in the villages were

collected, and examined them in all the different books which they had read during the past year. They gave very satisfactory proofs, that they had not only learned, but understood what they had learned; which is a point whereon you cannot be too strenuous among the Hindoos: for they are accustomed to learn a number of words and verses by heart, of none of which they know the meaning; saying, "When Children attain to a certain age, the knowledge of the meaning of what they have learnt comes of itself."

March 22.-This morning we repaired to the English School, and examined the Boys who are instructed therein, and concluded the whole bysaying the Lord's Prayer in English with all the English School Boys. In the Evening our friends left us for Calcutta.

How blessed an effect had the visit of these our Christian Friends upon me! My spirit was raised-my heart comforted-my feeble knees strengthened-and my desire greatly increased, that the Lord would make me a faithful servant of His,and pour upon me a rich measure of His Holy Spirit, by whose help ALONE we can be useful.

Extracts from the Letters of the Rev. J. A. Jetter, and the Rev. W. James Deerr.

From the Rev. J. A. Jetter. May 15, 1821. With respect to the effect, which instruction has on the Minds and Manners of the Hindoos, I am not able to give you such cheering and encouraging accounts, as you are frequently favoured with, from your Missionaries in other parts of the world: While we are informed, through the Reports, of the prosperity attending the labours of our Brethren among other nations, and HEAR and SEE the most glorious effects of the Holy Gospel, where received by faith and with simplicity of heart, we must comfort ourselves with the hope, that

the Lord will not suffer the work, wherein we are engaged, in simple reliance on Him, to be quite fruitless.

I often recollect, what my dear friend Mr. Bickersteth said, on one occasion-"When you learn nothing but patience, you learn enough, because a Missionary requires a great deal of patience." Surely among these superstitious Hindoos, who, by the most unreasonable arguments, defend their idolatry, patience and forbearance are necessary: and without the immediate help and cooperation of the Lord, for which we are anxiously waiting, nothing

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