While a part of the multitude are engaged in their offerings, others are employed in a great variety of diversions either for amusement or for gain. The whole scene is a most moving spectacle of degradation and guilt. The occasion afforded us an opportunity of addressing many of the deluded peo ple, on the unreasonableness, guilt, and awful consequences of such kinds of worship. At Poonah, on the two days next succeeding the anniversary, the Peshwa or Governor, makes large presents to the Brahmins, and provides them liberal entertainments. On this occasion, all who offer themselves for exam→ ination as to their knowledge of the shaster, and their skill in the various employments in which they may be engaged, receive a reward propor tionable to their proficiency. Some receive fifteen ruppes, and others five hundred, and what the Peshwa expends in this way on a single occasion, is said to amount to several hundred thousand rupees. August 4th, Lord's day. I [Mr. H.] went to the native burying ground at about 19 o'clock, A. M. Before my arrival, three bodies had been brought for burial, and four for burning. The police seapoy, who keeps a register of all the dead that are brought here, told me, that yesterday the number was nine, and the day before seventeen. The occasion afforded a favorable opportunity, for addressing in all, about 50 heathens. Here I saw, as I have often seen before, a number of poor persons, scraping among the ashes and sand in search of money which might be accidentally dropped by the people during the ceremony of burning, or which might be deposited with the dead body on the funeral pile. Some of these poor persons were females, who were digging with a skull bone which served them in place of a hoe. A multitude of human bones are scattered over the ground, for they bury without coffins: and they have for so long a time been burying in such great numbers in this one spot, that it is now perhaps impossible to dig a grave any where within the limits of the burying ground, without throwing up a great number of bones. 5th. Received a letter from our brethren at Ceylon, dated 9th July. This letter states that in answer to the petition of the brethren for leave to establish their mission in the district of Jaffna, to establish schools and a printing press, to distribute the Scriptures and other religious books &c. &c Government granted them all they requested. Tillipally and Batticotta are the two towns which the brethren have fixed on as their stations. The government seem decidedly favorable to our dear brethren. Thus we have new occasion to record the goodness of the Lord, to give praise unto his name, and to trust in him for all things. Another Baptist misionary, Mr. Griffiths, and his wife, have just arrived from England at Columbo to join Mr. Chater, 7th. To-day is performed on this side of India, a famous religious ceremony, called the Narral poojah. Narral signifies a cocoa nut, and Poojah signifies religious worship. Hence it is often called cocoanut day. This religious ceremony consists chiefly in making offerings to the sea; or, rather to the imaginary deity, whose peculiar province it is to control the watery elements. The offerings consist of cocoanuts, flowers, leaves, coins of copper, silver, and gold, and sometimes, it is said, they offer pearls and diamonds. They wade some distance into the water, cast away their offerings, mutter their prayers, and bow in adoration to the god of the sea. An origin, as ridiculous as it is fabulous, has been assigned to this annual ceremony. But as it is performed at a time, when it is supposed that the severity of the monsoon is past, and when the native boats, after being closely blockaded for more than two months, may again safely venture out to sea, it is most probable that this ceremony is performed as a kind of thank-offering to the sea for again becoming propitious; and also to the watery element generally, because that quantity of rain has been given, on which depends the harvest of the year. On this occasion, it is thought that 100,000 people assemble on the seashore near the fort of Bombay. Some of the Parsees and Mussulmaung join with the Hindoos in this idolatrous worship. Sports of various kinds accompany the ceremony; and the temporary toy-shops and refectory-stallé are so numerous, as to render a great part of the scene more like a fair than any thing else. 11th. Lord's day. One of us went to the native burying ground. To-day 17 dead bodies have been brought to this spot. Held religious conversation in the audience of 30 or 40 heathens. At another place several persons were engaged in worshipping the cow. Wreaths of flowers were put on the head of the cow, and also the sacred paint and oil. Rice and flowers were offered to the cow, and the pitiable yet rational, accountable, and immortal beings bowed their faces to the earth in adoration of the dumb beast. With what peculiar fitness may it be said of such, "Every man is brutish in his knowledge." The usual method of worshipping the cow is by walking around her a certain number of times, and repeating forms of prayer appropriated to the service. In another place, a Parsee was seen soliciting charity for the dogs. They have a high religious veneration for this animal. It is a part of their religion to provide for them in times of scarcity, and persons are often employed to go about the streets and feed the dogs with bread, cakes and sweetmeats. 16th. Finished the translation of John's Gospel. The four Gospels are now translated. Yesterday we were presented with several dozeň small school books, for the use of our English school society. 18th. Lord's day. Went to the native burying ground at half past 9 o'clock, A. M. Twenty-three bodies had been either burnt or buried in the morning before that hour. Fifteen bodies yesterday, and twenty four on Friday, were deposited here. 21. Observing a number of Jews in their burying ground, I went to them. They were engaged in repeating prayers at the grave of a man, who died eleven months since. The prayers were in Hebrew. A white cloth was spread over the whole length of the grave, incense was burning at the head of it, and flowers were scattered over it; and the children of Abraham, a people accursed of the Lord, and yet beloved for their father's sake, were standing with their faces set towards their Jerusalem and bowing to their beloved Deity, all of them often repeating amen, while the priest was indecently mumbling over what none of them understood. I inquired the cause of the ceremony. They replied that to day the friends of the deceased gave an entertainment: for their custom required them to give three entertainments on account of a departed relative: the first seven days after his death, the second at the end of four months, and the third in the eleventh month. On these feast days the friends repair to the grave to perform the ceremony which has been mentioned. The burying ground of the Jews is of considerable extent, and the graves in it are very numerous. Most of them have grave stones, and on many of them epitaphs in Hebrew are inscribed. 26. This morning was introduced to our acquaintance a Mr. W. an Englishman, who has been a traveller in India, Persia, &c. Mr. W. has resided several years in Persia, and travelled through various parts of the country. He observed, that the attachment of the Persians to the Mohammedan religion was weakening, and that they were receiving impressions and sentiments very favorable to Christianity. He gave an interesting account of a distinguished Mussulmaun with whom he was intimately acquainted, who had become a convert to Christianity, and who has privately received baptism by a Roman Catholic priest, though he disapproved of their superstitious ceremonies. Mr. W. without hesitation said that missionaries might reside in Persia, provided they did not distinctly avow their object; but proceed quietly with the translation of the Scriptures, and with religious conversation in rather a private way. 27th. The Hindoos at present are engaged in a great anniversary in honor of their celebrated god Ganesa, who is more commonly called Gunputtee, and who is supposed to be the same as the Janus of the Romans. This god the Hindoos believe to be an incarnation of the Deity; but he is not one of their ten great incarnations. The Puranas say, that he was born after the manner of men of Parvate, the wife of Mahadave. But the popular belief of the Hindoos is this. Parvate was one day wishing to bathe, but she had no one to guard the door. On this emergency she had recourse to the odd expedient of scraping the scurf from her body, and out of that she created Gun puttee, and set him to guard the door. While he was discharging this duty, Mahadave came home and demanded entrance. But the young centinel courageously forbad him to advance. Upon this Mahadave flew upon Gunputtee in a rage, and cut off his head. Parvate instantly fell into rage and grief for the death of her son; and by reproofs, intreaties, and threats of destroying her life, and involving Mahadave in guilt, she so wrought upon the feelings of her murderous husband, that he promised to restore Gunputtee to life. But on searching for the severed head it could not be found. He therefore resolved to cut off the head of the first living thing which he should meet, and affix it to the body of Gunputtee. The first thing he met was an elephant. The elephant's head, therefore, was taken and united to Gunputtee's body, which is the cause of his being uniformly represented with the head of an elephant, united to a human body, which is furnished with four, and sometimes a greater number of hands. Vario 3 anecdotes are related of this god, as well as of the other deities of the Hindoos. The following is more worthy of notice, since it is the foundation of a Hindoo anniversary. On a certain day all the gods and goddesses went on a visit to mount Hali, the residence of Mahadave. As they ascended the mountain, the road being rough and narrow, and the crowd great, the vehicles of the gods began to jostle together, which caused Gunputtee with his great belly to fall from his mouse, on which he was riding in his accustomed style. The moon saw him fall, and bursting into laughter at the diverting spectacle, she sported with the calamity of the unfortunate god. was so enraged, that he instantly blasted the moon with a resistless curse, At this Gunputtee and decreed, that whosoever should henceforth look at the moon should perish. The company proceeded to Hali, but soon found, that the moon, instead of blessing them with her cheering light, had withdrawn herself from their view. On inquiry they found, that she had fallen under the curse of Gunputtee, and was overwhelmed with affliction. Upon this, the whole company began to adore and intreat Gunputtee, and continued the exercise until they could venture to implore mercy from him for the moon, and urge a removal of the curse. He proved propitious; and so far removed the curse as to allow all mankind to look at the moon, with the exception of one day in every year. On this forbidden day no one can look at the moon but on pain of eternal destruction. Yesterday was the prohibited day for the present year. The Hindoos scrupulously observe the day, and they seem to believe, that should they transgress in this matter, it would be their ruin. For several days many persons have been employed in making images of Gunputtee from clay. These images are more or less nicely executed and ornamented, and sold at various prices from five pice (cents,) to eight or ten rupees. The images are carried to the houses of the people; there they are consecrated and worshipped; and to-day the multitude have been employed in carrying the images in procession with music, and dancing, and shouting from their houses to the tanks, (pools,) when, with flowers and other offerings, they are thrown into the water. This is an annual ceremony. Gunputtee is worshipped in a great variety of ways by the Hindoos. They consider him as the god of wisdom and prudence, and they all invoke his name at the commencement of all the business and all the concerns of life. His images abound in every part of India, and it is believed, that this figure engrosses a greater share of the Hindoo worship than any one of all their other gods. The present anniversary has afforded very favorable opportunities for addressing the heathen on the absurdity of making gods of clay one day, worshipping them the next, and drowning them the third. Alas! what VOL. XIII. 60 objects of commiseration are such idolaters! O that the Lord Jesus would In his power arise and make himself known among this ignorant people. it is to save. (To be continued DONATIONS TO THE AMERICAN BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR Sept. 1. From Mr. Joseph Wood of White Bluff, Georgia, by the Rev. Dr. 2. From Mr. Breed of Charlestown, by the Rev. Dr. Morse, $5.00. 1.00 From the Foreign Mission Society of Bath and the Vicinity, by Mr. Jonathan From the Merrimac branch of the Foreign Mission Society by Mr. Joseph S. 53.00 45 18 From the Female Missionary Society in Portland, for missions on our own continent, by the Rev. Mr. Payson, 80 00 From a friend of missions in the north parish of Andover, (Mass.) From the Female Foreign Mission Society of Braintree,by Mrs. S. S. Storrs, 50.00 600-56 00 Contribution in Park Street church, after the ordination of the missionaries, 9. From several single ladies in the first parish of Hingham, by the Rev. Joseph Richardson, $80 00 From a friend, From the Female Foreign Mission Society of Preston, (Con.) by Miss Eunice 13. From a friend, in a letter with the Savannah post-mark, S 00 5.00 8 00 20 00 From the Female Cent Society in West-Haven for the translations, by Mrs. 16 00 From Mrs. Mc. Elhenny of Charleston, (S. C.) 50 00 -66 00 Avails of collections at the monthly concert in the village at Dartmouth Sept. 16. From the following individuals in Bluehill, (Maine,) viz. From collections in a school of Misses at Williamstown, (Mass.) by Professor 4.50 400 Dea. T. Stephens, $1; Dea. S. Hewins, $2; P. Parker, 50 3 50 From O. Johnson, 1; M. Ray, $1; J. Woods, $1; N. Ellis, $1, 17. From avails of contributions at the monthly concert in Paris, (N. Y.) by the Hon. Henry M' Neil, 17 11 From a Female friend of missions, by the Rev. Samuel Osgood, of Springfield, 4.00 From a friend of missions at Roxbury, (N. H.) by the Rev. Holloway Fish, From a contribution at Rindge, (N. H.) after sermon by Rev. Mr. Nichols, remitted by the Rev. Dr. Payson, 5.00 12 00 From the Rev. David H. Williston of Tunbridge, (Ver.) by the Rev. Dr. 50 00 18. From the Female Missionary Society in Boston, for the translations, by Mrs. Cooper, 14.00 From the Foreign Missionary Society of Springfield and the neighboring towns, by the Hon. George Bliss, Treasurer, 100 00 From a female friend of missions in Springfield, by the Rev. S. Osgood, 500 25 6.00 From the Weathersfield, (Con.) Female Foreign Mission Society, by Mrs. 90.00 From the Auxiliary Foreign Mission Society of Franklin county, by Jerome 170 00 From a female friend to Foreign Missions in Cazenovia, (N. Y.) two annual payments, Saved, by the same person, from the trimmings of wearing apparel, 6. 00 3.00 Carried forward $1,188 39 Brought forward $1,188 30 Avails of the contribution in Northampton, after a sermon by the Rev. Dr. 19. From the Rev. Dr. Appleton, From a young lady in Cazenovia, by the Rev. Solomon Williams, From three children, now deceased, in Cazenovia, by do. 90 59 400-94 59 275 4 427 17 20. From the Foreign Mission Society of Norwich and Vicinity,by Hezekiah From an aged female in Brookfield, by the Rev. Micah Stone, 80 00 22. From children in Miss Fay's school in the Union Religious Society of 9 00 22 00--111 00 1. 00 7.00 24. From the Female Association in Genoa, (N. Y.) by the Rev. Seth 21.00 25 00 25. From William Wellman for the Cherokees, by the Bev. Dr. Chapin, 75 From the Christian Charitable Society, in Wendell, (Mass.) by the Rev. From the Catechetical Society in the same town, for do. Avails of a contribution in Gloucester, after a sermon by Mr. Nichols, 16 65 8 77-25 42 26. From the Female Cent Society in Dorset, for the American Indians, by 24.00 1 00-25 00 From Dr. Alpheus Morse of the same town, for do. 3. 00 1 00 $1,518 30 SCHOOL FUND. Sept. 1. From the gentlemen's association in the Sd parish of Newbury, by 3. From the Jordan Lodge of Free masons, Danvers, for the support of a From the Female Juvenile Mite Societies in Augusta, the second semi-annual From a Missionary Box kept at the house of the Rev. Mr. Tappan, From a Society in Bath, for the support of schools among the heathen, by Miss 5. From a little girl, by Mr. Bingham, From the Charitable Society of the Female Academy in Litchfield, for 16. From children in Miss Lawrence's school in Ashby, by Dr. Crosby, 3 00 From several children collected by Miss Rebecca Locke in Ashby, .Polly Grout, From the Female Charitable Society in Hawley, by Mrs. I 804 30 00 15 77 50 30 00 26.9.2 Carried forward $265 29 "This donation was accompanied by an affectionate letter from the donors, fully explaining their views and wishes in reference to the education of the objects of the Bounty. |