been answered. It is not to this day doctrines have been preached so bold. made known whose folly provoked ly, and to such effect with so little the massacre of so many British sol. opposition. Yet at the commencediers. No inquiry has been instituted; ment of their career, the missiona. no person dismissed either from of- ries proceeded with a temerity which fice or command for this wanton, and experience and cooler years have most perilous attack upon the super- taught them to condemn. They instition and customs of the country. sulted the superstition which they atAnd lest the publick voice in India tacked, and ridiculed and reviled the and in England should call loudly for Brahmans in the streets, and at their investigation, a tub is thrown out to festivals, when the passions of the the whale. The missionaries must blinded and besotted populace were serve as scapegoats, and Christianity most likely to be inflamed. Andrew and the Bible be called to account for Fuller endeavours to disprove this what was occasioned solely by this charge, and dwells idly, with that inwise attack upon turbans and tou. tent, upon the mistranslation of a Benpees! galee tract, which has been printed Enough of the mutiny at Vellore! by a “ Bengal officer.” The verse in Enough too of the Madras procla- question has been mistranslated, and mation, in which, be it remarked, most probably for the purpose of there is not a word about turbans misrepresentation. This he has satisand tupees; in which the whole and factorily shown. But however cau. sole cause of the mutiny is kept out tious the missionaries may generally of sight; and in which it is asserted, have been in their writings, their that the British government has in- journals contain abundant proofs of variably respected the customs of daring and imprudent language. This the native troops; though a direct never, in any one instance, occasionand wanton attack upon those cus- ed evil. They, however, themselves toms produced the massacre, which discovered that it could not produce occasioned this proclamation, and good, and they express themselves which is delicately hinted at by the thus upon the subject, in " a declaname of an agitation. ration of the great principles upon Let us now examine whether the which they think it their duty to act, British government in India is expo- agreed upon at Serampore, October sed to any danger by its toleration of 7, 1805." “ It is necessary,” they , the missionaries. For as that fierce say, " in our intercourse with the and fiery Calvinist, Andrew Fuller, Hindoos, that, as far as we are able, most truly says, the question in dis- we abstain from those things which pute is not whether the natives of In- would increase their prejudices dia shall continue to enjoy the most against the Gospel. Those parts of perfect toleration, but whether that English manners which are most toleration shall be extended to the offensive to them should be kept out teachers of Christianity? of sight. Nor is it advisable at once The only instances in which the to attack their prejudices by exhibita civil authority has been called upon, ing with acrimony the sins of their are those which have already been gods; neither should we do violence fully stated. One native convert has to their images, nor interrupt their been tied up by the chief man of his worship.” It is their plan, as soon village, and his mouth crammed with as possible, to supersede themselves cow dung, by way of purifying him; by native preachers, to place them at and some of the others have been in- the head of such churches as may şulted and beaten by a mob. But no be formed, and let them go forth, where can it be found in the history acting themselves only as directors. of haman opinions, that any new Even Major Scott Waring admits the propriety of tolerating any mis- mark of their religion, still retained sionaries except English ones. And it in their hearts, and were acknowthough the British government in ledged as sons of the synagogue by India were to expel the Baptists up- their brethren in other parts of the on any of the frivolous pretexts which world. But by an absurdily unparalhave been recommended, these na- leled in any other system, the reli. tive preachers, on whom the work gion of a Hindoo does not depend will necessarily and naturally soon upon himself. It is something indedevolve, cannot be silenced in any pendent of his thoughts, words, acother manner than by an absolute tions, understanding, and volition, and persecution of Christianity by a Chris. he may be deprived of it by violence, tian government. Mr. Twining must as easily as of his purse or his walbe satisfied with this. He only hopes let. “ In the year 1766,” says Major that the Hindoos will be permitted Scott Waring, “ the late lord Clive “ quietly to follow their own religious and Mr. Verelst employed the whole opinions until it shall please the Om- influence of government to restore a nipotent Power of Heaven to lead Hindoo to his cast, who had forfeited them into the paths of light and truth," it, not by any neglect of his own, but that is, he protests against any hu- by having been compelled, by a most man means, but will have no objec- unpardonable act of violence, to swaltion to a miracle. Now as this gen- low a drop of cow broth. The Brahtleman and the others of the same mans, from the peculiar circumopinion profess to believe that the stances of the case, were very anxious Hindoos are not convertible; when to comply with the wishes of governthey hear of Hindoos not merely re- ment. The principal men among ceiving but preaching Christianity, them met once at Kishnagur and once it is to be hoped they will admit at Calcutta ; but after consultations that to be a miracle and be con- and an examination of their most antented. cient records, they declared to lord From the cry which has been set Clive, that as there was no precedent up in England, and the angry argu- to justify the act, they found it imments by which it has been support- possible to restore the unfortunate ed, it might be supposed that the man to his cast, and he died soon af. missionaries and their advocates were ter of a broken heart.” The Major's persecuting the Hindoos instead of remark is not less curious than the preaching to them. Persecution may story. “ We were then,” he adds, excite rebellion; preaching can only “ as we are now, the sovereigns of excite riots. But though persecution Bengal; but too wise to attempt comhas been, in many instances, the pulsion, and not quite so mad as to cause of rebellion, none of those in- advise this poor creature to abandon stances are to be found in the history his ridiculous, idolatrous prejudices, of Hindoostan. Even persecution and to embrace the true religion." there has provoked no resistance One should have thought, in comfrom a people divided into so many mon humanity, this “ mad advice" races, nations, casts and sects, and would have been given him, if not to prepared for yielding, not merely by save his soul, at least for the sake of the miserable absurdity and untena- saving his life: but well may this ble doctrines of their superstition, poor man be called unfortunate. His bilt by its very institutions also. own religion had been taken from There is no other country in which him, and the sovereigns of Bengal it is possible to make converts by had none to give him in its stead! compulsion. The Jews in Portugal, Tippoo, at one time, like a true Mafor instance, who were compelled to homedan, resolved to convert his forego every outward and visible Pagan subjects to Islamism. The process which he adopted was sum- of talents Bad governours and weak mary and effectual. Dervises and ministers destroyed the Portuguese Imaums were not missioned to preach empire_not missionaries, not intoamong them; he sent out soldiers to lerance. Whatever be the difficulty catch the idolaters, and all who were of converting the Hindoos, there is caught were circumcised. Nothing no danger in making the attempt. A more was necessary ; their cast was new religion may not immediately irrecoverable: Moslem they had been be dipt or sprinkled into them, but made, and Moslem they were by an old one could be washed out. It every body's consent except their is but to boil a cow, and supply a fire own. So they learnt the five prayers, engine with the broth, and you might turned their faces towards Mecca at baptize a whole Hindoo city out of their devotions, and called all their the Brahminical faith. If, then, the countrymen who had not been caught, Portuguese in former times, and the Kaffres. No insurrection took place, British government in later days, and little other outcry was heard than have suppressed the most ordinary, what the operation occasioned the or at least the most important sacriviolence was to the cast, not to the fices of this accursed superstition, if conscience; and Tippoo's bigotry was Tippoo has manufactured Hindoos far more mischievous to his people into Moslem, and no disturbance when he made war upon the pigs been excited, what has British India about Seringapatam, than when he to apprehend from the peaceable deoffered these Philistine spoils to the portment and exemplary conduct of prophet. the Baptist missionaries? The BrahIn 1802, a resolution was past by mans are alarmed at their preaching! the governour general in council, --So let them be. They are provoprohibiting the sacrifice of children ked at the conclusive logick which in the provinces of Bengal, Behar, exposes their futile arguments; but Orissa, and Benares, and declaring the people who listen to these disputes the practice to be murder, punisha- listen with avidity, and are well pleable with death. That decree has oc- sed to see them put to shame. Let casioned no complaint. Alboquerque but the turbans and toupees alone, forbade the custom of burning win and the Shasters and Vedas may be dows with the bodies of their hus. attacked with perfect safety. bands ; and of all the measures of “ But it is impossible to convert that great man, the first in modern the Hindoos." This assertion has times who established a European been so frequently and so confidently dominion in the East, this was the made, that it might be supposed their one which most attached Hin- ablutions at the cow's tail vaccinated doos to his government. These facts them against the contagion of any are sufficient to prove, that neither other religion. How far is it supthe direct prohibition of their religi. ported by the history of Hindoostan? ous ceremonies, nor the intolerance There are in that country the Chriswhich forces another faith upon them, tians of St. Thomas, originally Hinhas excited the Hindoos to insurrec- doos; for their establishment in the tion, nor even to any open sign of country was prior to the age of Madiscontent. As for the assertion that homed. There are the Catholick the Portuguese lost their empire by converts, once very numerous, and their bigotry, it is utterly unfounded.' still a considerable body. The Moors They lost it by neglect at home and are said by some of these controvermisconduct abroad; by cruelty and sialists to be Tartars not Hindoos, rapacity, by regarding influence in the progeny of the Mogul conquerstead of integrity, and giving autho, ors. Lord Teignmouth thinks otherrily to men of family instead of men wise, and the reason on which his VOL. II. a opinion is founded would convince professor Blumenbach. It is certain that the Mahomedan faith spread greatly by conversion in these parts of the east; and they who deny this must be grossly ignorant of historical facts. The conversion of Sarama Perumal produced, perhaps, little effect upon his subjects, because he abandoned his throne and retired to Mecca. But when the Arabian Moors first visited Malabar, they wisely asserted that they were equal in rank to the Nairs and Namburis; and that these casts could incur no pollution by any intercourse with them. They obtained a recognition of this principle, and in consequence of the priviIeges thus obtained, a very consider able conversion took place, so that when the Portuguese reached India, a fourth part of the population of Malabar consisted of native Moors. The founder of the Sieks was a Hindoo of the military tribe; and his followers are all converts from the established superstition of the coun try. Their system is pure philosophical theism, probably as pure as Mr. Wilkins represents it. For had there been a sufficient mixture of fable and falsehood, it would have spread more widely. A juggler set up a new scct about half a century ago, of which the tenets are that cast is nothing, that the popular deities are nothing, and that the Brahmans are nothing. His disciples have only to believe in one God, and to obey their teacher. He cured diseases by administering the amreeta of his foot (the drink of immortality-but here of life and healing). They who had faith were healed; and this impostor, who was originally a cow-keeper, made his foot as famous as the pope's toe among his believers, and left his privileges to his son Ram Dulol, who now lives more splendidly than many rajahs, upon the same footing of holiness as his father. Further proofs of the convertibility of the Hindoos cannot be required. Like other men, they are liable to be swayed by rea son and credulity. The knave has found dupes among them; the philosopher has found disciples, and the Cross and the Crescent have both. triumphed over the despicable mythology of the Brahmans. It is not sufficient to show that the Hindoos have been, and therefore may be converted from one faith to another. They may more easily be converted than any other people in the world, except, perhaps, the poor, oppressed Hottentots, who will believe any thing that is told them with a voice of kindness. The religion of the Brahmans must be given up the moment it is attacked; like the paganism of the Greeks and Romans, it has nothing which can be defended. The Moslem have Mahomed; the Parsees have Zerdusht; the more enlightened part of the Chinese have Cong-foo-tse. These objects of veneration and attachment cannot, without some struggle of feelings, and some pain be displaced by a new lawgiver. Each of these, too, has a system which requires confutation, and is not immediately to be confuted. But the Hindoos have no prophet or teacher to refer to; no system wherewith to shelter them-selves; for their mythological books consist of fables of which it is not possible to say whether they are most foolish, most beastly, or most extravagant. The Koran has something which passes for sublimity with oriental scholars. The Edda and the Boun Dehesch satisfy and delight the imagination; but for the Vedas, Mr. Colebrooke has shown us enough to prove that they are as unreadable as any thing can be which has ever been of importance in the world. The Brahmans have no facts to which they can appeal in corroboration of these books; no history which is capable of demonstration connected with them. By their internal evidence they must stand or fall, and their selfcontradictions and absurdities may be made evident to the meanest capacity. a nus men. The chief and only peculiar obsta. Christians has been formed, it will cle which this system presents to scarcely be felt. It is one thing to the missionaries, is that of the cast. lose cast, and another thing to change Cast is a Portuguese word. The na- cast; to embrace the Christian cast, tive term Jati, signifies a distinct gee which is to destroy all others. Here or kind. The different casts, it is that the missionaries may most therefore, are considered as so many effectually be assisted by government. different genera of human animals. For the main difficulty at first consists And it is believed, that the different in finding employment for those who, forms of worship and habits of life by thus becoming outcasts, have their observed by each, are as necessarily usual means of subsistence either adapted to each as grass is to the wholly taken from them or materialsupport of cattle, and flesh to ly impaired. These persons ought beasts of prey. Neither this nor any to be preferably employed by governother prejudice is invincible. It ap- ment, and by all European settlers. pears, indeed, by the institutes of Even if it could be made decidedly Menu, that the separation of casts advantageous to the natives to change had been broken in upon, and in their religion, if the admission to some places destroyed, when those Christianity were made less rigorous institutes were written. The imme- than it is, perhaps the civil consediate difficulty is, that whoever com- quences would then be better. These mits any act contrary to his religion, missionaries insist upon convictions and thereby loses cast, is instantly of sin, regeneration, and grace. The excommunicated by all his country: catholicks were less scrupulous and Some of the consequences are more politick. They knew that the very distressing; some are ridicu- motives of the parents were of little lous. The missionaries found seve- consequence, so the children were ral persons who were willing to be intrusted to them to be trained up. baptized ; but demurred, because in And when in Mexico they baptized that case the village barber would not the people by thousands, dipping shave them. And as they are accus- besoms in buckets, and swinging tomed to have the head shaved nearly from side to side the water which all over, and cannot well operate upon was to shower down salvation, till themselves, this was a serious incon- their arms felt stiff, and their hands venience. On further inquiry it ap- were blistered with the work, t.ey peared, however, that legal redress acted well and wisely. That genewas obtainable ; for by a law both at ration, indeed, had nothing more of Calcutta and Serampore, every person Christianity than the besom could who becomes a Christian has a right communicate ; but the next went to to be shaved, even though he were school and to mass, and became good previously a harru, or of any other catholicks. unshaveable cast. When, or by whom One good effect, the missionaries this law was enacted is not explained. say, results from the evils consequent Probably the Europeans, standing in upon the loss of cast, which is, that need of the barber, made it for them. a convert gives better proof of his selves; and certainly it is their own sincerity than could possibly be obfault that they did not, like the Ara- tained, were the sacrifice which he bian Moors, place themselves on an made by his profession less. There equality with the twice-born in all results also this important advantage things. from the system, that Christianity It is obvious that this difficulty may intelligibly be represented as a must lessen as the number of con- superiour and all-embracing cast verts increases; and that whenever itself: this the Hindoos are prepared a tolerably numerous body of native to believe. The rumour amori tham **** : |