diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 13539-0.txt | 3731 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 13539-h/13539-h.htm | 3759 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 13539-h/images/002.gif | bin | 0 -> 8380 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 13539-h/images/020.gif | bin | 0 -> 37676 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 13539-h/images/048.gif | bin | 0 -> 42759 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 13539-h/images/069.gif | bin | 0 -> 43790 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 13539-h/images/070.gif | bin | 0 -> 20091 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 13539-h/images/071.gif | bin | 0 -> 29972 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 13539-h/images/081.gif | bin | 0 -> 51557 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 13539-h/images/087.gif | bin | 0 -> 42425 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 13539-h/images/103.gif | bin | 0 -> 35479 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 13539-h/images/117.gif | bin | 0 -> 21836 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 13539-h/images/120.gif | bin | 0 -> 50415 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 13539-h/images/122.gif | bin | 0 -> 27981 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 13539-h/images/123a.gif | bin | 0 -> 10618 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 13539-h/images/123b.gif | bin | 0 -> 22362 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 13539-h/images/135.gif | bin | 0 -> 35831 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 13539-h/images/184.gif | bin | 0 -> 7096 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/13539-8.txt | 4124 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/13539-8.zip | bin | 0 -> 84738 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/13539-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 578248 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/13539-h/13539-h.htm | 4182 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/13539-h/images/002.gif | bin | 0 -> 8380 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/13539-h/images/020.gif | bin | 0 -> 37676 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/13539-h/images/048.gif | bin | 0 -> 42759 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/13539-h/images/069.gif | bin | 0 -> 43790 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/13539-h/images/070.gif | bin | 0 -> 20091 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/13539-h/images/071.gif | bin | 0 -> 29972 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/13539-h/images/081.gif | bin | 0 -> 51557 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/13539-h/images/087.gif | bin | 0 -> 42425 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/13539-h/images/103.gif | bin | 0 -> 35479 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/13539-h/images/117.gif | bin | 0 -> 21836 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/13539-h/images/120.gif | bin | 0 -> 50415 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/13539-h/images/122.gif | bin | 0 -> 27981 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/13539-h/images/123a.gif | bin | 0 -> 10618 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/13539-h/images/123b.gif | bin | 0 -> 22362 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/13539-h/images/135.gif | bin | 0 -> 35831 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/13539-h/images/184.gif | bin | 0 -> 7096 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/13539.txt | 4124 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/13539.zip | bin | 0 -> 84717 bytes |
43 files changed, 19936 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/13539-0.txt b/13539-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f46f405 --- /dev/null +++ b/13539-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3731 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13539 *** + +DR. SCUDDER'S + +TALES FOR LITTLE READERS, + +ABOUT THE HEATHEN. + + + +1849 + + +The following work, so far as the Hindoos are concerned, is principally +a compilation from the writings of Duff, Dubois, and others. + +Should the eyes of any Christian father or mother rest upon it, I would +ask them if they have not a son or a daughter to dedicate to the +_missionary_ work. The duty of devoting themselves to this work of +Christ, or at least, of consecrating to it their money, their efforts, +and their prayers, is the great duty to be perseveringly and prayerfully +impressed on the minds of our children. A generation thus trained would, +with aid from on high, soon effect the moral revolution of the world. +Blessed will be that father, blessed will be that mother, who shall take +any part in such a training. And I would add, too, blessed will be that +pastor, and blessed will be that Sabbath-school teacher, who shall come +up to their help. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +CHAPTER I. + +General Remarks + +CHAPTER II. + +The Color and Ornaments of the Hindoos + +CHAPTER III. + +Dress, Houses, Eating, and Salutation of the Hindoos + +CHAPTER IV. + +Marriage among the Hindoos + +CHAPTER V. + +Death and Funerals among the Hindoos + +CHAPTER VI. + +The Gods of the Hindoos + +CHAPTER VII. + +The Three Hundred and Thirty Millions of the Gods of the Hindoos--The +Creation of the Universe--The Transmigration of Souls--The different +Hells + +CHAPTER VIII. + +Hindoo Castes + +CHAPTER IX. + +Hindoo Temples--Cars--Procession of Idols + +CHAPTER X. + +Festivals of the Hindoos + +CHAPTER XI. + +The worship of the Serpent + +CHAPTER XII. + +The River Ganges + +CHAPTER XIII. + +The Goddess Durga + +CHAPTER XIV. + +The Goddess Karle + +CHAPTER XV. + +Self-tortures of the Hindoos + +Chapter XVI. + +The Suttee, or Burning of Widows + +CHAPTER XVII. + +The revengeful Nature of the Hindoo Religion + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +The Deception of the Hindoos + +CHAPTER XIX. + +Superstition of the Hindoos + +CHAPTER XX. + +Burmah, China, etc., etc. + +CHAPTER XXI. + +The duty of Praying and Contributing for the Spread of the Gospel + +CHAPTER XXII. + +Personal Labors among the Heathen + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +Success of the Gospel in India and Ceylon + + + + +DR. SCUDDER'S + +TALES FOR LITTLE READERS, + +ABOUT THE HEATHEN. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +GENERAL REMARKS + + +My dear children--When I was a little boy, my dear mother taught me, +with the exception of the last line, the following prayer: + + "Now I lay me down to sleep, + I pray the Lord my soul to keep; + If I should die before I wake, + I pray the Lord my soul to take; + And this I ask for Jesus' sake." + +Though I am now more than fifty years old, I often like to say this +prayer before I go to sleep. Have you ever learned it, my dear +children? If you have not, I hope that you will learn it _now_; and I +hope, too, that when you say your other prayers at night, you will also +say this. I think that you would be glad to see how this prayer looks in +the Tamul language--the language in which I am now preaching the Gospel, +and in which I hope that some of you will hereafter tell the heathen of +the Saviour. The following is a translation of it: + +[Illustration: The Lord's Prayer in Tamul] + +I wish that all the little heathen children knew this prayer; but their +fathers and mothers do not teach it to them. Their fathers and mothers +teach them to pray to gods of gold, or brass, or stone. They take them, +while they are very young, to their temples, and teach them to put up +their hands before an idol, and say, "Swammie." Swammie means Lord. As +idolatry is the root of all sin, these children, as you may suppose, in +early life become very wicked. They disobey their parents, speak bad +words, call ill names, swear, steal, and tell lies. They also throw +themselves on the ground in anger, and in their rage they tear their +hair, or throw dirt over their heads, and do many other wicked things. + +Let me give you an instance, to show you how they will speak bad words. +A few months ago, a little girl about twelve years of age was brought to +me, with two tumors in her back. To cut them out, I had to make an +incision about eight inches in length; and as one of these tumors had +extended under the shoulder-blade she suffered much before the operation +was finished. While I was operating she cried out, "I will pull out my +eyes." "I will pull out my tongue." "Kurn kertta tayvun." The +translation of this is, "The blind-eyed god." By this expression, she +meant to say, "What kind of a god are you, not to look upon me, and help +me in my distress?" If this little girl had had a Christian father to +teach her to love the Saviour, she would not have used such bad +language. But this father was even more wicked than his daughter, +inasmuch as those who grow old in sin, are worse than those who have not +sinned so long. I never saw a more hard-hearted parent. That he was so, +will appear from his conduct after the operation was finished. He left +his daughter, and went off to his home, about forty miles distant. +Before going, he said to his wife, or to one who came with her, "If the +child gets well, bring her home; if she dies, take her away and bury +her." + +I hope, my dear children, that when you think of the wicked little girl +just mentioned, you will be warned never to speak bad words. God will be +very angry with you, if you do. Did you never read what is said in 2 +Kings, 2d chapter and 23d verse, about the little children who mocked +the prophet Elijah, and spoke bad words to him. O, how sorry must they +have felt for their conduct, when they saw the paws of those great bears +lifted up to tear them in pieces, and which did tear them in pieces. +Besides all this, little children who speak bad words can never go to +heaven. God will cast them into the great fire. Have you ever spoken bad +words? If so, God is angry with you, and he will not forgive you unless +you are sorry that you have done so, and seek his forgiveness through +the blood of his dear Son. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE COLOR AND ORNAMENTS OF THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear children--If you will take a piece of mahogany in your hands, +and view its different shades, you will have a pretty good +representation of the color of a large class of this heathen people--I +say, of a large class, for there is a great variety of colors. Some +appear to be almost of a bronze color. Some are quite black. It is +difficult to account for the different colors which we often see in the +same family. For instance, one child will be of the reddish hue to which +I just referred; another will be quite dark. When I was in Ceylon, two +sisters of this description joined my church. One was called Sevappe, or +the red one; the other was called Karappe, or the black one. + +This people very much resemble the English and Americans in their +features. Many of them are very beautiful. This remark will apply +particularly to children, and more especially to the children of +Brahmins and others, who are delicately brought up. But however +beautiful any of this people may be, they try to make themselves appear +more so, by the ornaments which they wear. These ornaments are of very +different kinds, and are made of gold, silver, brass, precious stones, +or glass. All are fond of ear-rings. Sometimes four or five are worn in +each ear, consisting of solid gold, the lower one being the largest, and +the upper one the smallest. Some men wear a gold ornament attached to +the middle of the ear, in which a precious stone is inserted. Sometimes +they wear very large circular ear-rings, made of the wire of copper, +around which gold is twisted so as to cover every part of it. These are +frequently ornamented with precious stones. The females, in addition to +ear-rings, have an ornament which passes through the rim of the ear, +near the head, half of it being seen above the rim, and half of it below +it. An ornamental chain is sometimes attached to this, which goes some +distance back, when it is lost in the hair. They sometimes also wear a +jewel in the middle of the rim of the ear, and another on that little +forward point which strikes your finger when you attempt to put it into +the ear. Nose jewels also are worn. Sometimes three are worn at the +same time. Holes are made through each side of the lower part of the +nose, and through the cartilage, or that substance which divides the +nostrils, through which they are suspended. The higher and wealthier +females wear a profusion of ornaments of gold and pearls around the +neck. + +A very pretty ornament, about three inches in diameter, having the +appearance of gold, is also frequently worn by them on that part of the +head where the females in America put up their hair in a knot. In +addition to this, the little girls sometimes wear one or two similar but +smaller ornaments below this, as well as an ornament at the end of the +long braid of hair which hangs down over the middle of their backs. +Occasionally the whole, or the greater part of this braid is covered +with an ornament of the same materials with those just described. They +also wear an ornament extending from the crown of the head to the +forehead, just in that spot where the little girls to whom I am writing +part their hair. Attached to this, I have seen a circular piece of gold +filled with rubies. Rings are worn on the toes as well as on the +fingers, and bracelets of gold or silver on the wrists. Anklets similar +to bracelets, and tinkling ornaments are worn on the ankles. The poor, +who cannot afford to wear gold or silver bracelets, have them made of +glass stained with different colors. I have seen nearly a dozen on each +wrist. + +The little boys wear gold or silver bracelets; also gold or silver +anklets. I just alluded to finger-rings. I have seen a dozen on the same +hand. In this part of the country, the little opening which is made in +the ears of the children is gradually distended until it becomes very +large. At first, the opening is only large enough to admit a wire. After +this has been worn for a short time, a knife is introduced into the ear +in the direction of the opening, and an incision made large enough to +admit a little cotton. This is succeeded by a roll of oiled cloth, and +by a peculiar shrub, the English name of which, if it has any, I do not +know. When the hole becomes sufficiently large, a heavy ring of lead, +about an inch in diameter, is introduced. This soon increases the size +of the opening to such an extent, that a second, and afterwards a third, +a fourth, and a fifth ring are added. By these weights, the lower parts +of the ear are drawn down sometimes very nearly, or quite to the +shoulders. Not unfrequently the little girls, when they run, are obliged +to catch hold of these rings to prevent the injury which they would +receive by their striking against their necks. I need hardly say, that +in due time, these rings are removed, and ornamented rings are +substituted. + +A different plan is pursued with the Mohammedan little girls. They have +their ears bored from the top to the bottom of the ear. The openings +which are at first made are small, and are never enlarged. A ring is +inserted in each of these openings. I have seen a little girl to-day in +whose ears I counted twenty-four rings. + +Flowers in great profusion are sometimes used to add to the adornment of +the jewels. + +I cannot conclude my account of the jewels of the little girls, without +giving you a description of the appearance of a little patient of mine +who came here a few days ago, loaded with trinkets. I will give it in +the words of my daughter, which she wrote in part while the girl was +here. "On the 17th, a little dancing-girl came to see us. She was +adorned with many jewels, some of which were very beautiful. The jewel +in the top of the ear was a circle, nearly the size of a dollar. It was +set with rubies. Nine pearls were suspended from it. In the middle of +the ear was a jewel of a diamond shape, set with rubies and pearls. The +lowest jewel in the ear was shaped like a bell. It was set with rubies, +and from it hung a row of pearls. Close by the ear, suspended from the +hair, was a jewel which reached below her ear. It consisted of six bells +of gold, one above the other. Around each was a small row of pearls, +which reached nearly to the bell below, thus forming a jewel resembling +very many drops of pearls. It is the most beautiful jewel that I ever +saw. In the right side of her nose was a white stone, set with gold, in +the shape of a star. From it hung a large pearl. There was a hole bored +in the partition between the nostrils. This hole had a jewel in it, +about an inch in length, in the middle of which was a white stone with a +ruby on each side. It also had a ruby on the top. From the white stone +hung another, of a similar color, attached to it by a piece of gold. In +the left side of the nose was a jewel about an inch in diameter. It was +somewhat in the shape of a half-moon, and was set with rubies, pearls, +emeralds, etc. etc. This jewel hung below her mouth. On the back of her +head was a large, round gold piece, three inches in diameter. Another +piece about two inches in diameter, hung below this. Her hair was +braided in one braid, and hung down her back. At the bottom of this were +three large tassels of silk, mounted with gold. Her eyebrows and +eyelashes were painted with black. Her neck was covered with jewels of +such beauty, and of such a variety, that it is impossible for me to +describe them. Around her ankles were large rings which looked like +braided silver. To these were attached very many little bells, which +rung as she walked. I believe all dancing-girls wear these rings. We +felt very sad when we thought that she was dedicated to a life of infamy +and shame." + +There is an ornament worn by the followers of the god Siva, on their +arms, or necks, or in their hair. It is called the _lingum_. The nature +of this is so utterly abominable, that I cannot tell you a word about +it. + +Married women wear an ornament peculiar to themselves. It is called the +tahly. It is a piece of gold, on which is engraven the image of some one +of their gods. This is fastened around the neck by a short yellow +string, containing one hundred and eight threads of great fineness. +Various ceremonies are performed before it is applied, and the gods, of +whom I will tell you something by and by, with their wives, are called +upon to give their blessing. When these ceremonies are finished, the +tahly is brought on a waiter, ornamented with sweet-smelling flowers, +and is tied by the bridegroom to the neck of the bride. This ornament is +never taken off, unless her husband dies. In such a case she is deprived +of it, to wear it no more for ever--deprived of it, after various +ceremonies, by her nearest female relative, who cuts the thread by which +it is suspended, and removes it. After this a barber is called, who +shaves her head, and she becomes, in the eyes of the people, a +_despised_ widow--no more to wear any ornament about her neck but a +plain one--no more to stain her face with yellow water, nor to wear on +her forehead those marks which are considered by the natives as among +their chief ornaments. + +I have now told you something about the jewels of this people. I hope +that you will never be disposed to imitate them, and load your bodies +with such useless things. They are not only useless, but tend to +encourage pride and vanity. All that you need is, the "Pearl of great +price," even Jesus. Adorn yourself with this Pearl, and you will be +beautiful indeed--beautiful even in the sight of your heavenly Father. +Have you this Pearl of great price, my dear children? Tell me, have you +this Pearl of great price? If you have not, what have you? + +I just now alluded to those marks which the natives consider among their +chief ornaments. These are different among different sects. The +followers of Siva rub ashes on their foreheads. These ashes are +generally prepared by burning what in the Tamul language is called +[Tamul:] _chaarne._ They also apply these ashes in streaks, generally +three together, on their breasts, and on their arms. Some besmear their +whole bodies with them. + +The followers of Vrishnoo wear a very different ornament from that just +described. It consists of a perpendicular line drawn on the forehead, +generally of a red or yellow color, and a white line on each side of it, +which unite at the bottom with the middle line, and form a trident. + +Another ornament consists of a small circle, which is called pottu. This +is stamped in the middle of the forehead. Sometimes it is red, sometimes +yellow or black. Large numbers of women, in this part of the country, +wash their faces with a yellow water, made so by dissolving in it a +paste made of a yellow root and common shell-lime. The Brahmins +frequently instead of rubbing ashes, draw a horizontal line over the +middle of their foreheads, to show that they have bathed and are pure. +Sometimes the people ornament themselves with a paste of sandal-wood. +They rub themselves from head to foot with it. This has a very +odoriferous smell. + +When the people are loaded with jewels, and covered with the marks which +I have just described they think themselves to be highly ornamented But +after all, "they are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear +beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all +uncleanness." The "Pearl of great price," to which I before alluded, +the only Pearl which is of any value in the sight of Him who looketh at +the heart, and not at the outward appearance, they possess not. Millions +in this Eastern world have never even heard of it. O how incessantly +ought you to pray that they may come into possession of it. How gladly +should you give your money to send it to them. I wish, in this place, to +ask you one question. Who of you expect, by and by, to become +missionaries to this land, to tell this people of the Pearl of great +price? + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +DRESS, HOUSES, EATING, AND SALUTATION OF THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear Children--The dress of the Hindoos is very simple. A single +piece of cloth uncut, about three yards in length and one in width, +wrapped round the loins, with a shawl thrown over the shoulders, +constitutes the usual apparel of the people of respectability. These +garments are often fringed with red silk or gold. The native ladies +frequently almost encase themselves in cloth or silk. Under such +circumstances, their cloths are perhaps twenty yards in length. Most of +the native gentlemen now wear turbans, an ornament which they have +borrowed from the Mohammedans This consists of a long piece of very fine +stuff, sometimes twenty yards in length and one in breadth. With this +they encircle the head in many folds. + +Those who are employed by European or Mohammedan princes, wear a long +robe of muslin, or very fine cloth. This also, is in imitation of the +Mohammedans, and was formerly unknown in the country. + +The houses of the Hindoos are generally very plainly built. In the +country, they are commonly made of earth, and thatched with straw. In +the cities, they are covered with tiles. The kitchen is situated in the +most retired part of the house. In the houses of the Brahmins, the +kitchen-door is always barred, to prevent strangers from looking upon +their earthen vessels; for if they should happen to see them, their look +would pollute them to such a degree that they must be broken to pieces. +The hearth is generally placed on the south-west side, which is said to +be the side of the _god of fire_, because they say that this god +actually dwells there. + +The domestic customs of this people are very different from ours. The +men and women do not eat together. The husband first eats, then the +wife. The wife waits upon the husband After she has cooked the rice, she +brings a brass plate, if they are possessors of one; or if not, a piece +of a plantain-leaf, and puts it down on the mat before him. She then +bails out the rice, places it upon the leaf, and afterwards pours the +currie over it. This being done, the husband proceeds to mix up the +currie and the rice with his hands, and puts it into his mouth. He never +uses a knife and fork, as is customary with us. The currie of which I +have spoken is a sauce of a yellow color, owing to the _munchel_, a +yellow root which they put in it. This and onions, kottamaly-seeds +mustard, serakum, pepper, etc., constitute the ingredients of the +currie. Some add to these ghea, or melted butter, and cocoa-nut milk. By +the cocoa-nut milk, I do not mean the water of the cocoa-nut. +This--except in the very young cocoa-nut, when it is a most delicious +beverage--is never used. The milk is squeezed from the _meat_ of the +cocoa-nut, after it has been reduced to a pulp by means of an indented +circular iron which they use for this purpose. + +After the husband has eaten, the wife brings water for him to wash his +hands. This being done, she supplies him with vettalay, paakku, +shell-lime, and tobacco, which he puts into his mouth as his dessert. +The vettalay is a very spicy leaf. Why they use paakku, I do not know. +It is a nut, which they cut into small pieces, but it has not much +taste. Sometimes the wife brings her husband a segar. This people, I am +sorry to say, are great smokers and chewers, practices of which I hope +that you, my dear children, will never be guilty. In Ceylon, it is +customary for females to smoke. Frequently, after the husband has smoked +for a while, he hands the segar to his wife. She then puts it into her +mouth, and smokes. + +Several years ago, one of the schoolmasters in that island became a +Christian. After he had partaken of the Lord's supper, his wife +considered him so defiled, that she would not put his segar into her +mouth for a month afterwards. She, however, has since become a +Christian. + +I spoke just now of the plantain-leaf. This leaf is sometimes six feet +long, and in some places a foot and a half wide. It is an unbroken leaf, +with a large stem running through the middle of it. It is one of the +handsomest of leaves. Pieces enough can be torn from a single leaf, to +take the place of a dozen plates. When quite young, it is an excellent +application to surfaces which have been blistered. + +When this people eat, they do not use tables and chairs. They sit down +on mats, and double their legs under them, after the manner of our +friends the tailors in America, when they sew. This is the way in which +the natives as a general thing, sit in our churches. It is not common to +have benches or pews for them. Carpenters and other tradesmen also sit +down either on a board, or on the ground, or on their legs, when they +work. It would divert you much to see their manoeuvring. If a carpenter, +for instance, wants to make a little peg, he will take a small piece of +board, and place it in an erect position between his feet, the soles of +which are turned inward so as to press upon the board. He then takes +his chisel in one hand, and his mallet in the other, and cuts off a +small piece. Afterwards he holds the piece in one hand, and while he +shapes it with his chisel with the other, he steadies it by pressing it +against his great toe. + +[Illustration] + +The blacksmiths, with the exception of those who use the sledge-hammer, +sit as do the carpenters while they hammer the iron. I wish you could +see them at work with their simple apparatus. They have small anvils, +which they place in a hole made in a log of wood which is buried in the +ground. They do not use such bellows as you see in America. + +Theirs consist of two leather bags, about a foot wide and a foot and a +half long, each having a nozzle at one end. The other end is left open +to admit the air. When they wish to blow the fire, they extend these +bags to let in the air. They then close them by means of the thumb on +one side, and the fingers on the other, and press them down towards the +nozzle of the bellows, which forces the air through them into the fire. +I should have said before, that the nozzle of the bellows passes through +a small semicircular mound of dried mud. + +I mentioned that the natives do not use tables and chairs in their +houses. Neither do they, as a general thing, use bedsteads. They have no +beds. They sleep on mats, which are spread down on the floor. Sometimes +they use a cotton bolster for their heads. More generally their pillows +are hard boards, which they put under the mat. In addition to cooking, +the females have to prepare the rice for this purpose, by taking it out +of the husk. This they do by beating it in a mortar about two feet high. +The pestle with which they pound it, is about five feet long, made of +wood, with an iron rim around the lower part of it. Three women can +work at these mortars at the same time. Of course they have to be very +skilful in the use of the pestle, so as not to interfere with each +others' operations. Sometimes, while thus engaged, the children, who are +generally at play near their mothers, put their hands on the edge of the +mortars. In such cases, when the pestle happens to strike the edge, +their fingers are taken off in a moment. + +The Hindoos have many modes of salutation. In some places they raise +their right hand to the heart. In others, they simply stretch it out +towards the person who is passing, if they know him, for they never +salute persons with whom they are not acquainted. + +In many places there is no show of salutation. When they meet their +acquaintances they content themselves by saying a friendly word or two +in passing, and then pursue their way. They have borrowed the word +_salam_ from the Mohammedans. They salute both Mohammedans and Europeans +with this word, at the same time raising their hand to the forehead. +When they address persons of high rank, they give them their _salam_ +thrice, touching the ground as often with both hands, and then lifting +them up to their foreheads. + +The other castes salute the Brahmins by joining the hands and elevating +them to the forehead, or sometimes over the head. It is accompanied with +_andamayya_, which means, Hail, respected lord. The Brahmins stretch out +their hands and say, _aaseervaathum_--benediction. + +Another very respectful kind of salutation consists in lowering both +hands to the feet of the person to be honored, or even in falling-down +and embracing them. + +Of all the forms of salutation, the most respectful is the +_shaashtaangkum_, or prostration, in which the feet, the knees, the +stomach, the head, and the arms, all touch the ground. In doing this, +they throw themselves at their whole length on the ground, and stretch +out both arms above their heads. This is practised before priests, and +in the presence of an assembly, when they appear before it to beg pardon +for a crime. + +Relations, who have long been separated, testify their joy when they +meet by chucking each other under the chin, and shedding tears of joy. +I am not aware that grown persons ever kiss each other. Sometimes +mothers, or other individuals, will put their noses to the cheeks of +little children, and draw the air through them, just as we do when we +smell any thing which is agreeable. At other times they will apply the +thumb and first finger to the cheek of the child, and then apply them to +their own noses, and, as it were, smell them. + +The women, as a mark of respect, turn their backs, or at least their +faces aside, when they are in the presence of those whom they highly +esteem. They are never permitted to sit in the presence of men. A +married woman cannot do this, even in the presence of her husband. + +If a person meets another of high rank, he must leave the path, if on +foot, or alight, if on horseback, and remain standing until he has +passed. He must at the same time take off his slippers. He also must +take off his slippers when he enters a house. Should he fail to do this, +it would be considered a great impropriety. + +In addressing a person of note, they mast keep at a certain distance +from him, and cover their mouths with their hands while they are +speaking, lest their breath, or a particle of moisture, should escape +to trouble him. + +When the Hindoos visit a person of distinction for the first time, +civility requires them to take some present as a mark of respect, or to +show that they come with a friendly intention; especially if they wish +to ask some favor in return. When they have not the means of making +large presents, they carry with them sugar, plantains, milk, and other +things of this kind. + +In case of mourning, visits must always be made, though at a distance of +a hundred miles. Letters of condolence would by no means be received as +a substitute. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +MARRIAGE AMONG THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear Children--Marriage, to the Hindoos is the greatest event of +their lives. In the celebration of it, many ceremonies are performed Of +these I will mention some of the most important. If the father of the +young girl is a Brahmin, and if he is rich and liberal, he will +frequently bear all the expenses of the marriage of his daughter. To +give a daughter in marriage and to sell her, are about the same thing. +Almost every parent makes his daughter an article of traffic, refusing +to give her up until the sum of money for which he consented to let her +go, is paid. Men of distinction generally lay out this money for jewels, +which they present to their daughters on their wedding-day. You will +infer from what I have just said, that the parties to be married have +nothing to do in the choice of each other. + +There are properly but four months in the year in which marriages can +take place, namely March, April, May, and June. This probably arises +from the circumstance that these are the hottest seasons of the +year--the seasons when the people have more leisure to attend to them. +From the harvest, also, which has just been gathered in, they are +provided with means to perform the various ceremonies. + +The marriage ceremony lasts five days. The bride and bridegroom are +first placed under a puntel, a kind of bower, covered with leaves, in +front of the house. This is superbly adorned. The married women then +come forward, and perform the ceremony called _arati_, which is as +follows. Upon a plate of copper, they place a lamp made of a paste from +rice flour. It is supplied with oil, and lighted. They then take hold of +the plate with both hands, and raise it as high as the heads of the +couple to be married, and describe a number of circles with the plate +and lamp. This is to prevent the evil of any jealous looks, which +certain persons might make. The Hindoos believe that great evils arise +from wicked looks. They consider that even the gods themselves are not +out of the reach of malicious eyes; and therefore after they have been +carried through the streets, the ceremony of arati is always performed, +to efface the evil which they may have suffered from these looks. + +It ought to have been mentioned, that before any thing is done, they +place an image of Pullian under the puntel. This god is much honored +because he is much feared. And although the great ugliness of his +appearance has hitherto kept him without a wife, they never fail to pay +him the greatest attention, lest he should in some way or other injure +them. + +After arati and many other ceremonies are performed, the kankanan, which +is merely a bit of saffron, is tied to the right wrist of the young +man, and to the left wrist of the girl. This is done with great +solemnity. Another remarkable ceremony succeeds this. The young man +being seated with his face towards the east, his future father-in-law +supposes that he beholds in him the great Vrishnoo. With this +impression, he offers him a sacrifice, and then, making him put both of +his feet in a new dish filled with cow-dung, he first washes them with +water, then with milk, and again with water, accompanying the whole with +suitable muntrums or prayers. + +After many other ceremonies, he takes the hand of his daughter and puts +it into that of his son-in-law. He then pours water over them in honor +of Vrishnoo. This is the most solemn of all the ceremonies, being the +token of his resigning his daughter to the authority of the young man. +She must be accompanied with three gifts, namely, one or more cows, some +property in land, and a _salagrama_, which consists of some little +amulet stones in high esteem among the Brahmins. This ceremony being +finished, the tahly is brought to be fastened to the neck of the bride. +This, as I before said, is presented on a salver, decked and garnished +with sweet-smelling flowers. Incense is offered to it, and it is +presented to the assistants each of whom touches it and invokes +blessings upon it. The bride then turning towards the East, the +bridegroom takes the tahly, repeats a muntrum or prayer aloud, and ties +it around her neck. + +Fire is then brought in, upon which the bridegroom offers up the +sacrifice of _homam_, which consists of throwing boiled rice with melted +butter upon the fire. He then takes his bride by the hand, and they walk +three times around it, while the incense is blazing. + +There is another ceremony, which, perhaps, ought to be mentioned, as it +is considered by some to be one of much importance. Two baskets of +bamboo are placed close together, one for the bride, the other for the +bridegroom. They step into them, and two other baskets being brought, +filled with ground rice, the husband takes up one with both hands and +pours the contents over the head of the bride. She does the same to him. +In the marriage of great princes pearls are sometimes used instead of +rice. + +On the evening of the third day, when the constellations appear, the +astrologer points out to the married pair a very small star, close to +the middle or in the tail of _Ursa Major_, which he directs them to +worship, and which he says is the wife of Vasestha. + +While the assembled guests, are dining, the bridegroom and the bride +also partake, and eat together from the same plate. This is a token of +the closest union. This is the only instance in which they ever eat +together. + +After all the ceremonies are finished, a procession is made through the +streets of the village It commonly takes place in the night, by +torchlight, accompanied with fire-works. The newly married pair are +seated in one palanquin with their faces towards each other, both richly +dressed. The bride, in particular, is generally covered with jewels and +precious stones. + +The procession moves slowly; and their friends and relations come out of +their houses, as they pass; the women hailing the married couple with +the ceremony of _arati_, and the men with presents of silver, fruits, +sugar, and betel. I once witnessed one of these marriage processions in +the streets of Madras at night, but can give you but little idea of its +magnificence. The lamps used on the occasion could not be numbered. The +shrubbery, which was drawn on carts or other vehicles, appeared +exceedingly beautiful, in consequence of the light reflected from the +lamps. Intermingled with this shrubbery, were to be seen little girls +elegantly dressed, and adorned with flowers on their heads. Many +elephants, with their trappings of gold and silver and red, formed a +part of the procession. Fire-works were also added to make the scene +more brilliant. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +DEATH AND FUNERALS OF THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear Children--The death of a Hindoo is followed by many ridiculous +ceremonies. I will give you a description of a few, connected with the +death of one who has moved in one of the higher ranks--of a Brahmin. + +[Illustration] + +When it is evident that a Brahmin has but a little time to live, a space +is prepared with earth, well spread with cow-dung, over which a cloth, +that has never been worn, is spread. The dying man is placed upon this +at full length. Another cloth is wrapped around his loins. This being +done, the ceremony of expiating his sins is performed as follows. The +chief of the funeral brings on one plate some small pieces of silver or +copper coin, and on another the punchakaryam, etc. A little of this +punchakaryam is then put into his mouth, and, by virtue of this nauseous +draught, the body is perfectly purified. Besides this, there is a +general cleansing, which is accomplished by making the dying man recite +within himself, if he cannot speak, the proper muntrums, by which he is +delivered from all his sins. After this, a cow is introduced with her +calf. Her horns are decorated with rings of gold or brass, and her neck +with garlands of flowers. A pure cloth is laid over her body. Thus +decked, she is led up to the sick man, who takes hold of her tail. +Prayers are now offered up that the cow may conduct him, by a blessed +path, to the next world. He then makes a gift of a cow to a Brahmin. +This gift is considered indispensable to enable the soul to go over the +river of fire, which it is said all must pass after death. Those who +have made this gift, are met by one of these favored creatures the +moment they arrive at the bank of the stream, and by her help, they are +enabled to pass without injury from the flames. + +As soon as the breath has left his body, all who are present must weep +for a reasonable time, and join in lamentations together. + +After various ceremonies, the body is washed, and a barber is called to +shave his head. He is then clad with his finest clothes and adorned with +jewels. He is rubbed with sandal-wood where the body is uncovered, and +the accustomed mark is put upon his forehead. Thus dressed he is placed +on a kind of state bed, where he remains until he is carried to the +pile. + +After every preparation is made to bear away the corpse, the person who +is to conduct the funeral, with the assistance of some relative or +friend, strips it of its clothing and jewels, and covers it with a +handkerchief provided for the occasion. The corpse is then placed on a +litter. Those who die in a state of marriage, have their faces left +uncovered. The litter, adorned with flowers and foliage, and sometimes +decked with valuable stuffs, is borne by four Brahmins. The procession +is arranged as follows. + +The chief of the funeral marches foremost, carrying fire in a vessel. +The body follows, attended by the relations and friends, without their +turbans, and with nothing on their heads but a bit of cloth, in token of +mourning. The women never attend the funeral, but remain in the house, +where they set up a hideous cry when the corpse is taken out. While +advancing on the road, the custom is to stop three times on the way, +and, at each pause, to put into the mouth of the dead a morsel of +unboiled rice, moistened. The object of stopping is considered to be +very important. It is not without reason; for they say that persons +supposed to be dead have been alive, or even when lifeless have been +restored; and sometimes, also, it has happened that the gods of the +infernal regions have mistaken their aim, and seized one person instead +of another. In any view, it is right to afford the opportunity for +correcting these mistakes, so as not to expose to the flames a person +who is still alive. Hence the propriety of these pauses, each of which +continues half of the quarter of an hour. + +Having arrived at the place for burning the dead, they dig a trench +about six or seven feet in length. This is consecrated by the muntrums. +It is slightly sprinkled with water to lay the dust, and a few pieces of +money in gold are scattered upon it. Here the pile is erected of dried +wood, on which the body is laid out at full length. Over the body a +quantity of twigs are laid, which are sprinkled with punchakaryam The +chief of the funeral then takes on his shoulders a pitcher of water, and +goes around the pile three times, letting the water run through a hole +made in it. After this he breaks the pitcher in pieces near the head of +the corpse. + +At last the torch is brought for setting fire to the pile, and is handed +to the chief of the funeral. Before he receives it, however, he is +obliged to make some grimaces to prove his sorrow. He rolls about on the +ground, beats his breast, and makes the air resound with his cries. The +assistants also cry, or appear to cry. Fire being applied to the four +corners of the pile, the crowd retire, except the four Brahmins who +carried the body; they remain until the whole is consumed. + +The funerals of the Sudras differ in some particulars from those of the +Brahmins. Deafening sounds of drums, trumpets, and other instruments of +music, not in use among the Brahmins, accompany their funerals. To +increase the noise, they sometimes shoot off an instrument which +somewhat resembles a small cannon. I do not now think of any other +particular worthy of mention. + +By the ceremonies which are performed at their funerals, this wretched +people expect to secure the pardon of all the sins of those who have +died. Alas, what a delusion! O, that Christians had sent the Gospel to +this dark land in the days when they sent it to our heathen fathers. +Then might the Hindoos now be seeking the expiation of their sins, +through the blood of the ever-blessed Redeemer. Of this Redeemer, +however, they know nothing. They enter eternity, not that their souls +may be consumed as their bodies have been, but to endure the flames of +divine wrath for ever and ever. Alas, alas, that it should be so! O, +that the generation of Christians now living would lay these things to +heart, and do what they can, through grace, to rescue those who are yet +within the reach of hope from so tremendous a doom. What, my dear +children, will you do for this purpose? + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE GODS OF THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear Children--The word heathen is applied to those who worship +idols, or who do not know any thing about the true God. This is the case +with this people. They say that there is one supreme being, whom they +call BRAHM; but he is very different from Jehovah, and is never +worshipped. Generally, he is fast asleep. In the place of Brahm, they +worship many gods--gods of all colors: some black, some white, some +blue, some red--gods of all shapes and sizes: some in the shape of +beasts, some in the shape of men; some partly in the shape of beasts, +and partly in the shape of men, having four, or ten, or a hundred, or a +thousand eyes, heads, and hands. They ride through the air on elephants, +buffaloes, lions, sheep, deer, goats, peacocks, vultures, geese, +serpents, and rats. They hold in their hands all kinds of weapons, +offensive and defensive, thunderbolts javelins, spears, clubs, bows, +arrows, shields, flags, and shells. They are of all employments. There +are gods of the heavens above and of the earth below, gods of wisdom and +of folly, gods of war and of peace, gods of good and of evil, gods of +pleasure, gods of cruelty and wrath, whose thirst must be satiated with +torrents of blood. These gods fight and quarrel with one another. They +lie, steal, commit adultery, murder, and other crimes. They pour out +their curses when they cannot succeed in their wicked plots, and invent +all kinds of lying tales to hide their wickedness. + +There are three principal gods, who compose what is called the Hindoo +triad. Their names are Brumha, Vrishnoo, and Siva. They were somehow +drawn from Brahm's essence, on one occasion when he was awake. Brumha, +they say, is the creator of the world, Vrishnoo the preserver, and Siva +the destroyer. Brumha has no temple erected for his worship, on account +of a great falsehood which he told. I will tell you what it was. Once, +as it is said, there was a dispute between him and Vrishnoo, as to who +is the greatest. While thus disputing, Siva appeared between the two as +a fire-post and told them that he who would find the bottom or the top +of the post first, would show that he is the greatest. Vrishnoo +immediately changed himself into a hog, and began to root up the earth +with the hope of finding the bottom of the post. Brumha changed himself +into a swan, flew up towards the top of the post, and cried out, I have +found it, when he had not. This, you know, my dear children, was a +falsehood. For this falsehood, it is said, no temple is erected for his +worship. + +Vrishnoo was a thief and a liar. He was once dwelling in the house of a +dairyman, and he used constantly to be stealing butter and curdled milk +from the dairyman's wife. She did not know, for a long time, what became +of her butter and curdled milk; but at last she found out that Vrishnoo +was the thief. To punish him for his theft, she tied him to a rice +mortar. + +Siva's conduct was very bad. I will tell you but one thing about him. On +one occasion he was playing at cards with his wife Parvathe. Vrishnoo +was appointed to determine who was the best player. After playing for a +little season Parvathe won the game. Siva then beckoned to Vrishnoo to +declare that he, instead of Parvathe, had won it. This he did. In +consequence of this falsehood, he was cursed by Parvathe, and changed +into a snake. + +And now, my dear children, why do I tell you about these gods? I tell +you for the purpose of making you thankful that you were born in a +Christian land, where you have the Bible to teach you better things. Had +you not the Bible, you would worship just such wretched beings as these +poor Hindoos worship. Perhaps you know that our Saxon fathers, before +they had the Bible, were as great idolaters as are this people. They +worshipped Thor and Woden and other similar idols, and they were even in +the habit of offering up human sacrifices Surely, if there is any thing +which should make you give your hearts to your Saviour and love him +above all things, it is God's gift of the Bible to you. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY MILLIONS OF THE GODS OF THE HINDOOS--THE +CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE--THE TRANSMIGRATION OF SOULS--THE DIFFERENT +HELLS. + + +My dear children--I told you that in one of those seasons when Brahm was +awake, Brumha, Vrishnoo, and Siva were somehow drawn from Brahm's +essence. The three hundred and thirty millions of the gods of the +Hindoos were also drawn from this essence; as were all the atoms which +compose the earth, the sun, moon, and stars. At first, these atoms were +all in disorder. For the purpose of reducing them to order, Brahm +created what is called the great mundane egg. Into this egg he himself +entered, under the form, of Brumha, taking with him all these atoms. +After remaining in this egg four thousand three hundred millions of +years, to arrange these atoms, he burst its shell and came out, with a +thousand heads, a thousand eyes, and a thousand arms. With him, he +brought out all those harmonized atoms, which, when separated, produced +this beautiful universe that we see above and around us. + +The universe, as it came from the mundane egg, is generally divided into +fourteen worlds: seven inferior or lower worlds, and seven superior or +upper worlds. The seven lower worlds are filled with all kinds of wicked +and loathsome creatures. Our earth, which is the first of the upper +worlds, it is said, is flat. The following figure will give you some +idea of it. + +[Illustration: Concentric circles with labels on each from outermost to +innermost: Sea of Sweet Water. Sea of Milk. Sea of Sour Curds. Sea of +Clarified Butter. Sea of Spirituous Liquors. Sea of Sugar Cane Juice. +Sea of Salt Water. Earth.] + +That part of the earth which is inhabited consists of seven circular +islands, or continents each of which is surrounded by a different ocean. +The island in the centre, where we dwell, is surrounded by a sea of salt +water, the second island is surrounded by a sea of sugar-cane juice, the +third island is surrounded by a sea of spirituous liquors, the fourth is +surrounded by a sea of clarified butter, the fifth is surrounded by a +sea of sour curds, the sixth is surrounded by a sea of milk, the seventh +is surrounded by a sea of sweet water. + +In all the worlds above ours are mansions where the gods reside. In the +third is the heaven of Indra. This is the heaven to which it is said the +widow goes, after she has burned herself to death on the funeral pile of +her husband Its palaces are of the purest gold. And such are the +quantities of diamonds, and jasper, and sapphire, and emerald, and all +manner of precious stones there, that it shines with a brightness +superior to that of twelve thousand suns. Its streets are of the +clearest crystal, fringed with gold. In the seventh, or the highest of +the upper worlds, is the heaven where Brumha chiefly resides. This far +exceeds all the other heavens in point of beauty. + +In the inferior worlds it is stated that there are one hundred thousand +hells. These are provided for such as have been great criminals. The +Hindoos say, that those who have not been very wicked, can make an +atonement for their sins in this world. Should they neglect to do this, +they must suffer for it in another birth. They believe in what is called +the transmigration of souls, or the passing of the soul, after death, +into another body. The soul must suffer in the next birth, if not +purified in this. Hence it is asserted, that if a man is a stealer of +gold from a Brahmin, he is doomed to have whitlows on his nails; if a +drinker of spirits, black teeth; if a false detractor, fetid breath; if +a stealer of grain, the defect of some limb; if a stealer of clothes, +leprosy; if a horse-stealer, lameness; if a stealer of a lamp, total +blindness. If he steals grain in the husk, he will be born a rat; if +yellow mixed metal, a gander; if money, a great stinging gnat; if fruit, +an ape; if the property of a priest, a crocodile. + +Those persons whose sins are too great to be forgiven in this world, +must be sent to one of the hells to winch I have alluded. Weeping, +wailing, shrieking, they are dragged to the palace of _Yama_, the king +of those doleful regions. On arriving there, they behold him clothed +with terror, two hundred and forty miles in height, his eyes as large as +a lake of water, his voice as loud as thunder, the hairs of his body as +long as palm-trees, a flame of fire proceeding from his mouth, the noise +of his breath like the roaring of a tempest, and in his right hand a +terrific iron club. Sentence is passed, and the wretched beings are +doomed to receive punishment according to the nature of their crimes. +Some are made to tread on burning sands, or sharp-edged stones. Others +are rolled among thorns and spikes and putrefying flesh. Others are +dragged along the roughest places by cords passed through the tender +parts of the body. Some are attacked by jackals, tigers, and elephants. +Others are pierced with arrows, beaten with clubs, pricked with needles, +seared with hot irons, and tormented by flies and wasps. Some are +plunged into pans of liquid fire or boiling oil. Others are dashed from +lofty trees, many hundred miles high. + +The torment of these hells does not continue for ever. After criminals +have been punished for a longer or shorter time, their souls return to +the earth again in the bodies of men. Here they may perform such good +acts as may raise them to one of the heavens of the gods; or commit +crimes, which may be the means of their being sent again to the abodes +of misery. + +Things will go on in this way until the universe comes to an end, when +every thing is to disappear, and to be swallowed up in Brahm. + +The Hindoos say, that it is now more than one hundred and fifty billions +of years since the world was created. After it has continued about one +hundred and fifty billions of years more, it is to come to an end. Then +Brumha is to die, and to be swallowed up with the universe in the sole +existing Brahm. + +By what you have heard, you will learn that the Hindoos expect, by their +sufferings, to make an atonement for their sins. But there is no +atonement for sin, except through the blood of Jesus Christ. We must +come as lost sinners to our heavenly Father, confess our transgressions +to him, and plead for his forgiveness, only through the sufferings and +death which Christ endured. My dear children, have you done this? If +not, do it speedily, or the regions of the lost must soon be your +everlasting abode. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +HINDOO CASTES. + + +My dear Children--The people of India are divided into castes, as they +are called. Their sacred books declare, that after Brumha had peopled +the heavens above and the worlds below, he created the human race, +consisting of four classes or castes. From his mouth proceeded the +Brahmin caste. Those of this class are the highest and noblest beings on +earth, and hold the office of priests. At the same time there flowed +from his mouth the _Vedas_, or sacred books, of which the Brahmins are +the sole teachers To their fellow-men, they were to give such parts of +these books as they thought best. From Brumha's arm proceeded the +military caste. The business of this class is to defend their country +when attacked by enemies. From his breast proceeded the third caste, +consisting of farmers and merchants. From his feet, the member of +inferiority, proceeded the Sudras, or servile caste. Carpenters, +braziers, weavers, dyers, and the manual cultivators of the soil, are +included in this class. + +Caste is not a civil, but a sacred institution. You must get some one +older than yourself to explain what this means. Caste is a difference of +_kind_. Hence, a man of one caste can never be changed into a man of +another caste, any more than a lion can be changed into a mole, or a +mole into a lion. Each caste has its laws, the breaking of which is +attended with great disgrace, and even degradation below all the other +castes. For instance, if a Brahmin should, by eating any forbidden +thing, break his caste, he would sink below all the other castes. He +would become an outcast, or pariah. For beneath the fourth, or lowest +caste, there is a class of people belonging to no caste--a class of +outcasts, held in the utmost abhorrence. + +By the system of castes, the Hindoos have been divided into so many +selfish sections, each scowling on all the rest with feelings of hatred +and contempt. The spirit which upholds it, is similar to that spirit +which says, "Stand by thyself, for I am holier than thou," and, of +course, is nothing but pride. This is one of the greatest obstacles to +the spread of Christianity in this dark land, and for the exhibition of +which we were lately obliged to cut off many of the members of our +churches. + +The Brahmins, in consequence of their being of the highest caste, and of +their having been taught from their infancy to regard all other classes +of men with the utmost contempt, are very proud. They make great efforts +to keep themselves pure, in their sense of the word, both without and +within. They are exceedingly afraid of being defiled by persons of other +castes. They have the utmost dread even of being touched by a pariah. +For them to eat with any of these pariahs, or to go into their houses, +or to drink water which they have drawn, or from vessels which they have +handled, is attended with the loss of their caste. A Brahmin who should +enter their houses, or permit them to enter his, would be cut off from +his caste, and could not be restored without many troublesome ceremonies +and great expense. The pariahs are considered to be so low, that if a +Brahmin were to touch them, even with the end of a long pole, he would +be looked upon as polluted In some districts they are obliged to make a +long circuit, when they perceive Brahmins in the way, that their breath +may not infect them, or their shadow fall upon them as they pass. In +some places their very approach is sufficient to pollute a whole +neighborhood. + +The Brahmins carry their ideas of purity very far. Should a Sudra happen +to look upon the vessels in which they cook their food, they would be +considered as defiled. They can never touch any kind of leather or skin, +except the skin of the tiger and antelope. The most disagreeable of all +American fashions, in their eyes, is that of boots and gloves. They +rarely eat their food from plates; and when they do so, it is only at +home. They use the leaf of the plantain or other trees as a substitute. +To offer them any thing to eat on a metal or earthen plate which others +have used, would be considered a great affront. For the same reason, +they will neither use a spoon nor a fork when they eat; and they are +astonished that any one, after having applied them to their mouths, and +infected them with saliva, should repeat the act a second time. They +have a great abhorrence of the toothpick, if used a second time. When +they eat any thing dry, they throw it into their mouths, so that the +fingers may not approach the lips. + +They do not drink as we do, by applying the cup to the lips. This would +be considered a gross impropriety. They pour the water into their +months. The reason why they do these things is, because they consider +the saliva to be the most filthy secretion that comes from the body. It +is on this account that no one is ever permitted to spit within doors. + +The use of animal food they consider to be defiling. Not only will they +not eat animal food, but they will eat nothing that has the principle of +life in it. On this account, they cannot eat eggs of any kind. I was +once breaking an egg in my medicine-room at Panditeripo, while a Brahmin +was present. He told me that, under such circumstances, he could not +remain with me any longer. In his view, I was committing a great sin. To +kill an ox or a cow, is considered by them as a crime which can never be +atoned for, and to eat their flesh is a defilement which can never be +washed away. To kill a cow is, by _Hindoo_ law, punishable with death. + +The touch of most animals, particularly that of the dog, defiles a +Brahmin. Should a dog touch them, they would be obliged instantly to +plunge into water, and wash their clothes, in order to get rid of such a +stain. Notwithstanding this, the dog is one of the gods worshipped by +the Hindoos. + +The Hindoos consider themselves to be unclean if they have assisted at a +funeral. When the ceremony is over, they immediately plunge into water +for the sake of purification. Even the news of the death of a relative, +a hundred miles off, has the same effect. The person who hears such news +is considered unclean until he has bathed. In unison with this feeling, +a person is no sooner dead, than he is hastened away to be buried or +burned; for, until this is done, those in the house can neither eat nor +drink, nor go on with their occupations. + +A Brahmin who is particular in his delicacy, must be careful what he +treads upon. He is obliged to wash his body or bathe, if he happens to +tread on a bone, or a broken pot, a bit of rag, or a leaf from which one +has been eating. He must also be careful where he sits down. Some +devotees always carry their seats with them, that is, a tiger or +antelope's skin, which are always held pure. Some are contented with a +mat. They may sit down on the ground without defilement, provided it has +been newly rubbed over with cow-dung. This last specific is used daily +to purify their houses from the defilement occasioned by comers, and +goers. When thus applied, diluted with water, it has unquestionably one +good effect. It completely destroys the fleas and other insects, with +which they are very much annoyed. + +There is one thing more which I wish to mention. It is, that all the +high castes consider the use of intoxicating drinks to be defiling. I +hope that you, my dear children, will always have the same opinion, and +never touch them any sooner than you would touch arsenic or other +poisons. + +A person may be restored to his caste, provided he has not committed an +unpardonable offence. This is done as follows. After he has gained the +consent of his relations to be restored he prostrates himself very +humbly before them, they being assembled for that purpose, and submits +to the blows or other punishment which they may think proper to inflict, +or pays the fine which they may have laid upon him. Then, after +shedding tears of sorrow, and making promises that, by his future +conduct, he will wipe away the stain of his expulsion from caste, he +makes the shaashtaangkum before the assembly. This being done, he is +declared fit to be restored to his tribe. + +When a man has been expelled from his caste for some great offence, +those who restore him sometimes slightly burn his tongue with a piece of +gold made hot. They likewise apply to different parts of the body redhot +iron stamps, which leave marks that remain for ever. Sometimes they +compel the offender to walk on burning embers; and to complete the +purification, he must drink the punchakaryam, which literally means the +_five things_; these all come from the cow, and must be mixed together. +The first three of these I will mention, namely, the milk, butter, and +curds. The other two, for the sake of delicacy, I must not mention. +After the ceremony of punchakaryam is finished the person who has been +expelled from his caste must give a grand feast. This finishes all he +has to do, and he is then restored to favor. + +There are certain offences which, when committed cut off all hope that +the offender will ever be restored to his caste. For instance, should he +eat the flesh of the cow, no presents which he might make, nor any fines +which lie might be disposed to pay, no, not even the punchakaryam +itself, would be of any avail for his restoration or purification. + +I will make a remark here, which I might have made before. It is, that +in Christian countries, there is a spirit of pride which much resembles +the spirit of caste. Many are to be found who are very proud that they +have descended from rich and honorable _ancestors_, and who look down, +almost with disdain, upon those in other situations. I need hardly tell +you that this is a very wicked spirit, and entirely opposed to the +spirit of the Gospel. No matter what may be our high thoughts of +ourselves, we appear but very low in the sight of Him who created us. We +are all sinners, and, as such, are offensive in his sight. If we would +go to heaven, the first thing which we have to do, is to humble +ourselves for the pride of our hearts, and become as little children +before him. We must have that spirit of which the apostle speaks, when +he says, "Let each esteem others better than themselves." With a humble +spirit we may approach a holy God, with the assurance that he will, for +Christ's sake, forgive all our sins. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +HINDOO TEMPLES--CARS--PROCESSION OF IDOLS. + + +My dear Children--I will proceed to give you a description of the Hindoo +temples. These are very numerous. One is to be found in almost every +village. They are to be found, also, in out-of-the-way places, distant +from villages, in woods, on the banks and in the middle of rivers; but, +above all, on mountains and steep rocks. + +This latter practice, of building temples on mountains, is very ancient. +The Israelites were accustomed to choose a mountain when they offered up +their sacrifices to the Lord. Solomon, before the building of the +temple, chose Mount Gibeon on which to offer his burnt-offerings; and +when the ten tribes separated themselves, in the reign of Jeroboam, they +built their altars on the mountain of Samaria. This practice may have +come from the circumstance, that Noah offered to God a great sacrifice +of thanks on one of the highest mountains of Armenia. Probably Mount +Ararat continued long to be remembered, by him and his descendants, as +the scene of their deliverance. + +Besides the temples of the idols, there are various objects of worship, +made of earth and stone. Some of the idols are carved. Some consist +merely of the rough stone. These are to be seen on the high-roads, at +the entrance into villages, and, above all, under lofty trees. Some of +these are covered; but generally they are exposed in the open air. + +You will read in Genesis, 28th chap, and 18th verse, that Jacob, after +his dream, rose up early in the morning and took the stone that he had +put for his pillow, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the +top of it. Whether it has happened from this circumstance or not, that +the heathen universally pour oil over their idols, I cannot tell. All I +know is, that they do it. No idol can become an object of worship until +a Brahmin has said his muntrums, or prayers, for the purpose of bringing +down the god to live, as it is said be does, in the image, and until he +has drenched it with oil and liquid butter. + +The idols, in the great temples, are clothed with rich garments, and +adorned with jewels, which are enriched with precious stones of immense +value. Sacrifices are constantly made to these idols, consisting of +boiled rice, flowers, fruits, etc., but, above all, of lamps, of which +many thousands are sometimes seen burning. They feed them with butter, +in preference to oil. + +The priests of the temples offer up sacrifices twice every day, morning +and evening. They begin the ceremony by washing their idol. The water +which is used is brought from a river or tank. Every morning a +procession, with music, passes before our door, with this water. + +Every priest who offers up sacrifices, must have several lighted lamps +with a bell, which he holds in his left hand. With his right hand he +makes an offering to the idol, adorns it with flowers, and rubs its +forehead and various parts of its body with sandal-wood and holy ashes. +While all this is going on, he is alone in the temple, the door of which +is closed. The unholy multitude remain without, silently waiting till +he has done. What he does, they cannot know, only hearing the sound of +the bell. When he has done, he comes out and distributes among the +people a part of the things which have been offered to the idol. These +are considered as holy. If they consist of rice and fruit, they are +immediately eaten; if of flowers, the men put them in their turbans, and +the girls entwine them in their hair. + +Next to the priests, the most important persons about the temples are +the dancing girls. These are persons of the vilest character. They +perform their religious duties in the temple twice a day. They also +assist at the public ceremonies, and dance. At the same time they sing +the most abominable and filthy songs. Of these wicked creatures, +however, I must not tell you any thing further. + +The next order of persons employed in the temples, are players on +musical instruments. Every temple of note has a band of these musicians +who, as well as the dancers, are obliged to attend the temple twice a +day. They are also obliged to assist at all the public festivals. Their +band generally consists of wind, instruments, resembling clarionets and +hautboys, to which they add cymbals and drums. They have a bass, +produced by blowing into a kind of tube, widened below, and which gives +an uninterrupted sound. Part of the musicians sing hymns in honor of +their gods. + +The expenses of the temples are borne by the voluntary offerings of the +people, consisting of money, jewels, cattle, provisions, and other +articles. In order to induce them to make such offerings, the Brahmins +use all kinds of deception. Sometimes they will put their idols in +irons, chaining their hands and feet. They exhibit them in this sad +condition, declaring that they have been brought into it by creditors +from whom their gods had to borrow money, in times of trouble, to supply +their wants. They declare that their creditors refuse to set the gods at +liberty, until the money with the interest is paid. The people, seeing +the deplorable condition into which they have been brought, come forward +and pay off the debt; when the chains are taken off, and the god is set +at liberty. + +Another way in which the Brahmins sometimes deceive the people, is as +follows. They say that the god is afflicted with some dreadful disease, +brought on by the distress which he has had, because the people do not +worship him as much as they should. In such cases, the idol is sometimes +placed at the door of the temple where they rub his forehead and temples +with various kinds of medicine. They also set before him all sorts of +medicines, pretending in this way to do all they can to cure him. But as +all their efforts prove to be vain, and the disease becomes worse, the +Brahmins send out persons to tell the sad news. The people, believing +the report, hasten to bring in their gifts and offerings. The god, on +beholding such proofs of their attachment to him, feels himself cured of +his disease, and immediately returns to his throne within the temple. + +The Brahmins use another kind of deception, in order to procure +offerings for the temples. They declare that their gods are angry with +certain individuals who have offended them, and that they have sent some +evil spirit or devil to take possession of their bodies and torment +them. Accordingly, persons appear wandering about in different parts of +the country, showing, by their dreadful convulsions, their writhings +and twistings, every symptom of being possessed with the devil. The +people who see them are filled with dismay, fall down before them, and +offer gifts and sacrifices, for fear of being injured by them. Whatever +they ask is granted. The people give them to eat and drink abundantly; +and when they leave a place, accompany them with instruments of music, +till they arrive at some other place, where the same deception is +practised. + +There are various other ways in which the Brahmins deceive the people; +but I have told you enough. + +At every large temple, there is at least yearly one grand procession. +The idol is brought out from its inclosure, and placed in a great car or +chariot, prepared for this express purpose. This stands upon four wheels +of great strength, not made like ours, of spokes with a rim, but of +three or four pieces of thick, solid timber, rounded and fitted to each +other. The car is sometimes forty or fifty feet high, having upon it +carved images of a most abominable nature. I must not tell you any thing +about them. The car, when finished, presents somewhat the shape of a +pyramid. + +[Illustration] + +On the day of the procession, it is adorned with painted cloth, garlands +of flowers, green shrubbery, and precious stuffs. The idol is placed in +the centre, loaded with jewels, etc., to attract the attention of the +people. Having fastened ropes to this enormous car, eight or nine +hundred or a thousand people catch hold of the ropes and slowly drag it +along, accompanied with the awful roaring of their voices. At certain +periods they stop; when the immense crowds, collected from all parts of +the country, set up one universal shout, or rather yell. This, with the +sound of their instruments and numerous drums, produces much uproar and +confusion. Sometimes the weighty car comes to a stand, from the dampness +of the ground or from the narrowness of the streets, when the tumult and +noise are redoubled. + +[Illustration] + +Perhaps you know that on some occasions, when the cars are drawn, people +throw themselves under the wheels, and are crushed to death. This occurs +at the drawing of the car of Juggernaut, as you may learn if you will +read my Sermon to Children, on the Condition of the Heathen. Here is a +picture of Juggernaut, and on the last page you may see a picture of his +car, and two men crushed to death under the wheels. Not long since, five +persons were thus crushed to death. Many dreadful accidents also take +place at the drawing of these cars. A few years ago several persons in +this city had their limbs amputated, in consequence of injuries +received. + +[Illustration] + +When I was in America, I showed to many of the dear children an idol +called Pulliar, which was _formerly_ worshipped by Raamu, one of our +native helpers, when he was a heathen. I gave a particular description, +of the I manner in which he daily worshiped it, in the sermon above +mentioned Here is a picture, which will give you some idea of this god. + +You will see that it is partly in the shape of a man, and partly in the +shape of a beast. You, my dear children, would put no confidence in such +vain idols; but this people do, as you may know from what I am now going +to tell you. + +Some months ago, a woman was brought to me with a cancer in her breast. +It had made sad ravages. On the morning after her arrival I took it out. +Before she was brought to me, her brother went to the temple of the +goddess Meenaache, to ascertain what was her will respecting his +bringing her to me, or taking her to a native doctor. In order to +ascertain it, he had recourse to the following expedient. He prepared +several bundles of red and white flowers--the red to represent the red +or Tamil man, the white to represent the white man. These flowers were +carefully inclosed in leaves, so as to prevent their color being seen, +and then laid down on the ground, at the entrance of the temple. After +this, he called a little child to him, and then proceeded to entreat +Meenaache that, if it were her will that he should bring the sick woman +to me, she would direct the child to take up one of the parcels +containing the white flowers. It so happened that the child took up one +of these parcels. Of course, he brought her to me. Had it taken up a +parcel containing the red flowers, she would have been taken to a native +doctor. May we not hope that, not Meenaache, but Jehovah directed him +to bring her to me, that she might hear of a very different being from +her goddess, even of Jesus. Of him she has fully heard. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +FESTIVALS OF THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear Children--The Hindoos have many festivals. These are all +occasions of joy and gladness. On such days, the people quit their usual +employments. Friends and relations unite in family parties, and give +entertainments according to their means. Innocent pastimes and +amusements of various kinds are resorted too to add to their happiness. + +There are eighteen principal festivals yearly, and no month passes +without one or more of them. + +One of the most solemn of these ceremonies is held in the month of +September, and appears to be principally in honor of Parvathe, the wife +of Siva. At this time every laborer and every artisan offers sacrifices +and prayers to his tools. The laborer brings his plough, hoe, and other +farming utensils. He piles them together, and offers a sacrifice to +them, consisting of flowers, fruit, rice, and other articles. After +this, he prostrates himself before them at full length, and then returns +them to their places. + +The mason offers the same adoration and sacrifice to his trowel, rule, +and other instruments The carpenter adores his hatchet, adze, and plane. +The barber collects his razors together and worships them with similar +rites. + +The writing-master sacrifices to the iron pen or style, with which he +writes upon the palm-leaf the tailor to his needles, the weaver to his +loom, the butcher to his cleaver. + +The women, on this day, collect into a heap their baskets, rice-mill, +rice-pounder, and other household utensils, and, after having offered +sacrifices to them, fall down in adoration before them. Every person, in +short, in this solemnity sanctifies and adores the instrument or tool by +which he gains a living. The tools are considered as so many gods, to +whom they present their prayers that they will continue to furnish them +still with the means of getting a livelihood. + +This least is concluded by making an idol to represent Parvathe. It is +made of the paste of grain, and being placed under a sort of canopy, is +carried through the streets with great pomp, and receives the worship of +the people. + +Another festival of great celebrity is observed in October. At this +time, each person, for himself, makes offerings of boiled rice and other +food, to such of their relations as have died, that they may have a good +meal on that day. They afterwards offer sacrifices of burning lamps, of +fruit, and of flowers, and also new articles of dress, that their +ancestors may be freshly clothed. + +At this festival, soldiers offer sacrifices to their weapons, in order +to obtain success in war. On such occasions, a ram is offered in +sacrifice to their armor. + +In November, a festival is observed, which is called the feast of lamps. +At this season, the Hindoos light lamps, and place them around the doors +of their houses. This festival was established to commemorate the +deliverance of the earth from a giant, who had been a great scourge to +the people. He was slain by Vrishnoo, after a dreadful battle. In many +places, on this day, a sacrifice is offered to the _dunghill_ which is +afterwards to enrich the ground. In the villages, each one has his own +heap, to which he makes his offering of burning lamps, fruit, flowers, +etc. + +The most celebrated of all the festivals, is that which is held in the +end of December. It is called the feast of Pongul, and is a season of +rejoicing for two reasons: the first is, because the month of December, +every day of which is unlucky, is about to end; and the other is, +because it is to be followed by a month, every day of which is +fortunate. For the purpose of preventing the evil effects of this month, +the women every morning scour a place about two feet square before the +door of the house, upon which they draw white lines, with flour. Upon +these they place several little balls of cow-dung, sticking in each a +flower. Each day these little balls, with their flowers, are preserved, +and on the last day of the month, they are thrown into tanks or +waste-places. + +The first day of this festival is called the Pongul of rejoicing. Near +relatives are invited to a feast, which passes off with mirth and +gladness. + +The second day is called the Pongul of the sun, and is set apart to +worship that luminary. Married women, after bathing themselves, proceed +to boil rice with milk, in the open air. When the milk begins to +simmer, they make a loud cry, "Pongul, O Pongul." The vessel is then +taken from the fire, and set before an idol. Part of this rice is +offered to the image, and, after standing there for some time, it is +given to the cows. The remainder is given to the people. This is the +great day for visiting among friends. The salutation begins by the +question, "Has the milk boiled?" To which the answer is, "It has +boiled." From this, the festival takes the name of pongul, which +signifies to boil. + +The third day is called the _Pongul of cows._ In a great vessel, filled +with water, they put saffron and other things. These being well mixed, +they go around the cows and oxen belonging to the house several times, +sprinkling them with water. After this, the men prostrate themselves +before them four times. The cows are then dressed, their horns being +painted with various colors. Garlands of flowers are also put round +their necks, and over their backs. To these are added strings of +cocoa-nuts and other kinds of fruit, which, however, are soon shaken +off, when they are in motion, and are picked up by children and others, +who greedily eat what they gather, as something sacred. After being +driven through the streets, they are suffered, during the day, to feed +wherever they please, without a keeper. I have, however, told you +enough. Are you ready to exclaim, Is it possible that a people can be +guilty of such utter folly? But you, my dear children, would be guilty +of just such folly, if you had not the Bible. Should not the gratitude, +then, which you owe to your heavenly Father, for your distinguished +mercies, constrain you to do all that you can to send this blessed book +to this dark land? + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE WORSHIP OF THE SERPENT. + + +My dear Children--If you have never heard much about the Hindoos, you +will be astonished to learn how numerous are the objects of their +worship. They worship many living creatures, such as the ape, the tiger, +the elephant the horse, the ox, the stag, the sheep, the hog, the dog, +the cat, the rat, the peacock, the eagle, the cock, the hawk, the +serpent, the chameleon, the lizard, the tortoise, fishes, and even +insects. Of these, some receive much more worship than others, such as +the cow, the ox, and the serpent Cobra Capella. I will speak at present +only of the worship of the serpent. + +Of all the dangerous creatures found in India, there are none that +occasion so many deaths as serpents. The people are very much exposed to +their bite, especially at night, when they are walking. They tread upon +them, and, as they generally do not wear shoes, the snakes turn their +heads, and strike their fangs into those parts of the feet which are +nearest to the place where the pressure is made upon their bodies. +Sometimes the bite is followed with instant death. The Cobra Capella is +one of the most common snakes, and one of the most poisonous. It is +said, that it has a thousand heads, one of which holds up the earth. It +has a peculiar mark on its back, just behind the head. This mark very +much resembles a pair of spectacles, without the handles. If you should +go near it, it would raise the fore part of its body about six inches, +widen out its neck, so as to be about double its common width, and +prepare to strike you. The reason why the Hindoos offer sacrifices and +adoration to it above all the other serpents is, because it is so +frequently met with, and is so much dreaded. + +In order to induce the people to worship this dangerous enemy, the +Hindoos have filled their books with tales concerning it. Figures of it +are often to be seen in the temples, and on other buildings. They seek +out their holes, which are generally to be found in the hillocks of +earth which are thrown up by the white ants; and when they find one, +they go from time to time and offer milk, plantains, and other good +things to it. + +[Illustration] + +The Hindoos, as I before observed, have eighteen annual festivals. One +of these festivals is held for the purpose of worshipping this serpent. +Temples in many places are erected to it, of which there is one of great +celebrity in Mysore. When the festival occurs at this temple, great +crowds of people come together to offer sacrifices to this creeping god. +Many serpents besides the Cobra Capella live within it, in holes made +especially for them. All of these are kept and well fed by the Brahmins +with milk, butter, and plantains. By such means they become very +numerous, and may be seen swarming from every crevice in the temple. To +injure or to kill one would be considered a great crime. + +Many of the natives call the Cobra Capella nulla paampu, that is, good +snake. They are afraid to call it a bad snake, lest it should injure +them. The following is the prayer which is offered before the image of +this snake. O, divine Cobra, preserve and sustain us. O, Sheoh, partake +of these offerings, and be gracious unto us. + +Can you think of any thing, my dear children more dishonoring to a holy +God, than such worship? And what have you ever done to prevent it? Have +you, every morning and evening, prayed that the Gospel might be sent to +this people? Did you ever give any money to send it to them? Did you +ever think whether it may not be your duty, by and by, to come to them, +to tell them of this Gospel? + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE RIVER GANGES. + + +My dear Children--If you will look at the map of Asia, and find the +country of Hindostan, you will see running through it a very celebrated +river--the river Ganges. It is called the Ganges, after the goddess +Gunga. The Hindoos say that the goddess Gungu--who was produced from the +sweat of Vrishnoo's foot, which Brumha caught and preserved in his +alms-dish--came down from heaven, and divided herself into one hundred +streams, which are the mouths of the river Ganges. All classes and +castes worship her. The sight, the name, or the touch of the river +Ganges is said to take away all sin. To die on the edge of the river, or +to die partly buried in the stream, drinking its waters, while their +bodies are besmeared with mud, is supposed to render them very holy. On +this account, when it is expected that a person will die, he is hurried +down to the river, whether willing or unwilling. Sometimes the wood +which the people bring to burn their bodies after death, is piled up +before their eyes. O, how inhuman is this. After it is supposed that +they are dead, and they are placed on the pile of wood, if they should +revive and attempt to rise, it is thought that they are possessed with +the devil, and they are beaten down with a hatchet or bamboo. + +Were you standing on the banks of the Ganges you might, perhaps, in one +place see two or three young men carrying a sick female to the river. If +you should ask what they are going to do with her, perhaps they would +reply, We are going to give her up to Gunga, to purify her soul, that +she may go to heaven; for she is our mother. In another place you might +see a father and mother sprinkling a beloved child with muddy water, +endeavoring to soothe his dying agonies by saying, "It is blessed to die +by Gunga, my son; to die by Gunga is blessed, my son." In another place +you might see a man descending from a boat with empty water-pans tied +around his neck, which pans, when filled, will drag down the poor +creature to the bottom, to be seen no more. Here is murder in the name +of religion. He is a devotee, and has purchased heaven, as he supposes, +by this his last good deed. In another place you might see a person +seated in the water, accompanied by a priest, who pours down the throat +of the dying man mud and water, and cries out, "O mother Gunga, receive +his soul." The dying man may be roused to sensibility by the violence. +He may entreat his priest to desist; but his entreaties are drowned. He +persists in pouring the mud and water down his throat, until he is +gradually stifled, suffocated--suffocated in the name of +humanity--suffocated in the name of religion. + +It happens, sometimes, in cases of sudden and violent attacks of +disease, that they cannot be conveyed to the river before death. Under +such circumstances, a bone is preserved, and at a convenient season is +taken down and thrown into the river. This, it is believed, contributes +essentially to the salvation of the deceased. + +Sometimes strangers are left on the banks to die, without the ceremony +of drinking Ganges water. Of these, some have been seen creeping along +with the flesh half eaten off their bones by the birds; others with +their limbs torn by dogs and jackals, and others partly covered with +insects. + +After a person is taken down to the river, if he should recover, it is +looked upon by his friends as a great misfortune. He becomes an outcast. +Even his own children will not eat with him, nor offer him the least +attention. If they should happen to touch him, they must wash their +bodies, to cleanse them from the pollution which has been contracted. +About fifty miles north of Calcutta, are two villages inhabited entirely +by these poor creatures, who have become outcasts in consequence of +their recovery after having been taken down to the Ganges. + +At the mouth of the river Hoogly, which is one of the branches of the +Ganges, is the island Sauger, which I saw as we approached Calcutta +after having been at sea for one hundred and twenty-eight days. Now, my +dear children, if you come out to India as missionaries, you will have +to sail nearly one hundred and thirty days before you can reach it. +Sauger island is the island where, formerly, hundreds of mothers were in +the habit of throwing their children to the crocodiles, and where these +mothers were wont to weep and cry if the crocodiles did not devour their +children before their eyes. Think what a dreadful religion that must +be, which makes mothers so hard-hearted. Did you ever take any corn or +Indian meal and throw it to the chickens? And what did these chickens +do? Did they not come around you and eat it? Well, just in this way the +crocodiles would come near those mothers, and devour their children. +Here is a picture of a mother throwing her child to a crocodile. + +[Illustration] + +I am glad to tell you, that the British have put a stop to the sacrifice +of children at that place; but mothers continue to destroy their +children elsewhere, and will continue to destroy them until Christians +send the Gospel to them. It is not improbable that vast numbers of +children are annually destroyed in the Ganges. Mothers sacrifice them, +in consequence of vows which they have made. When the time to sacrifice +them has come, they take them down to the river, and encourage them to +go out so far that they are taken away by the stream, or they push them +off with their own hands. + +I just remarked, that mothers will continue to destroy their children +until the Gospel is sent to them. That the Gospel does prevent such +things, the following circumstance will show. Several years ago, a +missionary lady went from New England to India. As she was walking out +one morning, on the banks of the Ganges, she saw a heathen mother +weeping. She went up to her, sat down by her side, put her hand into +hers, and asked what was the matter with her. "I have just been making a +basket of flags," said she, "and putting my infant in it--pushing it off +into the river, and drowning it. And my gods are very much pleased with +me, because I have done it." After this missionary lady had heard all +she had to say, she told her that her gods were no gods; that the only +true God delights not in such sacrifices, but turns in horror from them; +and that, if she would be happy here and hereafter, she must forsake her +sins, and pray to Jesus Christ, who died to save sinners like herself. +This conversation was the means of the conversion of that mother, and +she never again destroyed any of her infants. + +Such is the power of the blessed Gospel. And what the Gospel has done +once, it can do again. If Christians will send it to them, with the +blessing of God, the time will soon come when heathen mothers will no +more destroy their children. And have you nothing to do in this great +work, my dear children? When you grow up, cannot you go and tell them of +the Saviour? Here is a very pretty hymn about a heathen mother throwing +her child to a crocodile. + + See that heathen mother stand + Where the sacred currents flow, + With her own maternal hand, + 'Mid the waves her infant throw. + + Hark, I hear the piteous scream-- + Frightful monsters seize their prey, + Or the dark and bloody stream + Bears the struggling child away. + + Fainter now, and fainter still, + Breaks the cry upon the ear; + But the mother's heart is steel, + She unmoved that cry can hear. + + Send, O send the Bible there, + Let its precepts reach the heart; + She may then her children spare, + Act the mother's tender part. + +I have heard of a little boy who learned this hymn. He was deeply +affected by it, and wanted very much to give something to send the +Gospel to India. But he had no money. He was, however, willing to labor +in order to earn some. Hearing that a gentleman wanted the chips removed +from the ground near his woodpile, he hired himself to him, removed the +chips, got his money, and, with glistening eyes, went and delivered it +up, to be sent to the heathen, repeating, as he went, + + Send, O send the Bible there, + Let its precepts reach the heart; + She may then her children spare, + Act the mother's tender part. + +About one hundred miles above the mouth of the Hoogly is the city of +Calcutta, and about five hundred miles above that city is the city of +Benares. In these cities, as well as in other places, we see how much +the heathen will contribute to support their wretched religion. A rich +native in Calcutta has been known to spend more than one hundred +thousand dollars on a single festival--the festival of the goddess +Karle--and more than thirty thousand dollars every year afterwards +during his life, for the same purpose. Not long since, a rich native +gave at one time to his idols more than one million two hundred thousand +dollars. And what have Christians ever done to honor their Saviour, +which will bear a comparison with what the heathen do for their idols? +Alas, alas, few Christian men or Christian women, in all the church, are +willing to give even one-tenth of their annual income to the Lord. Most +of those who are rich, hoard up their money, instead of spending it for +the purpose of saving souls. And there are many persons who have never +given a farthing to send the Gospel to the heathen. O, what will such +say, when they must meet the heathen at the bar of God? + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE GODDESS DURGA. + + +My dear Children--From what I said, in my last chapter, about the +goddess Gunga, you see that the Hindoos worship goddesses as well as +gods. There is another goddess much worshipped the wife of the god Siva. +She has appeared in a thousand forms, with a thousand different names. +Of all these thousand forms, Durga and Karle are the most regarded by +the people. I will speak of Durga first. Of all the festivals in Eastern +India, hers is the most celebrated. She has ten hands, in which she +holds an iron club, a trident, a battle-axe, spears, thunderbolts, etc. +Thus armed, she is ever ready to fight with her enemies. + +Were you to be present in the city of Calcutta in the month of +September, you might everywhere see the people busy in preparing for the +yearly festival of this goddess. Images representing her you would find +in great numbers for sale, as bread or meat is sold. In the houses of +the rich, images are to be found made of gold, silver, brass, copper, +crystal, stone, or mixed metal, which are daily worshipped. These are +called permanent images. Besides these, multitudes of what are called +temporary images are made--made merely for the occasion and then +destroyed. They may be made of hay, sticks, clay, wood, or other such +things. Their size varies from a few inches to twenty feet in height. If +any persons are too poor to buy one of these images, they can make them +for themselves. When the festival is near at hand, people are seen in +every direction taking the images to their houses. After they are thus +supplied, the festival commences. It lasts fifteen days. The greater +part of this time is spent in preparing for the three great days of +worship. Early on the morning of the first of the three great days, the +Brahmins proceed to consecrate the images, or to give them, as they +suppose, life and understanding. Until they are consecrated, they are +not thought to be of any value. They are looked upon as senseless. A +wealthy family can always receive the services of one or more Brahmins, +and a few of the poor may unite and secure the services of one of them. +At length the solemn hour arrives. The Brahmin, with the leaves of a +sacred tree, comes near the image. With the two forefingers of his +right hand he touches the breast, the two cheeks, the eyes, and the +forehead of the image, at each touch saying the prayer, "Let the spirit +of Durga descend and take possession of this image." By such ceremonies, +and by repeating various _muntrums_, it is supposed that the Brahmins +have the power to bring down the goddess to take possession of the +image. Having been thus consecrated, it is believed to be a proper +object of worship. Having eyes, it can now behold every act of worship +which is made; having ears, it can be delighted with music and with +songs; having a nose, it can smell the sweet perfumes which are offered; +having a mouth, it can be delighted with the rich food which is prepared +for it. + +After the image is consecrated, the worship begins. The devotee comes +near the image, and falls down before it. He then twists himself into a +great variety of shapes. Sometimes he sits on the floor, sometimes he +stands, sometimes he looks in one direction, sometimes in another. Then +he sprinkles the idol with holy water, rinses its mouth, washes its +feet, wipes it with a dry cloth, throws flowers over it, puts jewels on +it, offers perfumes to it, and finishes by performing shaashtaangkum. + +The worship of the idol is succeeded by a season of carousing, joy, and +festivity. On this occasion, large offerings are made to the idols. A +rich native has been known to offer eighty thousand pounds of +sweetmeats, eighty thousand pounds of sugar, a thousand suits of cloth +garments, a thousand suits of silk, a thousand offerings of rice, +plantains, and other fruits. + +Bloody sacrifices are offered up on such occasions. The king of Nudiya, +some time ago, offered a large number of sheep, goats, and buffaloes on +the first day of the feast, and vowed to double the offering every day; +so that the whole number sacrificed amounted to more than sixty-five +thousand. You may remember that king Solomon offered up on one occasion +twenty-two thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. If +all the animals slain throughout Hindostan, at the festival of the +goddess Durga, were collected together, they would amount to a much +larger number than Solomon offered. + +After the worship and offerings have been continued for three days, the +festival closes. As the morning of the first day was devoted to the +consecration of the images, the morning of the fourth is spent in +unconsecrating them. This work is done by the Brahmins. They profess, by +various ceremonies, to send back the goddess to her heaven, concluding +with a farewell address, in which they tell her that they expect her to +accept of all their services, and return and pay them a visit again in +the coming year. Then all unite in bidding her a sorrowful adieu, and +many seem affected even to the shedding of tears. + +Soon afterwards the images are carried forth into the streets, placed on +stages or platforms, and raised on men's shoulders. As the procession +moves onward through the streets, accompanied with music and songs, amid +clouds of dust, you might see them waving long hairy brushes to wipe off +the dust, and to keep off the flies and mosquitoes, which might trouble +the senseless images. But where are these processions going? To the +banks of the Ganges. And for what purpose? For the purpose of casting +the images into the river. When all the ceremonies connected with the +occasion are finished, those who carry the images suddenly fall upon +them, break them to pieces, and then throw them with violence into the +river. After this the people return to their homes. + +I have now given you a specimen of the image-worship of the Hindoos; and +how different is it from the worship which the Bible enjoins. "God is a +Spirit; and they who worship him, must worship him in spirit and in +truth." The very reverse of this, as you have seen, marks the worship of +the heathen. They are not satisfied, unless they can have some object +before them, to which they can make their offerings and their prayers. +Thus daily are they engaged in a service which, above all others, is the +most offensive and provoking to a holy God--a service which has caused +him to declare, that idolaters shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. +This, too, is the service in which every person, who has never given +himself to the Saviour, is engaged; and, of course, in which you are +engaged if you have not given your hearts to him. Those who think more +of their money than they think of Christ, just as certainly worship the +image which is stamped on a dollar or a cent, as the heathen worship +their idols. Those who love their fathers and mothers, and brothers and +sisters more than Christ, make these their idols. And are you, my dear +children, yet out of Christ? If so, you have your idols. And what are +these idols? Are they the world and its vanities? Then God is as angry +with you as he is with the heathen, and unless you give up these idols, +you too must be lost. + +In a tract of mine, published by the American Tract Society, entitled, +"Knocking at the Door"--a tract which I _most earnestly_ entreat you to +get and read--you will find an account of the death of a young lady, who +had chosen the world and its vanities as her idols. I was her physician. +After having attended her for about a month, I perceived, one morning, +that her disease must soon prove fatal. I told her that she could not +live. She then exclaimed, "Doctor, can I not live a month?" I informed +her that she could not. Again she exclaimed, "Can I not live two weeks?" +She was told that she could not live two weeks. And such a scene of +horror followed as I never before witnessed, and may God be pleased to +grant that I may never witness such another. Until laid upon a dying +bed, I fear that she had neglected to think about her soul's concerns. +Now she requested to be taken from it, and placed upon her knees, that +she might call upon God to have mercy upon her. As her case excited much +attention, some of the youth came to see her. These she warned, in the +most solemn manner, not to put off repentance, as she had done, to a +dying hour. Looking up at me, on one occasion, she exclaimed, "Doctor, +cannot you save me?" Alas, what could I do for the poor sufferer. +Witness, now, how anxious she was to obtain the favor of that God whom +she had hitherto neglected. Yes, so anxious that she requested her +friends not to allow her to sleep, that she might spend every remaining +breath in calling upon God to have mercy upon her. One very affecting +circumstance occurred. She requested her trunk either to be brought to +her bedside, or to be opened. From this a ring, which was set with red +garnets, was taken out by herself, or by another, and handed to her. She +then called a young friend to her bedside, put the ring upon her finger, +and said to her, "Don't you put off repentance, as I have done, until a +dying hour." That ring is now in my possession. In less than forty-eight +hours after I told her that she could not live, she passed into +eternity. Would that I could show you that mournful countenance, which +continued long after the last spark of life had become extinct; yes, +even up to the moment when the lid of her coffin for ever hid it from +our view. Never, never shall I forget it. It was a sad monument of the +wreck within. + +Now, my dear children, you would not like to die as, I fear, this young +lady died. Well, then, if you would die differently, you must live +differently. You must live for Christ, if you would die in Christ. And +are you Christ's, or are you yet gay and thoughtless--as gay and as +thoughtless as this young lady was, until laid upon her dying bed? If +you are so, and if you continue to remain in this sad condition, your +season of sorrow too will certainly come, and it will come when you +expect it not. As the little insect which flies round and round your +candle is dazzled with its brightness, and feels nothing but pleasure, +until it unconsciously strikes the blaze with its little wings, and is +swallowed up in the flame; so you are dazzled with the pleasures of the +world, thinking nothing of the flames which may swallow you up in a +moment, and put a stop to all your joys for ever. O, that the death-bed +scene of Miss Matthews might have a happy effect upon you. O, that the +solemn warning which she gave to her young friend, not to put off +repentance as she had done, until a dying hour, might continue to sound +in your ears, until you would no longer delay repentance. My dear +children, this young lady, though dead, yet speaketh. She speaks to you. +She calls upon you from her tomb--from the eternal world, to delay +repentance no longer. Will you, then, be so mad as to turn a deaf ear to +this call? Will you ever take another sip from the cup of unhallowed +pleasure? Will you ever direct your little feet to the ballroom, or +other places of sinful amusement? Will you hereafter prefer your worldly +joys to Christ? O, you must not, you must not. It will not do for you to +be lost. Who, O who can lie down in everlasting burnings? Who can dwell +for ever with devouring flames? + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE GODDESS KARLE. + + +My dear Children--In the preceding chapter I spoke of Karle. She, as I +there mentioned, is the wife of Siva, and, like her husband, has the +power of destruction. From the images made of her, it would appear that +she is a female, of a black or dark blue color. She has four arms. In +one hand she holds a sword, and in another a human head. Her hair is +dishevelled, reaching down to her feet. Her countenance is most +ferocious. Her tongue comes out of her mouth, and hangs over her chin. +She has three eyes, red and fiery. Her lips and eyebrows are streaked +with blood. She has two dead bodies for ear-rings, and wears a girdle +around her loins--a girdle made of bloody hands, which she cut off from +the bodies of her enemies. She has a necklace of skulls, which she took +from the bodies of the giants and others killed by her. + +[Illustration] + +Of all the Hindoo divinities, this goddess is the most cruel and +revengeful. Such is her thirst for blood, that being unable at one time +to procure any giants for her prey, in order to quench her thirst, she +cut her own throat, that the blood issuing thence might spout into her +mouth. Different acts of worship are performed to appease her. If, for +example, a devotee should burn his body, by applying a burning lamp to +it, it would be very pleasing to her. If he should draw some of his +blood and give it to her, or if he should cut off a piece of his flesh +and offer it as a burnt-offering, she would be still move pleased. If he +should present _whole_ burnt-offerings upon the altar, saying, "Hrang, +brang, Karle, Karle! O, horrid-toothed goddess, eat, eat; destroy all +the malignant: cut with this axe; bind, bind; seize, seize; drink this +blood; spheng, spheng; secure, secure; salutation to Karle," she would +be much delighted. It is said that she will be pleased for three months, +if the people offer her the blood of a crocodile--for a thousand years, +if they offer her the blood of one man, and a hundred thousand years, if +they offer her the blood of three. + +This goddess is the patroness of thieves. To her they pay their +devotions, to obtain help to carry on their wicked delights. Gangs meet +together, and, after having offered bloody sacrifices, and worshipped +their weapons, and having drunk some intoxicating liquor, and rubbed +their bodies with oil, they go forth to rob. They have a prayer, which +they offer when they worship their weapons. It is as follows: "O, +instrument formed by the goddess, Karle commands thee to cut a passage +into the house, to cut through stones, bones, bricks, wood, the earth, +and mountains, and cause the dust thereof to be carried away by the +wind." Scattered throughout India, there is a lawless set of men whose +profession it is to get their food by murder. They are called +Phansiagars, or Thugs. They owe their origin and laws to Karle. They say +that she told them to become murderers and plunderers. They are called +Phansiagars, from the name of the instrument which they use when they +murder people. Phansiagar means a strangler, and they use a phansi, or +noose, which they throw over the necks of those whom they intend to +plunder, and strangle them. These Phansiagars are composed of all +castes, Hindoos, Mahommedans, pariahs, and chandellars. This arises from +the circumstance that they never destroy the children of those whom they +rob and murder. These children they take care of, and bring up to their +own horrible mode of life. They always murder those whom they rob, +acting upon the maxim that "dead men tell no tales." A gang of these +robbers varies from a dozen to sixty or seventy persons. These divide +into small parties. Those whom they murder are travellers, whom they +happen to meet on the road. Sometimes two or three of a gang will take +up their station in a choultry, or place where the traveller stops, and +while he sleeps, they rouse him from his sleep, and cast the noose over +his head and kill him. It takes two persons to kill a man. One casts the +noose over his head, and immediately tightens it with all his strength; +the other strikes him on the joint of his knees as he rises, which +causes him to fall forwards. After he has fallen, they kick him on the +temples till he dies, which is usually in a minute. They never commit a +murder until they have taken every precaution not to be found out. They +will follow a traveller for weeks, if necessary, before they destroy +him. After they have murdered him, they gash the body all over and bury +it. They gash it, that it may not swell, and cause cracks to take place +in the ground, which might cause the jackals to dig down to the body, +and thus expose their guilt. If a dog accompanies the person, they +always kill it, lest the faithful creature should lead to the discovery +of his master. They think it to be a very good act to give a part of the +plunder, which they get when they murder a person, to their goddess. If +they fail to put him to death according to their rules, they suppose +that they have made her angry, and they make offerings to her, that she +may be appeased. Thus, you see that their religion teaches them to +commit the blackest of crimes. + +The reason why this people gash and bury the bodies of those whom they +murder, is as follows. They say that the goddess used to save them the +trouble of burying the corpses of their victims by eating them, thus +screening the murderers from all chance of being found out. Once, after +the murder of a traveller, the body was, as usual, left unburied. One of +the Phansiagars employed, unguardedly looking behind him, saw the +goddess in the act of feasting upon it. This made her so angry, that she +vowed never again to devour a body slaughtered by them; they having, by +this one act of curiosity, forfeited her favor. However, as an +equivalent for withdrawing her patronage, she plucked one of the fangs +from her jaw, and gave it to them, saying that they might use it as a +pickaxe, which would never wear out. She then opened her side and pulled +out one of her ribs, which she gave them for a knife, whose edge nothing +could blunt. Having done this, she stooped down and tore off the hem of +her garment, which she gave to them for a noose, declaring that it +would never fail to strangle any person about whose throat it might be +cast. She moreover commanded them to gash and bury the bodies of those +whom they destroyed. + +The Phansiagars bring up their children to their own profession. To +learn this, the boy is placed under the care of a tutor. Sometimes his +father is his teacher. By him he is taught that it is just as proper to +murder a man, as it is to kill a snake which lies in his path and would +bite him as he passes. He is not permitted at first to see the murders, +but merely a dead body; his mind being gradually prepared for the sight. +After this, the dreadful secret of his trade is, by degrees, told him. +When he expresses a wish to be engaged in this horrid business, they +tell him all about it. In the meantime he is allowed a small part of the +plunder, in order that his desire to commit these murders may be +increased; since it is only by murder that the plunder is obtained. He +is from time to time allowed to assist in some things, while the murder +is taking place, or allowed to be present to see how the business is +managed. It is not, however, until he becomes a man, that he is +permitted to apply the noose. To attain this privilege, he usually +devotes eight or ten years. Before he can commit a murder, his tutor +must present him with a noose. This sets him loose upon the world, as a +licensed murderer. When the tutor is about to give him the noose, he +takes him apart, and solemnly enjoins it upon him to use it with skill, +as it is to be the means of his earning his food, and as his safety will +depend upon the skill with which it is used. After he receives it, he +tries his skill in strangling a person the first opportunity that +offers. + +By the course of education which the Phansiagars undergo, they become so +fond of their dreadful occupation, that nothing can induce them to quit +it. Some who have been employed in the East India Company's service, +have always returned to their business when an opportunity offered of a +successful enterprise. + +When the Phansiagars become old, they do not quit the service, but act +as watchers, and decoy the traveller, by some false tale of distress, +into some distant place, where he is murdered. + +Women are sometimes admitted to the society of these plunderers, and, +on some occasions, are allowed to apply the noose. They select a +handsome girl, and place her in a convenient spot, where, by her beauty, +or by a false story of distress, she may decoy some unsuspecting +traveller, and be the means of his destruction. Should he be on +horseback, she will induce him to take her up behind him; after which, +when an opportunity offers, she throws the noose over his head, leaps +from the horse, drags him to the ground, and strangles him. I will +mention an instance. It happened that a horseman of Coorg, in the Madras +presidency, was passing by a spot where one of these interesting-looking +girls was stationed. She told him a piteous story of having been robbed +and badly treated, and begged him to assist her. Feeling sorry for her, +he offered to take her behind him, on his horse, and thus assist her a +few miles on her journey. She expressed much gratitude for his kindness, +and mounted. Soon afterwards she suddenly passed a noose over his head, +and, drawing it with all her might, endeavored to pull him from his +saddle. At this moment, a number of Phansiagars started from the +neighboring thicket and surrounded him. The murderess then slipped from +the horse; but the Coorg striking his heels into the horse's sides, it +threw out its hind legs with great violence, and struck to the ground +the girl, who immediately let go the cord. He then drew his sword, and, +cutting his way through the robbers, effected his escape. He wounded two +of them severely. These men were shortly afterwards taken, and, through +their means, twelve others fell into the hands of the judicial officers +of the king of Coorg, including the girl who attempted the murder. They +were all put to death. + +And is it possible that such persons can go to heaven? How could such +ever relish its pure joys? What would they do, could they be admitted +there? My dear children, it is a charity which has no foundation, to +suppose that the heathen can go to heaven. I have preached the Gospel to +tens of thousands of them, but I never saw one who had the least atom of +a qualification for that holy place. "They have all gone out of the +way." Every crime which the apostle Paul speaks of in the latter part of +the first chapter of his epistle to the Romans, they commit, and crimes +of so dreadful a nature that I cannot mention them--crimes which, should +they be written in the Bible, would cause the Bible to be a sealed book +for ever. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +SELF-TORTURES OF THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear Children--As the heathen have no Bible to direct them, they have +devised various means by which they expect to obtain the favor of their +gods, and get to heaven. I will mention some of these. + +Some burn a lamp in a temple. They think that this is a very meritorious +act. Some roll on the ground after the god, as he is carried in a great +car or chariot around the temple. It is customary for the people to +build very high cars or chariots, and cover them with very beautiful +cloths. They also tie the cocoa-nut blossom and plantain-tree within +them, and attach great ropes to them. When they are ready to drag these +cars, or chariots, they bring their gods of gold or of brass from the +temples, and place them on them. Then one, two, three, six, nine +hundred, and even a thousand persons, when the cars are very large, +catch hold of these ropes and drag them around the temple. While they +are doing this, many of the heathen, to fulfil vows which they made when +in sickness, and at other times of distress, throw themselves on the +ground, and roll over from side to side, and frequently much injure +themselves. + +Some swing on great hooks, which are passed through the tender parts of +their backs. Sometimes they swing for half an hour; sometimes an hour. +The longer they can bear the torture of the swinging, the more +acceptable they suppose it will be to their goddess. It occasionally +happens, that the flesh in which the hooks are fastened gives way, in +which case the poor creature is dashed to the ground. When this occurs, +the people hold him in the greatest abhorrence. They judge him to be a +great criminal, and suppose that he has met a violent death in +consequence of sins which he committed in a former birth. + +Not long since, I attended one of these hook-swingings, not far from the +city of Madura. It took place on the morning of June 8th, 1848, just +twenty-nine years after I first left America for India. It should have +taken place on the preceding afternoon; but one of the axle-trees of the +car, which was to support the machine on which the man was to be +elevated in the air, was broken. Nothing, of course, could be done until +it was repaired. The carpenters and others worked with great diligence +until about eleven o'clock at night, when every thing was prepared for +the swinging. I expected immediately after this to witness the ceremony. +It however did not take place until the morning. While waiting for the +man who was to be swung to make his appearance, I took a pencil and made +a drawing of the machine to which he was to be fastened. The picture on +the first page of the book will give you some idea of it. + +Yon have, perhaps, often seen a well-sweep. The long beam in the picture +is swung in the same manner as is the well-sweep, with a single +exception. In addition to its usual motion, it is made to turn +horizontally. The cuts which you may have seen, in two or three of my +little books, differ much from the above; of course different machines +are used at different times. There are stationary swingings, as well as +swingings of the kind to which I just alluded. + +Between six and seven o'clock in the morning, the man who was to be +swung made his appearance for a few moments, and then disappeared. The +hooks by which he was to be swung, as well as the iron rods with which a +number of devotees were immediately to pierce their sides, were carried +through the streets, and held up that they might be seen by the people. +Soon afterwards the man again appeared with the hooks in his back, and +went up to the end of the beam to which he was to be fastened. This, of +course, was lowered. Notwithstanding the dense multitudes of people, I +made my way to the same spot, determined to be satisfied whether or not +there was any deception in the application of the hooks. There was no +deception. They passed through the skin, on the sides of the backbone. +To these hooks were attached yellow ropes, by which he was fastened to +the beam, as you will perceive in the picture. This being done, the men, +five or six in number, who had hold of the ropes fastened to the end of +the beam which you see resting on the ground, and which was then, of +course, high in the air, drew him up until the beam lay horizontally. +Then, after making him perform one circular motion around the car, they +elevated him, as you see in the picture. When thus elevated, it was +thought that he was forty feet from the ground. All being ready, the +people seized the ropes which you see in front of the car, and began to +draw it. Mr. Chandler and myself accompanied it through the streets, +until it came to the place from which it set out. The distance of ground +passed over was at least half a mile, and the time in which the journey +was accomplished exceeded an hour. Of course he was swinging more than +an hour. As the car passed through the streets, the people threw +plantains from the tops of the houses to the crowds below. + +The man who was swung was adorned with flowers and other ornaments. He +had a tinselled turban on his head. His body was rubbed over with a +yellow paste, made, most probably, from the sandal-wood. Around his +ankles were rings, hung with little bells, which he made to tinkle, as +he was swinging, by striking his legs together. He wore a dark or black +pair of pantaloons, which came a little below the knees, and which had +a border of gold around them. He held a handkerchief in one hand, and a +knife somewhat resembling a dagger, in the other. These he kept in +constant motion, by moving his arms. On one occasion, a bunch of +plantains was tied to one of the long ropes which you see hanging down +by the side of the swinger. These he drew up, and afterwards scattered +over the people on a house opposite to him. [Illustration.] + +After following the car for a quarter of a mile or more, we went before +it, and there witnessed another appalling sight. There were five or six +men, who had the rods of iron which I just mentioned passed through the +skin of their sides. They were dancing along, and, as they danced, they +made these rods go backward and forward through the skin. + +After the car had reached the place from which it set out, the end of +the beam from which the man was swinging was then lowered and he was +untied. Again I looked very carefully at the hooks in the back. The +people say that no blood is shed by their introduction, and consider +this to be a miracle. The falsity of this assertion was shown by the +blood which I saw on the side of one of the wounds. + +I have been long in this country, and consequently have become so +familiarized with heathenism, that my feelings, though deeply wounded at +this sight, were not so keenly affected as were those of my new +associate, Mr. Chandler. He has been on heathen ground but a short time. +When they tied the man to the beam, he was unnerved and wellnigh +overcome; and he told me, that during all the time he was following the +car, he felt like shedding tears. + +While following the car, the young men of America came into my mind. +They refuse to come, said I, to help these miserable creatures. O, they +will not come--they will not come. I thought, that if many of the dear +children of that land--children to whom I lately preached, as well as +others, could witness this poor creature swinging from the end of a long +beam, far above the tops of the trees, and that, too, by hooks passing +through the tender parts of his back, they would say, we will, by and +by, become missionaries, and, by the help of God, proclaim to the +heathen that there is a Saviour. + +On the evening of the day on which the swinging takes place, another act +of great cruelty is practised. Devotees throw themselves from, the top +of a high wall, or a scaffold of twenty or thirty feet in height, upon a +bed of iron spikes, or on bags of straw with knives in them. Many are +often mangled and torn. Others are quickly killed. + +At night, many of the devotees sit down in the open air, and pierce the +skin of their foreheads, by inserting a small rod of iron. To this is +suspended a lamp, which is kept burning till daylight. + +Sometimes bundles of thorns are collected before the temple, among which +the devotees roll themselves without any covering. These thorns are then +set on fire, when they briskly dance over the flames. + +Other devotees swing before a slow fire; some stand between two fires, +as you see in this picture. + +[Illustration:] + +Some have their breasts, arms, and other parts stuck entirely full of +pins, about the thickness of small nails, or packing needles. + +Another very cruel torture is practised. Some of the devotees make a +vow. With one hand they cover their under lip with wet earth or mud. On +this, with the other hand, they place some small grains, usually of +mustard-seed They then stretch themselves flat on their backs, exposed +to the dews of night, and the blazing and scorching sun by day. Their +vow is, that from this position they will not stir, that they will not +move nor turn, nor eat nor drink, till the seeds planted on their lips +begin to sprout. This usually takes place on the third or fourth day. +After this they arise, and then think that they are very holy. + +There is a class of devotees in this country called Yogis, whose object +it is to root out every human feeling. Some live in holes and caves. +Some drag around a heavy chain attached to them. Some make the circuit +of an empire, creeping on their hands and knees. Some roll their bodies +from the shores of the Indus to the Ganges. + +The Rev. Mr. Heyer, in one of his letters from India, says, that an +Indian devotee has spent more than nine years on a journey from Benares +to Cape Comorin, that is, from the 27th to the 7th degree of north +latitude. The whole journey is made by rolling on the bare ground, from +side to side. When he comes to a river, of course he cannot roll over +it. He therefore fords it, or passes over it in a boat, and then rolls +on the banks of the river just as far as the river is wide. By doing +this, he supposes that his determination to roll all the way is fully +carried out. + +[Illustration] + +Some devotees hold up one or both arms, until the muscles become rigid, +and their limbs become shrivelled into stumps. In the above cut, you +have a representation of a man with one of these shrivelled arms. See +how long his finger-nails have grown. One has run through his hand and +back through his arm. Some stretch themselves on beds of iron spikes. +Some wear great square irons on their necks. I have seen not only a man, +but a woman, with these great square irons around their necks, each +nearly two feet in length and two feet in breadth. These they put on for +the purpose of fulfilling some vow which they have made. For instance, +if a mother has a very sick little boy, she will say, "Now, Swammie, if +you will cure my little boy, I will have a square iron put on my neck, +and wear it all my life." After this vow is made, if the little boy gets +well, the mother thinks that her Swammie has cured him, and to fulfil +her engagement she will have one of these irons put on her neck. + +[Illustration:] + +[Illustration:] + +Other devotees throw themselves from the tops of precipices, and are +dashed to pieces; some bury themselves alive in holes, which their own +relatives have dug; some bind themselves with ropes or chains to trees, +until they die; some keep gazing so long and so constantly at the +heavens, that the muscles of their neck become contracted, and no +aliment but liquids can pass into the stomach. + +But I will not continue this subject. You perceive, my dear children, +what a wretched religion that must be which encourages its followers to +perform such acts. And how vain are all these acts--how utterly +destitute are they of any merit. Those who practise them are not made +better by them, and they are just as far from the kingdom of heaven +after having performed them, as they were before. The Christian religion +encourages no such things. It tells us to perform no pilgrimages to holy +places, to inflict no self-tortures. But it has its requirements, and +these are very simple, and may easily be performed by all who are +willing to do their duty. These requirements are, repentance, forsaking +sin, faith in Christ, and a supreme devotedness to his service. Have +you, my dear children, attended to these requirements? If not, you are +in a much worse condition than these poor heathen of whom you have been +reading. They are not as guilty before God as you are. They know not +their Master's will. Still, they must perish, unless the Gospel is sent +to them. But though they perish, their punishment will be lighter than +the punishment of those who refuse to love and obey the Saviour. That +servant who knows his Lord's will, and prepares not himself, neither +does according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he +that knows not, and does commit things worthy of stripes, shall be +beaten with few stripes. Should it be your sad lot to perish at last, it +would be far better for you to go down to hell enveloped in all the +darkness of a heathen land, than to go down to hell from a land of such +gospel light and privileges as you enjoy. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE SUTTEE, OR BURNING OF WIDOWS. + + +My dear children--From what I have already told you, you know that the +Hindoos are a cruel people. But I have not told you of the extent to +which they carry their cruelty. Perhaps it is shown to the highest +degree in their practice of the suttee, or burning of widows. The +British have abolished this rite throughout their dominions in India. +They have also made great exertions to have it abolished in the +territories of the native princes, but I am sorry to say, that in some +of these territories it is still practised. Within the last three years, +twenty-three of the princes just alluded to, have issued orders for its +abolishment throughout their dominions. These orders have probably been +issued solely in consequence of their fear of the British power, for it +is a practice which is riveted in the affections of the people. This +power they know that it will be dangerous to resist. + +In my "Sermon to Children, on the Condition of the Heathen," I +mentioned, that the sacred books of the heathen encourage the suttee. I +also mentioned several instances, in which widows had been burned to +death with the corpses of their husbands. Even though you may have seen +that book, it will be well for me to give you two or three other cases, +to impress your minds more fully with the horrors of the Hindoo +religion. The first took place in a village of Tanjore. A merchant +having died, his wife, who was about thirty years old, determined to +burn herself with his corpse. The news of what she was going to do, +quickly spread in every direction, and large numbers of people collected +to witness the burning. After she was adorned with jewels and dressed in +her best clothing, and after her body was tinged with the yellow +infusion of sandal-wood and saffron, bearers arrived to take away the +corpse with the wretched woman. The body of the man was placed on a car, +ornamented with costly stuffs, flowers, etc. There he was seated like a +living man, elegantly decorated with all his jewels, and clothed in rich +attire. + +The corpse being carried first, the wife followed in a rich palanquin. +As she went along, the surrounding multitudes of people stretched out +their hands towards her to show how much they admired her conduct. The +women in particular went up to her to wish her joy, apparently desiring +to receive her blessing, or at least, that she would pronounce over them +some pleasing word. She tried to satisfy them all, saying to one, that +she would long continue to enjoy her worldly happiness, and to another, +that she would be the mother of many beautiful children. Another was +informed, that she would soon arrive at great honor in the world. These, +and similar expressions, she made to all who came near her, and they +departed with the full belief that they would enjoy all the blessings of +which she had spoken. She also distributed among them some betel-leaves, +which they gladly received as relics, or something of blessed influence. + +During the whole procession, which was very long, her countenance was +serene and even cheerful, until they came to the pile upon which she was +to die. Then she suddenly became pensive. She no longer attended to what +was passing around her. Her looks were wildly fixed upon the pile. Her +face grew pale. She trembled with fear, and seemed ready to faint away. + +The Brahmins, who took the lead in this ceremony, with her relations, +seeing her sad condition, ran to her, and endeavored to restore her +spirits, but she seemed not to know what they said, and answered not a +word. + +They made her quit the palanquin, and her nearest relatives took her to +a pond of water which was near the pile, where they washed her. They +then attended her to the pile, on which the corpse of her husband had +already been laid. It was surrounded with Brahmins, each with a lighted +torch in one hand, and a bowl of melted butter in the other, all ready, +as soon as the poor victim was placed on the pile, to envelope her in +fire. + +The relatives armed with muskets, sabres, and other weapons, stood +closely around in a double line, for the purpose, it was said, of making +her afraid, if she might wish to draw back, or of frightening any body +who might pity her, and endeavor to rescue her. + +At length the time for firing the pile being proclaimed, the young widow +was stripped of her jewels, and led on towards the pile. She was then +commanded to walk three times around it, two of her nearest relations +supporting her by the arms. The first round she accomplished with +tottering steps; but in the second, her strength forsook her, and she +fainted away in the arms of those who were holding her. They were +obliged to drag her between them for the third round. Then senseless, +she was thrown upon the corpse of her husband. At that instant, the +multitude made the air to ring with their shouts of gladness, while the +Brahmins poured the butter on the dry wood, and applied the torches. +Instantly the whole pile was in a blaze. + +As soon as the flames began to rage, the poor woman, now in the midst of +them, was called upon by name, from all sides; but as insensible as the +corpse on which she lay, she made no answer. She entered eternity, +suffocated at once, most probably, by the flames. + +The second case of suttee which I shall mention took place at the death +of the rajah, or king of Tanjore. He left behind him four wives. + +The Brahmins having determined that two of these four should be burned +with the corpse of their husband, and having selected the two whom they +thought best to sacrifice, they told them of what awaited them. They +received the information with apparent joy. A refusal would have been +attended with their utter disgrace. + +One day only was necessary to get ready for the funeral ceremonies. They +were conducted as follows: In a field somewhat distant from the palace, +the people made a hollow, not very deep, but about twelve or fifteen +feet square. Within it they made a pyramid of the sweet-smelling +sandal-wood. On the middle of the pyramid, a scaffold was built in such +a manner that the posts could easily be taken away, by which means the +scaffold would fall at once. On the four corners of the platform, large +jars were placed, filled with melted butter, to besmear the pyramid, +that it might be the more easily set on fire. + +The following was the order of the procession. It was headed by a great +number of soldiers under arms. They were followed by a multitude of +musicians, chiefly trumpeters, who made the air reëcho with their +melancholy sounds. Next came the body of the king upon a splendid +palanquin, richly adorned. This was surrounded by the nearest relations +and by the priest of the king. They were all on foot, and without their +turbans in token of mourning. A large party of Brahmins formed around +them as an immediate escort. The two wives who were to be burned with +the corpse came next, each borne on a palanquin. During the journey they +appeared calm and cheerful. The troops kept off the immense crowds who +were assembled from every direction. + +The two queens, loaded with jewels, were attended by their favorite +women, with whom they occasionally conversed, and by their relations of +both sexes. To many of these they had made presents before leaving the +palace. They were also accompanied by thousands of Brahmins, collected +from different quarters. These were followed by an innumerable multitude +of persons of both sexes. When they arrived at the ground where they +were to be burned, the two victims were made to descend from their +palanquins, for the purpose of performing the preparatory ceremonies. +They went through the whole without showing any fear until towards the +close, when their countenances began to change, and their three circuits +around the pile were not performed without considerable effort to +maintain calmness. + +In the meantime, the body of the king had been placed on the scaffold +over the platform. The two queens were also laid down beside the corpse, +one on the right hand, and the other on the left, and they joined hands +by stretching them over the body. The astrologer having then declared +that the happy moment was come for firing the pile, the Brahmins +repeated several prayers in a loud voice, and sprinkled the pile with +holy water. When these ceremonies were finished, a signal was given, and +the pillars which supported the pyramid and the scaffold were suddenly +taken away. Immediately the women were covered with the falling mass of +timber, which tumbled over them with a crash. At the same instant the +pile was fired in all its parts. On one side, the nearest relative of +the king applied his torch, and on the other side, the priest; while the +Brahmins, in every quarter, were pouring jars of melted butter on the +flames, creating so intense a heat as must instantly have consumed the +victims. Then the multitude shouted for joy, and the relations +approaching the pile also set up a loud cry, calling them by their +names. They supposed that they heard a voice in answer pronouncing +_Enna?_ that is, _What_? but the fall of the platform, and the immediate +bursting out of the flames, must have stifled them at once. + +Such was the miserable cud of these poor unhappy queens--unhappy victims +of the most cruel religion that ever disgraced the earth. + +Not unfrequently the sons take a prominent part in destroying their +mothers. This will appear from the following case. A Brahmin died, and +was brought to the place of burning. His wife was fastened to the pile, +and the fire was kindled, but the night was dark and rainy. When the +fire began to scorch the poor woman, she contrived to disentangle +herself from the dead body, and creeping from under the pile, hid +herself among some brushwood. In a little time it was discovered that +there was but one body on the pile. The relations immediately took the +alarm, and searched for the poor creature. The son soon dragged her +forth, and insisted that she should throw herself on the pile again, or +drown or hang herself. She pleaded for her life at the hands of her own +son, and declared that she could not embrace so horrid a death; but she +pleaded in vain. He urged, that he should lose his caste if she were +spared, and added, that either he or she must die. Unable to persuade +her to hang or drown herself, the son and the others present tied her +hands and feet, and threw her on the funeral pile, where she quickly +perished. + +[Illustration: BURNING OF WIDOWS] + +I observed that the rite of suttee is riveted in the affections of this +people. The following communications from two of the native princes who +lately consented to put a stop to this rite, will show you that this is +the case. The rajah of Oorcha declares, that "no subject of his state +shall in future be permitted to become a suttee, though according to the +Shasters, it is no doubt very meritorious for a widow to die of grief +for the death of her husband." The rajah of Sumpthem says, "The practice +of suttee is so very old, and has been countenanced and encouraged by +the wise men of so many generations that I have never thought myself +justified in interposing to prevent it; but my anxiety to meet the +wishes of the governor-general in this and in all things, is so great, +that I have waived all other considerations, and forbidden suttee." + +If the British were to lose their power in India, the suttee would +immediately be rëestablished. Power has put it down, but power alone +will never root it out of the affections of the people. Nothing but the +Gospel can do this. O that Christians would think of this, and hasten, +yea, with great haste, to send this blessed Gospel to them. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE REVENGEFUL NATURE OF THE HINDOO RELIGION. + + +My dear Children--The sacred books of the Hindoos encourage revenge. In +the Vedas, which are the most sacred books, are laid down forms of +religious service, or acts of worship, which are designed to injure or +destroy their enemies. When a person wishes to have his enemy +destroyed, he goes to a Brahmin or priest, and secures his supposed aid. +The Brahmin, before he proceeds to his work, clothes himself with a +black garment. He also makes four images of the foe, and clothes these +with black garments. He then kindles a sacrificial fire, and after the +performance of various ceremonies, he takes pieces of some animal which +has been consecrated for the purpose, and throws them into this fire. On +every occasion when he makes this burnt-offering, he touches the mouth +of the image of this enemy, uttering one or other of the forms of prayer +which are written in the sacred books. Of these, the following are a +few: "O Agni," god of fire, "thou who art the mouth of all gods, do +thou destroy the wisdom of my enemy." "O Agni, fill with distraction the +mind of this my enemy." "O Agni, destroy the senses of this my enemy." +"O Agni, make dumb the mouth of this my enemy." "O Agni, fasten with a +peg the tongue of this my enemy." "O Agni, reduce to ashes this my +enemy." + +How different, my dear children, is the religion of Jesus from the +religion of which I have been giving you a description. No precepts +teach us that we may injure or destroy our enemies. On the contrary, +they teach us to love them, and do them good. Let me repeat to you some +of the words which our Saviour spoke on this point. "Ye have heard that +it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy; +but I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do +good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you +and persecute you, that ye may be the children of your Father which is +in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, +and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." + +One of the young Hindoos in Dr. Duff's school in Calcutta, when reading +the above and similar passages, was so struck with the difference +between these precepts and the precepts of his Shasters, that he could +not but exclaim "O, how beautiful, how divine. Surely this is the +truth--this is the truth--this is the truth." The consequence was, that +he never could rest until he had thrown aside his sacred books and his +idols, and embraced that Saviour whose precepts appeared to him to be so +beautiful. And was this heathen so struck with the beauty of the +precepts of the Bible--so struck, that he had no peace until he gave +himself to his Saviour? And have you ever, my dear children, been struck +with the precepts of your Saviour--so struck with them, that you could +never rest until you had given up your hearts to him? If not, how great +is the contrast between you and that young Hindoo. He gave his heart to +the Saviour. You withhold yours. He, through grace, will dwell for ever +with Christ in heaven. You, if you continue in your present awful +condition, must be banished from his presence, and cast into hell, where +you shall be tormented day and night for ever, with the devil and his +angels. Flee, my dear children, flee to the Saviour now, if you have +never yet done so. Flee to him, and then you also shall dwell for ever +with him. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +THE DECEPTION OF THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear Children--From what I have previously stated, you are aware that +the Hindoos are a very deceitful people. Let me give you another +instance of their deception. A late head catechist of one of my +missionary brethren was, before his conversion, the priest of a temple. +A man from whom about one thousand rupees' worth of jewels and similar +things had been stolen, came to this priest, and promised to reward him +well, if he would detect the thief, and secure to him the restoration of +his property. The priest promised to comply with his wishes; and in +order to effect his purpose, he had drums beaten through the village, +and proclaimed, that at a certain time he would hold a meeting and +detect the thief. At the appointed time, a large concourse of people +assembled, the priest appearing in the midst of them with a cocoa-nut +bound around with saffron-cords. He then told them, that if, after +putting down the cocoa-nut, it should move of its own accord towards +him, they might know that he would be able certainly to detect the +thief; and added, that after it had thus moved, it would pursue the +offender, and follow him until it would break his head. He then +performed certain ceremonies calculated to awaken superstitious feelings +in the minds of the people, and laid the cocoa-nut down at a little +distance from him. To the great amazement of all present, it began to +move towards the priest, and continued to move until it reached his +feet. This being done, he told the people, that they might conclude from +what they had seen, that the cocoa-nut would follow the thief until it +would break his head. He consented, however, to give him a little +grace--to spare his life until the next day; adding his advice, that the +thief, whoever he might be, had better come to him privately, and tell +him where the property was. In the dead of the night, a tap was heard at +the door of the priest; the thief presented himself, and delivered up +the property. The priest received a present from the owner of the +property, and rewarded the thief for his promptness. After this man was +converted, he was asked how he contrived to make the cocoa-nut move +towards him. "Why, sir," he answered, "if you will carefully divide a +cocoa-nut, scoop out the kernel from one-half of it, enclose a strong, +lively rat, put the parts of the cocoa-nut together, and bind the whole +with saffron-cords, to prevent the crack being seen, and then place it +on a declivity previously prepared, it is clear, that if you place +yourself at the foot of this declivity the rat will twirl the cocoa-nut, +and cause it to descend until it reaches your feet." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +SUPERSTITION OF THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear Children--In my Sermon to Children, before alluded to, I +mentioned a few particulars to prove that the people of India are very +superstitious. Let me mention a few more. It is said that no act, +however good it may be, if performed on Sunday, will succeed. Some will +not eat at all on Sunday, until they have seen a certain bird--the bird +on which the god Vrishnoo rides. If a man rubs oil on his head on +Monday, and bathes, he will commit a sin equal to the sin of destroying +a temple of Siva. If he has his hair out on Tuesday, he will become +poor. Even to worship the gods on Wednesday, is bad. If a person takes +medicine on Thursday, his sickness will be increased. Should he lend any +thing on Friday, he will lose his property. If he should buy a new cloth +on Saturday, take it home, and keep it there, death may be the +consequence. Should he die on this day, some other member of the family +will die on the following week. + +If the foundation of a house is laid in June, the destruction of that +house will follow. Should a family enter a new house in March, some +member of the family will die. If a marriage is celebrated in September, +the husband and wife will fight with each other. + +Should a thunderbolt fall on a house, or a vulture alight on it, some +evil will befall the people living in it. If a crow should strike any +person on the head with its wings, some of his relations will die. +Should a cat or a snake cross his path, it would be an indication of +evil. In the latter case, one of his relations will die. If, when +returning home, a person should meet him bearing a light, a quarrel will +be the result. + +After a person has left his house, should he meet a single Brahmin, or a +woman who has had her head shaved, or a dumb or a blind man, or a +washerman or a barber, the object for which he left would not succeed. +Or, when going out, should he hit his head against the top of the +door-frame, or should any one ask him where he was going, or should he +happen to sneeze, he would consider these things as hinderances to his +going, and reënter the house. + +Should a son or a daughter be born on the new moon in April, they will +become thieves. If a person is born under the planet Saturn, he will be +slandered, his riches will be dissipated, and his wife, son, and friends +will be destroyed. He will also be at variance with others, and endure +many sufferings. Should he be born under the planet Mars, he will be +full of anxious thoughts, be imprisoned, and oppressed with fear from +robbers, fire, etc. He also will lose his lands, trees, and good name. + +If a person dreams that a monkey has bitten him, he will die in six +months; or if he dreams that bedbugs, in large numbers, are creeping +over his body to bite him, he will die in eight days. Should he dream +that a dog has bitten him, he will die in three years; or should he +dream that a dead person has appeared to him and spoken to him, he will +die immediately. + +If a man has a little head, he will become rich. If he has a large head, +he will be poor. If his forehead is wide, he will live a hundred years. +If he has a small neck, he will be a murderer. If the second toe is +long, he will be a bad man. If a woman has curly hair, she will not +prosper. If her nose is long, she will have a good disposition. If her +ear is wide, she will tell falsehoods. If she has a mole on her nose, +she will be subject to anger; if on her lips, she will be learned; if on +the eyebrows she will be cunning. + +I could continue to fill a number of pages with things of the same +description, but it will be unnecessary. I will merely mention one +instance more. On a certain night in the month of November, the people +will not look at the moon. The reason assigned for this, is as follows. +Once, when the elephant-faced god Pulliar was dancing before the gods, +the moon happening to see him, laughed at him, and told him that he had +a large stomach, an ear like a winnowing-fan, etc. This so enraged him, +that he cursed her. This curse was inflicted on the night above +mentioned. + +How does the wretchedness of a people, both in reference to the things +of this world and of the world to come, show itself where the Bible is +unknown. If this blessed book was not an inspired book--if it did no +more than remove the temporal miseries of men, how invaluable would it +be! Of how much more value then, is it, in reference to the removal of +their spiritual miseries? + +O, why is it that Christians have not long since sent this Bible to +them? Why is it that they do not send it to them _now_? This is a +mystery, which we must leave to be unravelled at the judgment-seat of +the last day. My dear children, you are to stand before that +judgment-seat. Shall any of these heathen among whom I dwell, rise up at +that awful season--stretch out their hands towards you, and say, There +stand the children who might have sent us the Bible, but they did not +send it; and now we must be lost--_lost for ever!_ + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +BURMAH, CHINA, ETC., ETC. + + +My dear children--If you will look on your map of Asia, you will see, +adjoining Hindostan, at the east, a country called Burmah. This is +another land of idols. Here the "Baptist General Convention for Foreign +Missions" have one of the most interesting and flourishing missions in +the world. The people of Burmah are, if possible, still further removed +from divine knowledge than the people of India. They are in reality +atheists, or, in other words, people who do not believe in a creator or +preserver of the world. But still they worship gods, who, they say, have +become so by acts of religious merit. He whom they now worship is called +Gaudama, or Boodh. He is reputed to be the son of the king of Benares, +and, if their history be correct, was born six hundred years before +Christ. The Boodhists are all idolaters. They have many temples erected +to the honor of Boodh and his image. Before this image they present +flowers, incense, rice, betel-nuts etc. Like all other idolatrous +nations, the Burmese are very wicked. They do not respect their females +as they should do. They treat them as an inferior order of beings. They +often sell them. + +A very singular custom prevails in that country. It consists in paying a +kind of homage to a white elephant. This elephant is sumptuously dressed +and fed. It is provided with officers, like a second sovereign, and is +made to receive presents from foreign ambassadors. It is next in rank to +the king, and _superior_ to the queen. + +Burmah is the country in which Drs. Judson and Price, and Messrs. Hough +and Wade suffered so much, during the war with England several years +ago. Messrs. Hough and Wade were the first to suffer. As the ships which +were to make the attack upon Rangoon approached the city, they were +seized and cast into prison. Their legs were bound together with ropes, +and eight or ten Burmans, armed with spears and battle-axes, were +placed over them, as a guard. They were afterwards put in irons. The +next morning, as the fleet approached still nearer the city, orders were +sent to the guard, through the grates of their prison, that the instant +the shipping should fire upon the town, they were to kill them, together +with the other prisoners confined with them. The guard, on receiving +these orders, began to sharpen the instruments with which they intended +to kill them, and moved them about their heads to show with how much +skill and pleasure they would attend to their orders. Upon the floor +where they intended to butcher them, a large quantity of sand was spread +to receive the blood. The gloom and silence of death reigned among the +prisoners; the vast ocean of eternity seemed but a step before them. At +length the fleet arrived, and the firing commenced The first ball which +was thrown into the town passed, with a tremendous noise, directly over +their heads. This so frightened the guard, that they seemed unable to +execute their murderous orders. They shrunk away into one corner of the +prison, where they remained quiet, until a broadside from one of the +ships made the prison shake and tremble to its very foundation. This so +alarmed them, that they burst open the doors of the prison and fled. The +missionaries, with the other prisoners, were then left alone. Their +danger, however, was not at an end; but as God had protected them thus +far, he continued to protect them until they were set at liberty, and +allowed to preach the Gospel again to those perishing heathen. Drs. +Judson and Price were also imprisoned, and suffered much; but they, too, +were preserved and delivered. The accounts of their sufferings are so +long, that I cannot now relate them all to you. You will find them in +the life of Mrs. Judson. + +After the war was over, the missionaries were permitted to go everywhere +to proclaim the name of the Saviour; and their efforts have been very +much blessed, especially among the Karens. It will be impossible for me +to give you an account of their many labors, and of the many tokens +which they have received of God's favor towards multitudes who have +become followers of the Redeemer. Suffice it to say, that more than six +thousand have been received into the Christian church. One of the native +teachers not long since baptized, on one occasion, three hundred and +seventy-two persons. + +Adjoining Burmah, is China, a country containing more than three hundred +millions of people, about twenty times as many as there are in the +United States of America. It is a country filled with idols. Many of the +people earn their living by making and selling these idols. There are +many shops where they are sold, or repaired when they become broken or +defaced. + +The females in that country are in a very degraded state. They are the +slaves of their husbands, and live and die in the greatest ignorance. +Any attempt to raise themselves to the level of females in Christian +lands, is considered as very wicked. The little female child is tortured +from her birth. You have, perhaps, heard that the women of China have +small feet. These are made small by a very cruel practice--by putting +bandages of cloth so tightly around them, that they cannot grow. Many +women have feet not larger than those of an American infant of one year +old. Mr. Doty, missionary to China, says, that he was acquainted with a +little girl whose mother had bound up her feet so tightly, that she +cried two or three hours every day, on account of the great pain which +she suffered. + +With such little feet, you may well suppose that it would be very +difficult for the women to walk. It is so. They limp and hobble along, +just as if their feet had been cut off, and they had to walk on stumps. + +The Chinese do not count their daughters among their children. Mr. Doty +says, he one day asked his Chinese teacher how many children he had. He +replied, that he had several. "How many of these," he then inquired, +"are daughters?" "We do not count our daughters among our children," he +answered. "I have three daughters, but we Chinese count our sons only as +children." + +When this missionary was in a Chinese village where he had never been +before, a man called to see him, bringing with him two pretty little +girls, neatly dressed, about six and seven years old. He said that they +were his daughters and that he wished to sell them. Mr. Doty refused to +buy them, as it was wicked to buy and sell children; but he told him, +that if he would commit them to him, he would take them home with him, +and educate them, and that they might return home after they had grown. +To this proposal he would not consent but said, that if he would buy +them, they should be his for ever. He could have bought them both for +about twenty-six dollars. + +The Chinese have many schools, but none for their daughters, as they do +not teach them, to read. When they are about thirteen years old, they +shut them up in what are called "women's apartments," where they remain +until the time of their marriage. Then the parents sell them to those +who wish to have wives for their sons. In this way, they are frequently +married to persons whom they never before saw. + +Many parents in China destroy their little girls soon after they are +born, or while they are very small. This they frequently do by throwing +them into rivers, or into the sea, after they have wrapped them up in +coarse mats. There is a little Chinese girl, named Ellen, now living in +Newark, New Jersey, whose father was about to kill her when she was +three weeks old. An English lady heard of his intentions, and sent a +person with ten dollars to see if she could not be bought. He was +offered the ten dollars, but refused to take them. She sent ten dollars +more. He consented to take the twenty dollars. This little girl was +brought by this English lady to America, when she was about six years +old. The friends who have her under their care, are educating her with +the hope that she may go back to China, to tell its females of the +Saviour. + +Did you ever, my dear girls, think why it is that your parents love you, +and educate you--why it is that they try to make you happy, instead of +cramping your feet, shutting you up, and, perhaps, at last selling you? +It is because they have the Bible. Then, how anxious should you be to +save what money you can, to buy Bibles to send to those poor heathen. + +As I am now speaking of the destruction of infants, I would observe, +that this crime is common in other heathen countries. It was quite +common, until lately, in the island of Tahiti, and other places in the +South Pacific Ocean. When the missionaries of the London Missionary +Society went there, many years ago, they found the females in a very +degraded situation. Mr. Nott, one of these missionaries, declared that +three out of four of the children were murdered as soon as they were +born. He met a woman soon after this dreadful crime had been abolished +to whom he said, "How many children have you?" "This one in my arms," +was her answer. "And how many did you kill?" She replied, "Eight." +Another woman, who was asked the same question, said that she had +destroyed _seventeen_. Infanticide, or, in other words, the destruction +of infants, says the Rev. Mr. Williams, was carried to an almost +incredible extent in Tahiti, and some other islands. He writes, "During +the visit of the deputation, G. Bennet, Esq., was our guest for three or +four days; and on one occasion, while conversing on this subject, he +expressed a wish to obtain accurate knowledge of the extent to which +this cruel practice had prevailed. Three women were sitting in the room +at the time, making European garments, under Mrs. Williams direction; +and, after replying to Mr. Bennet's inquiries, I said, 'I have no doubt +but that each of these women has destroyed some of her children.' Mr. +Bennet exclaimed, 'Impossible; such motherly, respectable women could +never have been guilty of so great an atrocity.' 'Well,' I added, 'we +will ask them.' Addressing the first, I said to her, 'Friend, how many +children have you destroyed?' She was startled at my question, and at +first charged me with unkindness, in harrowing up her feelings, by +bringing the destruction of her babes to her remembrance; but upon +learning the object of my inquiry, she replied, with a faltering voice, +'I have destroyed _nine_.' The second, with eyes suffused with tears, +said, 'I have destroyed _seven_;' and the third informed us that she had +destroyed _five_. Had the missionaries gone there but a few years +before, with the blessing of God, they would have prevented all this. +These mothers were all Christians at the time this conversation was +held." + +"On another occasion," says Mr. Williams, "I was called to visit the +wife of a chief in dying circumstances. She had professed Christianity +for many years, had learned to read when about sixty, and was a very +active teacher in our adult school. In the prospect of death, she sent a +pressing request that I would visit her immediately; and on my entering +her apartment she exclaimed, 'O, servant of God, come and tell me what I +must do.' Perceiving that she suffered great mental distress, I +inquired the cause of it, when she replied, 'I am about to die.' 'Well,' +I rejoined, 'if it be so, what creates this agony of mind?' 'O, my sins, +my sins,' she cried; 'I am about to die.' I then inquired what the +particular sins were which so greatly distressed her, when she +exclaimed, 'O, my children, my murdered children! I am about to die, and +shall meet them all at the judgment-seat of Christ.' Upon this I +inquired how many children she had destroyed, and to my astonishment she +replied, 'I have destroyed _sixteen_, and now I am about to die.'" After +this Mr. Williams tried to comfort her, by telling her that she had done +this when a heathen, and during the times of ignorance, which God winked +at. But she received no consolation from this thought, and exclaimed +again, "O, my children, my children." He then directed her to the +"faithful saying, which is worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ +came into the world to save sinners." This gave her a little comfort; +and after visiting her frequently, and directing her to that blood which +cleanseth from all sin, he succeeded, with the blessing of God, in +bringing peace to her mind. She died soon after, rejoicing in the hope +that her sins, though many, would be forgiven her. Well may you exclaim, +my dear children, + + "Holy Bible, book divine, + Precious treasure, thou art mine." + +Infanticide still prevails in India, but as I have given a particular +description of this crime in my Sermon to Children, on the Condition of +the Heathen, I will here say nothing farther on the subject. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +THE DUTY OF PRAYING AND CONTRIBUTING FOR THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL. + + +My dear children--There is another story connected with India, which I +might have mentioned in my last chapter while writing about the +destruction of infants. I will relate it now, in order that you may be +constrained to pray more frequently for the heathen. Some time ago, the +wife of a native prince had a little daughter. The father ordered it to +be put to death, immediately after it was born. Had it been a son, an +heir to the throne, he would have taken great care of it. A second, a +third, a fourth, a fifth little daughter was born. All these were also +put to death by the command of the father. When a sixth little daughter +was born, the mother's heart yearned over it. "I cannot part with it," +said she; "I will have it taken away and hid, so that the king may know +nothing about it." This was done, but the poor mother never dared to +send for her little girl. She never saw her again, but died sometime +after. + +Many of the little girls in India are very pretty. They have dark eyes, +and sweet, expressive countenances. This little child grew to be a very +beautiful girl; and when she was eleven years old, some of her relations +ventured to bring her to her father. They thought that he would be +struck with the sight of his sweet child, and that he would love her for +the sake of her mother who had died. The little girl fell at his feet +and clasped his knees, and looked up in his face and said, "My father." +And what do you think that father did? Do you think that he took her up +in his arms, and kissed her? No. He seized her by the hair of her head, +drew his sword from his belt, and with a single blow took off her head. + +Now, my dear children, do you not think that you ought to pray for the +poor heathen--to pray that God will send the Gospel to them? I want to +tell you of a little boy who heard me preach some time ago about the +heathen. One night he said his prayers, and went to bed. After he got +into bed, he said to the nurse, "I have forgotten to pray for the +heathen, and I must get out of bed and pray for them." The nurse then +told him that it would not be necessary for him to get up, as he could +pray for them while in bed. "No," said he, "I must get out of bed and +pray for them." And the dear little boy would not rest until he got out +of bed and prayed for them. Now I want all of you, my dear children, +every morning and evening, to kneel down and pray for the heathen, as +this little boy did. And I want you to do something more. I want you +always to be punctual in attending _the usual monthly concerts of +prayer,_ provided there are no juvenile monthly concerts to which you +can go. I have long wished to see juvenile monthly concerts of prayer +established. They would be very interesting if I am to judge from the +account of one which I some time ago received from a friend of mine, the +Rev. Mr. V----. I will give you some extracts from his letter. He +writes, "According to promise, I send you an account of the first +children's monthly concert, so far as I can learn, held on Long Island. +As notice was not given either in the church or Sabbath-school, the +attendance was smaller than it otherwise would have been. Still, about +sixty interesting children attended. After a few remarks concerning the +object of the meeting by the superintendent of the Sabbath-school they +sung with melting eyes the hymn that describes the wretched heathen +mother casting her lovely babe into the jaws of the monster of the +Granges. Prayer then was made, of about two or three minutes in length. +Then I gave some of the most affecting accounts of the cruelties and +ignorance of the heathen, as related by the devoted Williams, that +martyr missionary. Their silent attention and subdued countenances told +that their hearts were with the wretched idolaters. After having thus +spent about ten minutes, the children sung in a sweet manner, a hymn--a +prayer for those laboring amid the heathen: + + "When worn by toil, their spirits fail, + Bid them the glorious future hail; + Bid them the crown of life survey, + And onward urge their conquering way." + +"After which, two resolutions were passed, unanimously, by the children. +First, that they will each one attend the monthly concert of prayer +regularly, when able, and bring with them all their companions whom they +can persuade to come. + +"Secondly, that they, with the children of the various schools of W----, +will constitute ---- a life member of the W---- Bible Society. Some of +the smaller children had brought their little Bibles to give them to +----, that he might carry them to the poor children of the heathen. But +when informed that the heathen could not understand English, they +determined to raise money, and send it out to purchase Bibles for the +children. This interesting meeting was closed by prayer, the doxology, +and benediction." + +But not only can you pray for the heathen, you can give _something_ to +send the Gospel to them. Do you say that you have no money to give? But +cannot you earn some? Many young persons have done so. One of whom I +have read, says, "Besides supporting a school in Ceylon, we are going to +support five Chinese boys. I earn six cents a week for not using tea, +one for not using sugar, and three for not using coffee." + +Another says, "I, with three others, have been making matches to the +amount of ten dollars, and should have made more, but the people are +pretty well supplied. I am going to dig my father's garden, and my +mother is going to give me a quarter of a dollar for digging it, which I +shall give to the missionaries. I am going to do all I can, and to earn +all I can, and save all that I have, to support the missionaries." + +Another says, "I am going to leave off buying candy." What is that? Can +little girls and boys do without sugar-candy? I am afraid that many of +you, my dear children, would find it difficult to go without it. But let +me quote all that this child wrote. "I am going to leave off buying +candy and such little notions, unless it is necessary, and save every +cent that I can get and give it to the missionaries." + +Now, my dear children, I do think that if you would save some of those +cents which you spend in buying candy, fire-crackers, and similar +things, and buy Bibles and tracts for the poor heathen, you would do +much more good with them. + +I want to tell you about a little boy who belonged to one of my schools +in Ceylon, who has, as I hope, gone to heaven through the means of a +tract which cost only two or three cents, and which was the cause of his +coming under my care. After he had attended preaching for some time, he +begged me to admit him to the church. As he was quite young, not eleven +years old, I was afraid to receive him. This feeling, perhaps, was +wrong. He never joined the church on earth. He has, however, I hope, +gone to join the church in heaven. When he was about eleven years of +age, he was attacked with the cholera and died. In this country, when +children are very ill, the father or mother will catch up a cocoa-nut or +a few plantains, and run off to the temple, and say, "Now, Swammie, if +you will cure my little boy or little girl, I will give you this +cocoa-nut, or these plantains." The mother of this boy saw that he was +very ill, and she told him that she wished to go to make offerings to +one of her idols, in order that he might get well. But he requested her +not to do so. "I do not worship idols," said he; "I worship Christ, my +Saviour. If he is pleased to spare me a little longer in the world, it +will be well; if not, I shall go to him." The last words he uttered +were, "I am going to Christ the Lord." + +Now when you think about this little boy, I want you to ask yourselves, +whether it is not better to give two or three cents to try and save the +soul of some poor little heathen boy or girl, than to spend them in +buying candy, and other useless things. + +But I must tell you about a little girl whom I saw some time ago, who +refused to buy candy while there are so many heathen without the Bible. +Her father is a sea-captain. Being absent from home, he sent her five +dollars to buy candy, or any thing else which she wished. As this little +girl had heard about the heathen, she determined to throw all her money +into the missionary-box, instead of spending it for her own pleasure. +The mother, on learning her intentions, asked her if she would not like +to spend a part of it for candy, and similar things. She replied, that +she would not, and in due time she put her five dollars into the +missionary-box. Not long after this, she was attacked with a severe +toothache. The mother proposed that the defective tooth should be +extracted. The little creature, for she was only about eight years old, +dreaded the operation, and seemed at first to be backward about having +it performed. To encourage her to submit to it, her mother offered her +twenty-five cents. This little girl did not then begin to reason, Now, +if I can only get those twenty-five cents, I can buy a doll, or I can +buy some sugar-candy; but she reasoned thus, Now, if I can get those +twenty-five cents, I can go and put them into the missionary-box. So she +said to her mother, I will go and have the tooth taken out. The tooth, +however, ceased to ache, but still she wished to have it extracted. Her +mother then interfered, and told her that, as it had ceased to ache, it +might be well for her not to have it drawn until it ached again. The +little girl, however, persisted, saying, that if it were not taken out, +she could not get the twenty-five cents to devote to the missionary +cause. She therefore went to the dentist's, submitted to the operation, +received her twenty-five cents, and went and threw them into the Lord's +treasury. Was not that a noble little girl? Doubtless you will all say +she was. + +I must tell you about a noble little boy also. Some time ago, I was +preaching to the children of Canandaigua, in the western part of New +York. After I had preached there, I went on to Rochester. Returning from +that place, I met with a lady in the cars, who told me as follows: +"After you had preached in Canandaigua," said she, "a young lady there, +who had lost her mother, and who had six or seven or eight of her +brothers and sisters under her care, formed them into a missionary +society." Oh, I wish that all the dear children in America were formed +into missionary societies. After she had done this, she asked her little +brother how he was going to get money to put into the missionary-box. +"By catching mice," said he. His sister gave him two or three cents for +every mouse he caught. Thus it appears, that this dear little boy was +going to throw all his earnings into the Lord's treasury. + +But let me tell you a little more about the children to whom I before +alluded. Another says, "In some of the day-schools of this city, the +girls have formed sewing societies, and make pin-cushions, needle-books, +emery-bags, and the like, and send the money that is raised from the +sale of them to the missionaries, to be used for the heathen. There are +seven Sabbath-schools in this town, and in each of them there is a +missionary association; so that in all about five hundred dollars are +sent from the Sabbath-schools every year." + +Now, my dear girls, I want you to think of what has now been said about +the formation of sewing societies; and I want you to ask your mothers +whether they will not allow you to form such societies, to meet once a +week, or once in two weeks, or once a month to sew, to get some money to +send the Gospel to the heathen. Many societies of this kind have been +formed. After I had preached to the children in one of the churches in +Third-street, New York, the little girls who attend that church formed +such a society. The account which I received of it is as follows. "You +may remember, that in your address to our Sabbath-school, you related +instances of little girls knitting, sewing, etc., to earn something for +the missionary-box The examples which you related were not lost to the +girls of the Sabbath-school. Immediately they began to talk about +forming themselves into a sewing society, and making small articles, and +giving the proceeds to the missionary society. They did not stop here, +but went right to work, and soon formed their society, which they styled +the Juvenile Sewing Society. They are in a very prosperous and +flourishing condition at present. I know not the amount of funds they +possess--they pay a cent a week into their treasury--but they have a +large assortment of articles already made. I understand, also, they meet +once a week to sew." + +After I had preached at a place called Little Falls, New York, the girls +formed a sewing society there. The following account of this society I +received from one of its little members. "When you were here last fall, +and told us how much good little girls had done in having sewing +societies, we thought we would see if _we_ could not do some good in the +world, as well as they; and, since October, we have met weekly, and by +holding a fair, we have succeeded in raising sixty-two dollars. We +hope it will be the means of saving some poor heathen children." + +Now, as I said before, I want you, my dear girls, to ask your mothers if +you may not form such societies also. Will you think of it? I hope you +will. + +Another of the children to whom I have twice referred, says, "I can try +and save their souls, if I am not there. I can work for them, and send +some money to you to buy them Bibles, and I can pray for them; and if I +should save some souls, O how would they thank me. But if I did not send +my money, nor care any thing about them, and I should not go to heaven, +and they should not, how would they rise up in judgment against me, and +say, If we had had the privileges that you had, we should not be here. +O, how thankful we ought to be, that we were not born in heathen lands. +O, if the poor heathen could only have such privileges as we have, how +thankful would they be; and if we were born in heathen lands, I have no +doubt that they would come and tell us about a Saviour." + +I have received many letters from children, breathing the same spirit +which is manifested in the notes I have copied. + +One writes, "Last winter I brought in the wood for mother, and she gave +me fifty cents. I now am very glad that I have not spent it, as I can +give it to you to buy tracts for the little heathen children of India." + +A second writes, "The enclosed fifty cents my grandmother gave me when I +was a very little boy, for sitting still one hour. Will you please to +use it to furnish the Bible and missionary to the heathen." + +A third writes, "I have always spent my money for candy and other +trifles, but since I have heard about the darkness and misery of the +heathen, I intend to save it all, and put it into the missionary-box." + +A fourth writes, "The enclosed I earned by knitting. I intended to save +it, till I had sufficient to carry me a short journey to see some of my +friends; but when I heard you tell about the little heathen girls, I +thought I would give it to you, for the poor heathen children." + +A fifth writes, "I have enclosed twelve and a half cents, which my +father gave me to go and see General Tom Thumb. When I heard you +lecture last evening, I came home and concluded to give it to you, and +let you buy Bibles for the poor heathen." + +A sixth writes, "I remember, before my mother died, she used to tell me +a great deal about the children of India, and now she is in heaven. I +think she would like to have me give my heart to the Saviour, and go and +teach those poor children. I give you some money that was given to me to +see an exhibition, which I saved to give for such things, rather than +go." + +A seventh writes, "You told us that two cents were the means of +converting a young man. I would give two cents every week, if it would +convert souls to Christ." + +An eighth writes, "My mother told me, some time ago, that every day I +recited my lessons without missing a word, she would give me a penny; +and not being desirous to spend it, I do wish you would take it--fifty +cents--to the heathen. It may buy some tracts at the bazaar or market." + +A ninth writes, "We feel sorry for those poor heathen children. We will +try to earn some money to buy Bibles for the heathen. Father has +promised us some land to work next summer, and we think we can raise +something and sell it to get the money." + +A tenth writes, "Since you were here last spring, I have saved what I +could--one dollar--for the heathen children, and should be glad if I +could do more." + +An eleventh writes, "The money which you will find enclosed, I earned by +working for my mother on Saturday, which I intended to keep to buy a +microscope; but when I heard you preach on Sabbath, I concluded to give +it to buy Bibles for the poor heathen children." + +A twelfth writes, "The enclosed, five dollars, was a birthday present +from my father, but I want to give it to Dr. Scudder, for the poor +little boys in Ceylon." + +A thirteenth writes, "Please accept my mite, by the hand of my brother. +I have been keeping it for the purpose of buying a geography; but when I +heard you preach yesterday, I thought I had better send it to you, for +the poor heathen." + +A fourteenth writes, "I would like much to become a missionary, as I am +named after one; I hope I shall be one. I have been saving a dollar to +buy myself some books, but concluded to give it to buy some books for +the heathen." + +The last two children, whose letters you have been reading, gave to the +missionary cause the money which they had been earning to buy books. +When you have been earning money for the express purpose of giving it to +the missionary cause, then you should devote it all to that cause; but I +would advise you not to do as did the two children last mentioned. Had +my opinion been asked, relative to the disposal of their money, I would +have recommended them to give _one-tenth,_ or perhaps a little more, of +the sums they had been earning, to their Saviour, and to keep the rest +to buy their books. The giving of not less than one-tenth of all you +earn, for charitable purposes, is the principle which I wish to have +impressed fully on your minds, and I hope you will grow up under the +influence of this principle, and _never, never_ depart from it. But +while I thus speak, you must not suppose that I wish you to confine +yourselves to the giving of one-tenth, when you can give more; I hope +you will not give merely this, but one-half, or more, if you can afford +it. Indeed, if you do not go as missionaries to the heathen, I want you +to make it your great object _to make money for Christ, and to spend it +for Christ_. O, if the generation which is grown, were as anxious to +make money for Christ, and to spend it for Christ, as they are to make +it for themselves, and to spend it for themselves, or to hoard it up--it +may be for the everlasting destruction of the souls of their +heirs--there would be no complaints that money could not be had to send +the Gospel to the destitute, both at home and abroad. + +In my twelfth chapter, I spoke of the liberal donations which the +heathen of India make for the support of their religion. In the city of +Calcutta alone, it is supposed that two millions of dollars are spent +every year on the festival of a single goddess--a festival which lasts +only a few days. A single native has been known to give, as I before +said, more than one hundred thousand dollars at one time to this +festival, and afterwards thirty thousand dollars yearly. How vast, then, +must be the sums which are spent upon all the different festivals of +their gods. Would that we could see such liberality among Christians. +Would that we could see the generality of them willing to give even +one-tenth of their annual income to the Lord. Alas, what would the +heathen say, if they were to learn how much greater are the sums of +money which they give to their idols, than Christians give to honor +their Saviour? Would they not exclaim, It is because Christianity is +false, and heathenism is true, that Christians give so little for +Christ, while we give so much for our gods? My dear children, I hope +that you will never allow the heathen to say that the Christian religion +is false, because you do not give your money for the spread of the +Gospel. Will you not resolve now, that you will, so long as God prospers +you in worldly goods, give _at least_ one-tenth of all you earn to the +Lord? Do, my dear children, do make the resolution now. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +PERSONAL LABORS AMONG THE HEATHEN. + + +My dear children--You have, perhaps, often seen Campbell's missionary +map of the world. If not, I want you very carefully to look at it. I +want you to look at the red spots on it, and think how many millions of +people embrace the religion both of the Greek and Roman Catholic +churches--a religion which is nothing more nor less than paganism, with +a few Christian doctrines added to it. After this, I want you to look at +the green spots, and think of the hundred and twenty millions of +Mohammedans, who spurn the name of Jesus as a Saviour, and who have set +up Mahomet as their prophet. I want you also to look at all the dark +spots, where, with comparatively a few exceptions, the people are in +pagan darkness, without any knowledge of God and the only Saviour of +sinners Jesus Christ. And in view of all this darkness--in view of the +need of more than half a million of ministers of the Gospel to preach +the news of salvation to them, I want you, my dear boys, to ask +yourselves whether it may not be your duty, after you grow up, to +become ministers, and go and preach the Gospel to them. You know that +you are bound to do all the good to others which you can; and even if +you do not love the Saviour, you are not released from your obligations +to do good. I would by no means have you become ministers without giving +your hearts to Christ; but this you are as much bound to do, as you are +bound to do all the good you can to others. If you are not Christians, I +want you, through grace, to become such, and I want many of you to +become ministers and missionaries. Two of my sons are now missionaries +in India, and four others, I hope, are preparing to come. And why should +not you also come here, or go to other heathen lands? If you can be +excused from coming or going, why may not all who are now little boys +also be excused? In such a case, there will be no missionaries at all. +And you know that this would be very wrong. But I do not merely want +many of you, my dear boys, to become missionaries, I want many of you, +my dear girls, to become missionaries also. Many little girls and boys +have expressed a desire to become missionaries. Several little boys who +wrote to Mr. Hutchings, one of my missionary brethren, and several +little boys and girls who have written to me, have said that they would +like to be missionaries. + +One writes, "I should like to go and be a missionary, and instruct the +poor heathen children to love God." + +A second says, "I have been selling matches that I made. I got five +dollars--just as many dollars as I am years old. I think I shall become +a missionary, and come and help you. I hope I shall see you again when I +come to Ceylon. Tell the heathen children they must love God, and be +good children. They must not give the children to the crocodiles, nor +throw them into the water; and they must not worship wooden and brass +gods. They must worship the true God, and keep his commandments." + +A third says, "I like to send money to help the poor heathen to learn to +read the Bible, and other good books. I think it will be pleasant to +sail across the ocean, and teach them to turn from their idols. I would +teach them not to lay themselves down before the car of Juggernaut, and +be crushed to death; and I would teach them not to burn themselves to +death on the funeral pile." + +A fourth says, "I mean to save something to send to you, to help support +one school. Should my life be spared, and the way be opened at some +future day, I think I should be willing to leave my native home, to go to +some distant land to tell the heathen of a Saviour, whom I hope I have +found." + +A fifth says, "If you are ever in want of money, just please to send on +to me, and I will endeavor to raise all that you want. If I live to be a +man, I hope be a missionary to Ceylon or China." + +One little boy wrote to me as follows: "I have for a long time been +saving three shillings, for the purpose of buying a little racoon, which +I intended to do on Monday. On Sunday I heard you preach, and thought I +would give it to you to save some poor heathen soul; and I hope you will +pray for me, that I may become a minister, and go to India, and preach +to the heathen." + +Another writes, "This is to certify that I, Charles D.H. Frederick, +pledge myself, if God spares my life, when I get to be a man, and he +pardons me through Christ Jesus, I will go and preach to the heathen." + +A little girl wrote me as follows: "According to my present feelings, I +should like to engage in so glorious a cause," as the missionary cause, +"and I hope, when I arrive at an age to be of use to God, and the poor +heathen, to embrace so glorious a cause." + +Another little girl writes, "I felt very bad when I heard you tell about +the poor heathen who worship the idols. I could not keep from weeping, +when you told us about the man who came so far to get a teacher to come +and tell the Gospel to his friends, and was disappointed. I felt very +bad Sunday evening; and on Monday evening I felt that the Lord had given +me a new heart. I felt happy, and sang some beautiful verses that I +learned in one of mother's little books. I have read the Day-springs, +and thought a great deal about the heathen for two years. + +"I used to think a great deal about having nice clothes, before I +thought so much about the heathen. My mother told me some time ago, that +she thought she would get me a white dress when I was ten years old. I +am now ten years old, and this evening mother gave me two dollars to +get the dress, or dispose of it in any way I thought best; and I wish +you would take it to have the poor heathen taught about the Saviour. If +I live, and it is the Lord's will, I hope I shall come and help you +teach the poor heathen about the Saviour." + +There is a little boy in the city of New York, who formerly used to tell +his mother, that he meant to be a cab-driver, and all she could say to +him was of no avail in making him think differently. This little boy +came with his mother to hear me preach about the heathen. + +After he had left the church, as he was going home, he burst into tears, +and exclaimed, "Mother, I mean to be a missionary to the heathen;" and +so far as I know, he has never talked about being any thing else since. +And I hope that many of you will never talk about being any thing else +than missionaries to the heathen. + +I am acquainted with a little girl in Ohio, who has resolved to become a +missionary. She is a niece of Mr. Campbell, late missionary to Africa. +She was not quite four years old when I saw her. When she was eighteen +months of age, she saw the picture of a heathen mother throwing her +child into the mouth of a crocodile She was deeply impressed with the +sight. When she was two and a half years old, she resolved to be a +missionary, and follow her uncle to Africa. From this resolution she has +never drawn hack. When I was at her father's house, she was asked if she +would not go to India. She replied, that she would not go to India, but +to Africa. She was asked why she wished to go to Africa. "To teach the +heathen," was her answer. "Why should you teach the heathen?" "Because +they worship idols." Her mother told me, that ever since she began to +get money, she has contributed to the missionary cause; and this money +has generally, if not always, been earned by some act of self-denial on +her part. I hope that many of you will feel just as this little girl +felt, and do just as she did. + +When I was in America, I used continually, when preaching, to ask the +dear children whether they would not become missionaries. I used also to +beg them to write down what I had asked them. Many complied with my +request. While I was at the Avon Springs, one of the daughters of a +physician there, not only wrote it down, but gave me what she had +written. The following is a copy of what she wrote, + + _August 18, 1844._ + + _Dr. Scudder requested me to come to India to help him when I am + grown._ + + S. P. S. + + _Avon Springs_ + +Could I raise my voice loud enough to reach America, I would beg of +_you_ to write down the following sentence: Dr. Scudder asks me, to-day, +whether I will not hereafter become a missionary to the heathen. Perhaps +you will write it down _immediately_. + +Now, my dear boys, if you will come out to India, or go to Burmah or +China, to tell the heathen of the Saviour, you may, with the blessing of +God, do as much good as Swartz and Carey, and others have done. And if +you, my dear girls, will do the same, you also may do much good. This +will appear from what I am going to tell you about a little girl in +Ceylon. This little girl belonged to the boarding-school at Oodooville. +She early gave her heart to the Saviour, and joined the church when she +was thirteen years old. I should like to know if there are any of you +who have not followed her example. If so, this is not right. My dear +children, it is not right. Shall this little girl, in a heathen land, a +land filled with idols, give her heart to Christ; and you, in a +Christian land, a land of Sabbaths, and Sabbath-schools, and Bibles, not +give your hearts to him? This is not right. You know that it is not +right. + +But let me go on with my account of the little girl. After she had +joined the church, she wanted to go and see her mother, who was a +heathen, for the purpose of conversing with her about her soul's +concerns. Now, in this country, when children who have been absent from +their parents for any length of time go home, the mother spreads a mat +down on the floor, and tells them to sit down upon it, adding that she +will go and cook rice for them. They have no seats to sit on, as you +have in America. Well, this little girl went home. When her mother saw +her, she was very glad; and after she had spread a mat for her, and told +her to sit down, she said that she would go and cook rice for her. The +little girl told her that she was not hungry, and did not wish to eat, +but wanted to talk with her. "You cannot talk with me," said her mother, +"until I have cooked rice for you." "Mother," said the little girl, "you +worship idols, and I am afraid that you will lose your soul, and I want +to talk with you about Jesus Christ." The mother became quite angry with +her, and rebuked her. But still the little girl continued to talk with +her about her soul. The mother then became so angry, that she told her +to be silent, or she would punish her. The little girl replied, "Mother, +though you do whip me, I must talk to you about Jesus Christ," and she +burst into tears. The mother's heart was broken. She sat down on the +mat, and her little daughter talked with her, and prayed with her. After +this the little girl was so troubled, fearing that her mother's soul +might be lost, that she was heard praying for her during all parts of +the night. And God heard her prayers. Her mother forsook her idols, and +became a Christian, and her conversion was followed by the conversion of +one or two others. Now, my dear little girls, if you will give your +hearts to the Saviour, and in due time come here, or go to other heathen +lands, and tell the people of a Saviour, you may, with the help of the +Holy Spirit, be as useful as this little girl was. + +Female missionaries have done much good among the heathen. I mentioned +an instance on page 88, to prove this. Let me mention another instance +more. + +In the year 1838, an English lady, Miss Aldersey, went to the East, at +her own expense to promote female education among the Chinese. At that +time, she could not go to China, as that country was not open to +missionaries She therefore went to Java, where there was a colony of +Chinese. Here she hired a house, and collected about twenty-five girls, +whom she clothed, and boarded, and taught. The Lord blessed her labors, +and several of these girls were hopefully converted. When their parents +saw that they would no longer worship idols, they became much opposed to +the school, and some of them took their daughters from it. In the year +1842, God opened the door for the entrance of the Gospel into China. +This missionary then broke up her school in Java, went to that country, +and resided in the city of Ningpo. Of the girls who had become +Christians while under her care, two were much persecuted by their +parents. They were whipped and beaten, with the hope that they would +again return to their idols; but all the efforts which were made to +induce them to forsake the Saviour were in vain. They declared that they +would sooner die than forsake him. When their parents saw that stripes +and blows were of no avail, they determined to marry them to men who +were much devoted to their idols. This stratagem, they thought, might +succeed in destroying all their interest in their new religion. Here, +however, they were again foiled. The girls became alarmed, and fled from +their parents. An English gentleman, but who was not a professor of +religion, felt deeply interested for them, and assisted them to get on +board a ship going to Batavia. Here they were pursued but escaped from +the pursuers by going on board of a ship which sailed for Singapore. +From Singapore they sailed for China, where they were permitted to join +the old friend who had been the means of their conversion. This lady +collected a school at Ningpo of more than thirty girls. Thus you see how +much good female missionaries have done by going to heathen lands. And +are none of you willing to follow their example? Are none of you willing +to say, Here am I, Lord, send me? + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +SUCCESS OF THE GOSPEL IN INDIA AND CEYLON. + + +My dear Children--I have told you that India is a very dark land, but +there are a few bright spots in it. Through the blessing of God upon the +prayers of his people in Christian lands, and upon the prayers and +labors of his missionary servants, many of the heathen of India and +Ceylon have forsaken their idols, and are now enlisted under the banner +of Jehovah Jesus. In the Travancore and Tinnivelly districts to say +nothing of the success of the Gospel in other places, thousands and tens +of thousands of the people have embraced Christianity. In hundreds of +villages where but a few years ago the name of Jesus had never been +heard, it is now known and adored. + +You have often heard of Ceylon. If you will look at the map of +Hindostan, you will find it close to that country. Here Christianity has +begun to prevail. This island is two hundred miles long, and in some +places quite wide. A large part of it is covered with what is called +jungle. Jungle and wilderness mean the same thing. In this jungle there +are many wild beasts, such as elephants, bears, wild hogs, and +buffaloes. In it also, there are men, women, and children, running wild, +just like the wild beasts. This people are called Verders, or wild +people. They wear scarcely any clothing. They have no houses. When it +rains, they creep into holes, or go under overhanging rocks. Their beds +consist of a few leaves. Sunk almost to the level of the brute, they +live and die like their shaggy companions of the forest. Even upon these +the Gospel has tried its power. More than fifty families have settled +down, forming two pleasant, and now Christian villages. They have +schoolmasters and Christian teachers. + +I must give you a description of two revivals of religion which +occurred while I was in the island of Ceylon, in the year 1833. Before +those revivals took place, there was no particular manifestation of much +seriousness at any of our stations. It was in the month of October of +that year, that we began to feel that we must labor more, and pray more +for the conversion of perishing souls. A protracted meeting was spoken +of, and it was determined that one should be held at our seminary in +Batticotta--a seminary which was established for the purpose of raising +up a native ministry. On the morning of the day in which the meeting was +commenced, Mr. Spaulding and myself went to that station to assist Mr. +Poor, the principal of the seminary, in laboring with the students. In +these labors we spent five days. It was good to be there. No sooner had +we begun our exercises, than a blessing from on high was experienced. +The windows of heaven were opened, and the Holy Ghost descended. This +was evident from the spirit of prayer which was poured out upon the +pious students of the seminary. They were heard "a great while before +day" pleading, in their social circles, that God would have mercy upon +their impenitent companions, and bring them into the kingdom of his +grace. We trust, also, that a spirit of prayer was given to those of us +who took a prominent part in the meeting. At the termination of our +exercises, with the exception of a few lads belonging to a Tamul class, +who had lately been admitted to the seminary, there was not, so far as I +know, an individual connected with it, who was not humbled at the foot +of the cross, either to lie there until healed of his wounds, or to +show, if he perished, that he must perish under circumstances of a very +aggravated nature. + +After we had finished our meeting at Batticotta we went to the female +seminary at Oodooville, to hold similar meetings. Before we reached that +station, the church-members there, after having heard what God was doing +at Batticotta, became very much aroused to pray for the influences of +the Holy Spirit to descend upon the impenitent in their seminary also. +Soon after we reached the station, we held a meeting with the girls. +Some of them were then deeply concerned for the salvation of their +souls; but it was not until Wednesday afternoon, that we knew how +powerfully the Spirit of God had been at work. The meeting which we held +with the seminarists at that time was one of the most solemn meetings +which I ever attended. One of them, a girl of high caste, and of a very +good family, said to her companions in that meeting, "My sisters, I have +been a proud one among you. I hope that if you ever see me proud again, +you will tell me of it. I used to tell the missionaries, that I had +given myself to the Saviour, but I had not done it." Another of the +girls burst into tears, and cried out aloud. As she could not restrain +her feelings, and did not wish to disturb the assembly, she arose and +left it. She retired to one of the prayer-rooms adjoining the seminary, +there to weep alone. She, however, was not left alone. Mr. Poor, one of +my missionary associates, followed her, and endeavored to administer the +consolations of the Gospel to her; but she refused to be comforted. All +her distress seemed to arise from a single source. "I told you a +falsehood," said she, "last Monday, in saying that I had dedicated +myself to the Saviour, when I had not." Perhaps she thought at that +time, that she had thus dedicated herself to the Saviour, but +afterwards found that she had deceived herself. In this wretched state +of mind, she continued until half-past ten o'clock that night, when she +came into Mr. Spaulding's house, where I then was, and wished to know +what she must do to be saved. She was told, as she had often been told +before, that she must dedicate herself entirely to her Saviour. She went +away, and returned the same night at about half-past eleven o'clock, +saying, that she had found HIM. + + "Friends, is not my case amazing? + What a Saviour I have found." + +My dear young friends, are there any of you who have never given your +hearts to Christ? If so, let me entreat you to follow the example of +that dear little girl of whom I have now been speaking. She found it to +be necessary to give her heart to the Saviour, and I hope that she did +give it to him. O that you too might give up your hearts to him. Alas, +if you do not, you must soon go down to eternal burnings where you will +be constrained to cry out, Lost, lost, lost for ever! Be careful, my +dear children, O be careful that this young girl does not rise up +against you in the last day, and condemn you. She must do so--she will +do so, if you do not, like her, choose Christ as your portion. But I am +digressing, and must go back to the point I left. + +The next day, one of our missionary sisters, who had lately reached +Ceylon from America, came to Oodooville, to witness the nature of the +work which she heard was in progress at that place. As she was entering +Mr. Spaulding's house, she was met by one of the most consistent +church-members of the seminary, who declared that she had lost her hope +of being a Christian. Perhaps this church-member was disposed to write +bitter things against herself because she did not feel all that warmth +in religion which marked the conduct of those who, at that time, were +indulging the hope that they had passed from death to life. After the +sister to whom I alluded had been in the house a little while, she +requested Mrs. Spaulding to allow her to have an interview with such of +the girls as were entertaining a hope of their interest in the Saviour. +These were twenty-two in number. This interview was granted. As she +knew nothing about the Tamul language, I acted as her interpreter. +Through me, she requested the girls to give a statement of their +feelings. One of them arose, and said, "I feel as happy as an angel. I +feel joys that I can express to no one but my Saviour; and I am just as +certain that my sins are forgiven, as if I had sent up a karduthaase," +that is, a letter to heaven, "and received an answer to it." Another of +the girls said, that the missionaries had often talked with her about +her dedicating herself to the Saviour, but that she did not then know +what it meant. "I now know," added she, "what it means, for God has +taught it to me." Another of the girls said, "Though they put me in the +fire, I will never forsake the Saviour." + +Now, my dear children, I must bid you farewell Probably I shall never +see you, unless you come to this heathen land, until I meet you at the +judgment-seat of Christ. If you do not become missionaries, most of you +will probably die, and be buried where you now are. Probably I shall die +in this heathen land. But we shall not always sleep in our graves. After +a little season, the archangel's trumpet will sound, and you in +America, and I in India, shall hear his voice proclaiming, "Awake, ye +dead, and come to judgment." And we shall all at once rise from our +graves, and stand before our Judge. And where shall I then see you? +Shall I see any of you on the left hand of Christ, and hear him say, +"Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and +his angels?" O, if I should hear that dreadful sentence pronounced +against you, how would my heart die within me. How could I bear to hear +it. Oh, I could not--I could not bear to hear it. My dear children, if +you are yet out of Christ, I entreat you, _at this very moment_, to lay +down this book, and throw yourselves at the feet of your Saviour. Tell +him, that you are lost sinners, deserving to be cast into everlasting +burnings. Tell him, that though you have been wicked children, you will +leave off your wickedness, and be his for ever. Plead with him, with as +much earnestness as a _drowning_ man would plead with you to save him, +to give you the influences of his Holy Spirit, to create within you a +clean heart, and renew within you a right spirit, without which you are +eternally undone; and continue to plead, until he pardons you, and +receives you as his children. By all the sufferings of the Son of God, +by all the joys of heaven, by all the torments of hell, by the +solemnities of your dying bed, by the value of your immortal souls +_which, if once lost, must be lost for ever_, I beseech you thus +_immediately_ to throw yourselves at his feet, and plead with him to +make you his. Neglect this duty--neglect giving yourselves to Christ, +even for one minute, and it may be, that you will be lost, yea, LOST FOR +EVER. + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Dr. Scudder's Tales for Little +Readers, About the Heathen., by Dr. John Scudder + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13539 *** diff --git a/13539-h/13539-h.htm b/13539-h/13539-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c6183e2 --- /dev/null +++ b/13539-h/13539-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3759 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content= + "text/html; charset=UTF-8"> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Dr. Scudder's Tales for Little Readers, About the Heathen., by Dr. John Scudder. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + } + HR { width: 33%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + .linenum {position: absolute; top: auto; left: 4%;} /* poetry number */ + .note {margin-left: 2em; margin-right: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;} /* footnote */ + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + .pagenum {position: absolute; left: 92%; font-size: smaller; text-align: right;} /* page numbers */ + .sidenote {width: 20%; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding-left: 1em; font-size: smaller; float: right; clear: right;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span {display: block; margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em;} + .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 4em;} + .poem span.i1 {display: block; margin-left: 1em;} + .poem .caesura {vertical-align: -200%;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13539 ***</div> + +<h1>DR. SCUDDER'S</h1> + +<h1>TALES FOR LITTLE READERS,</h1> + +<h1>ABOUT THE HEATHEN.</h1> + +<h3>by</h3> + +<h2>Dr. John Scudder</h2> + +<p style='text-align: center;'>1849 +</p> + +<p>The following work, so far as the Hindoos are concerned, is principally +a compilation from the writings of Duff, Dubois, and others.</p> + +<p>Should the eyes of any Christian father or mother rest upon it, I would +ask them if they have not a son or a daughter to dedicate to the +<i>missionary</i> work. The duty of devoting themselves to this work of +Christ, or at least, of consecrating to it their money, their efforts, +and their prayers, is the great duty to be perseveringly and prayerfully +impressed on the minds of our children. A generation thus trained would, +with aid from on high, soon effect the moral revolution of the world. +Blessed will be that father, blessed will be that mother, who shall take +any part in such a training. And I would add, too, blessed will be that +pastor, and blessed will be that Sabbath-school teacher, who shall come +up to their help.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CONTENTS'></a><h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + + +<div style="margin-left: 25%; margin-right: 25%;"> +<a href='#CHAPTER_I'><b>CHAPTER I.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_I'>General Remarks</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_II'><b>CHAPTER II.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_II'>The Color and Ornaments of the Hindoos</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_III'><b>CHAPTER III.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_III'>Dress, Houses, Eating, and Salutation of the Hindoos</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_IV'><b>CHAPTER IV.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_IV'>Marriage among the Hindoos</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_V'><b>CHAPTER V.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_V'>Death and Funerals among the Hindoos</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_VI'><b>CHAPTER VI.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_VI'>The Gods of the Hindoos</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_VII'><b>CHAPTER VII.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_VII'>The Three Hundred and Thirty Millions of the Gods of the Hindoos—The +Creation of the Universe—The Transmigration of Souls—The different +Hells</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_VIII'><b>CHAPTER VIII.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_VIII'>Hindoo Castes</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_IX'><b>CHAPTER IX.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_IX'>Hindoo Temples—Cars—Procession of Idols</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_X'><b>CHAPTER X.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_X'>Festivals of the Hindoos</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XI'><b>CHAPTER XI.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XI'>The worship of the Serpent</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XII'><b>CHAPTER XII.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XII'>The River Ganges</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XIII'><b>CHAPTER XIII.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XIII'>The Goddess Durga</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XIV'><b>CHAPTER XIV.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XIV'>The Goddess Karle</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XV'><b>CHAPTER XV.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XV'>Self-tortures of the Hindoos</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XVI'><b>CHAPTER XVI.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XVI'>The Suttee, or Burning of Widows</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XVII'><b>CHAPTER XVII.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XVII'>The revengeful Nature of the Hindoo Religion</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XVIII'><b>CHAPTER XVIII.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XVIII'>The Deception of the Hindoos</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XIX'><b>CHAPTER XIX.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XIX'>Superstition of the Hindoos</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XX'><b>CHAPTER XX.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XX'>Burmah, China, etc., etc.</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XXI'><b>CHAPTER XXI.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XXI'>The duty of Praying and Contributing for the Spread of the Gospel</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XXII'><b>CHAPTER XXII.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XXII'>Personal Labors among the Heathen</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XXIII'><b>CHAPTER XXIII.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XXIII'>Success of the Gospel in India and Ceylon</a></div><br /> +</div> + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='DR_SCUDDERS'></a><h1>DR. SCUDDER'S</h1> + +<h1>TALES FOR LITTLE READERS,</h1> + +<h1>ABOUT THE HEATHEN.</h1> + + + + +<a name='CHAPTER_I'></a><h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<h3>GENERAL REMARKS</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear children—When I was a little boy, my dear mother taught me, +with the exception of the last line, the following prayer:</p> + +<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'> +<span>"Now I lay me down to sleep,<br /></span> +<span>I pray the Lord my soul to keep;<br /></span> +<span>If I should die before I wake,<br /></span> +<span>I pray the Lord my soul to take;<br /></span> +<span>And this I ask for Jesus' sake."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Though I am now more than fifty years old, I often like to say this +prayer before I go to sleep. Have you ever learned it, my dear +children? If you have not, I hope that you will learn it <i>now</i>; and I +hope, too, that when you say your other prayers at night, you will also +say this. I think that you would be glad to see how this prayer looks in +the Tamul language—the language in which I am now preaching the Gospel, +and in which I hope that some of you will hereafter tell the heathen of +the Saviour. The following is a translation of it:</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/002.gif' width='574' height='181' alt='The Lord's Prayer in Tamul' title='The Lord's Prayer in Tamul'> +</center> + +<p>I wish that all the little heathen children knew this prayer; but their +fathers and mothers do not teach it to them. Their fathers and mothers +teach them to pray to gods of gold, or brass, or stone. They take them, +while they are very young, to their temples, and teach them to put up +their hands before an idol, and say, "Swammie." Swammie means Lord. As +idolatry is the root of all sin, these children, as you may suppose, in +early life become very wicked. They disobey their parents, speak bad +words, call ill names, swear, steal, and tell lies. They also throw +themselves on the ground in anger, and in their rage they tear their +hair, or throw dirt over their heads, and do many other wicked things.</p> + +<p>Let me give you an instance, to show you how they will speak bad words. +A few months ago, a little girl about twelve years of age was brought to +me, with two tumors in her back. To cut them out, I had to make an +incision about eight inches in length; and as one of these tumors had +extended under the shoulder-blade she suffered much before the operation +was finished. While I was operating she cried out, "I will pull out my +eyes." "I will pull out my tongue." "Kurn kertta tayvun." The +translation of this is, "The blind-eyed god." By this expression, she +meant to say, "What kind of a god are you, not to look upon me, and help +me in my distress?" If this little girl had had a Christian father to +teach her to love the Saviour, she would not have used such bad +language. But this father was even more wicked than his daughter, +inasmuch as those who grow old in sin, are worse than those who have not +sinned so long. I never saw a more hard-hearted parent. That he was so, +will appear from his conduct after the operation was finished. He left +his daughter, and went off to his home, about forty miles distant. +Before going, he said to his wife, or to one who came with her, "If the +child gets well, bring her home; if she dies, take her away and bury +her."</p> + +<p>I hope, my dear children, that when you think of the wicked little girl +just mentioned, you will be warned never to speak bad words. God will be +very angry with you, if you do. Did you never read what is said in 2 +Kings, 2d chapter and 23d verse, about the little children who mocked +the prophet Elijah, and spoke bad words to him. O, how sorry must they +have felt for their conduct, when they saw the paws of those great bears +lifted up to tear them in pieces, and which did tear them in pieces. +Besides all this, little children who speak bad words can never go to +heaven. God will cast them into the great fire. Have you ever spoken bad +words? If so, God is angry with you, and he will not forgive you unless +you are sorry that you have done so, and seek his forgiveness through +the blood of his dear Son.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_II'></a><h2>CHAPTER II.</H2> + +<h3>THE COLOR AND ORNAMENTS OF THE HINDOOS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear children—If you will take a piece of mahogany in your hands, +and view its different shades, you will have a pretty good +representation of the color of a large class of this heathen people—I +say, of a large class, for there is a great variety of colors. Some +appear to be almost of a bronze color. Some are quite black. It is +difficult to account for the different colors which we often see in the +same family. For instance, one child will be of the reddish hue to which +I just referred; another will be quite dark. When I was in Ceylon, two +sisters of this description joined my church. One was called Sevappe, or +the red one; the other was called Karappe, or the black one.</p> + +<p>This people very much resemble the English and Americans in their +features. Many of them are very beautiful. This remark will apply +particularly to children, and more especially to the children of +Brahmins and others, who are delicately brought up. But however +beautiful any of this people may be, they try to make themselves appear +more so, by the ornaments which they wear. These ornaments are of very +different kinds, and are made of gold, silver, brass, precious stones, +or glass. All are fond of ear-rings. Sometimes four or five are worn in +each ear, consisting of solid gold, the lower one being the largest, and +the upper one the smallest. Some men wear a gold ornament attached to +the middle of the ear, in which a precious stone is inserted. Sometimes +they wear very large circular ear-rings, made of the wire of copper, +around which gold is twisted so as to cover every part of it. These are +frequently ornamented with precious stones. The females, in addition to +ear-rings, have an ornament which passes through the rim of the ear, +near the head, half of it being seen above the rim, and half of it below +it. An ornamental chain is sometimes attached to this, which goes some +distance back, when it is lost in the hair. They sometimes also wear a +jewel in the middle of the rim of the ear, and another on that little +forward point which strikes your finger when you attempt to put it into +the ear. Nose jewels also are worn. Sometimes three are worn at the +same time. Holes are made through each side of the lower part of the +nose, and through the cartilage, or that substance which divides the +nostrils, through which they are suspended. The higher and wealthier +females wear a profusion of ornaments of gold and pearls around the +neck.</p> + +<p>A very pretty ornament, about three inches in diameter, having the +appearance of gold, is also frequently worn by them on that part of the +head where the females in America put up their hair in a knot. In +addition to this, the little girls sometimes wear one or two similar but +smaller ornaments below this, as well as an ornament at the end of the +long braid of hair which hangs down over the middle of their backs. +Occasionally the whole, or the greater part of this braid is covered +with an ornament of the same materials with those just described. They +also wear an ornament extending from the crown of the head to the +forehead, just in that spot where the little girls to whom I am writing +part their hair. Attached to this, I have seen a circular piece of gold +filled with rubies. Rings are worn on the toes as well as on the +fingers, and bracelets of gold or silver on the wrists. Anklets similar +to bracelets, and tinkling ornaments are worn on the ankles. The poor, +who cannot afford to wear gold or silver bracelets, have them made of +glass stained with different colors. I have seen nearly a dozen on each +wrist.</p> + +<p>The little boys wear gold or silver bracelets; also gold or silver +anklets. I just alluded to finger-rings. I have seen a dozen on the same +hand. In this part of the country, the little opening which is made in +the ears of the children is gradually distended until it becomes very +large. At first, the opening is only large enough to admit a wire. After +this has been worn for a short time, a knife is introduced into the ear +in the direction of the opening, and an incision made large enough to +admit a little cotton. This is succeeded by a roll of oiled cloth, and +by a peculiar shrub, the English name of which, if it has any, I do not +know. When the hole becomes sufficiently large, a heavy ring of lead, +about an inch in diameter, is introduced. This soon increases the size +of the opening to such an extent, that a second, and afterwards a third, +a fourth, and a fifth ring are added. By these weights, the lower parts +of the ear are drawn down sometimes very nearly, or quite to the +shoulders. Not unfrequently the little girls, when they run, are obliged +to catch hold of these rings to prevent the injury which they would +receive by their striking against their necks. I need hardly say, that +in due time, these rings are removed, and ornamented rings are +substituted.</p> + +<p>A different plan is pursued with the Mohammedan little girls. They have +their ears bored from the top to the bottom of the ear. The openings +which are at first made are small, and are never enlarged. A ring is +inserted in each of these openings. I have seen a little girl to-day in +whose ears I counted twenty-four rings.</p> + +<p>Flowers in great profusion are sometimes used to add to the adornment of +the jewels.</p> + +<p>I cannot conclude my account of the jewels of the little girls, without +giving you a description of the appearance of a little patient of mine +who came here a few days ago, loaded with trinkets. I will give it in +the words of my daughter, which she wrote in part while the girl was +here. "On the 17th, a little dancing-girl came to see us. She was +adorned with many jewels, some of which were very beautiful. The jewel +in the top of the ear was a circle, nearly the size of a dollar. It was +set with rubies. Nine pearls were suspended from it. In the middle of +the ear was a jewel of a diamond shape, set with rubies and pearls. The +lowest jewel in the ear was shaped like a bell. It was set with rubies, +and from it hung a row of pearls. Close by the ear, suspended from the +hair, was a jewel which reached below her ear. It consisted of six bells +of gold, one above the other. Around each was a small row of pearls, +which reached nearly to the bell below, thus forming a jewel resembling +very many drops of pearls. It is the most beautiful jewel that I ever +saw. In the right side of her nose was a white stone, set with gold, in +the shape of a star. From it hung a large pearl. There was a hole bored +in the partition between the nostrils. This hole had a jewel in it, +about an inch in length, in the middle of which was a white stone with a +ruby on each side. It also had a ruby on the top. From the white stone +hung another, of a similar color, attached to it by a piece of gold. In +the left side of the nose was a jewel about an inch in diameter. It was +somewhat in the shape of a half-moon, and was set with rubies, pearls, +emeralds, etc. etc. This jewel hung below her mouth. On the back of her +head was a large, round gold piece, three inches in diameter. Another +piece about two inches in diameter, hung below this. Her hair was +braided in one braid, and hung down her back. At the bottom of this were +three large tassels of silk, mounted with gold. Her eyebrows and +eyelashes were painted with black. Her neck was covered with jewels of +such beauty, and of such a variety, that it is impossible for me to +describe them. Around her ankles were large rings which looked like +braided silver. To these were attached very many little bells, which +rung as she walked. I believe all dancing-girls wear these rings. We +felt very sad when we thought that she was dedicated to a life of infamy +and shame."</p> + +<p>There is an ornament worn by the followers of the god Siva, on their +arms, or necks, or in their hair. It is called the <i>lingum</i>. The nature +of this is so utterly abominable, that I cannot tell you a word about +it.</p> + +<p>Married women wear an ornament peculiar to themselves. It is called the +tahly. It is a piece of gold, on which is engraven the image of some one +of their gods. This is fastened around the neck by a short yellow +string, containing one hundred and eight threads of great fineness. +Various ceremonies are performed before it is applied, and the gods, of +whom I will tell you something by and by, with their wives, are called +upon to give their blessing. When these ceremonies are finished, the +tahly is brought on a waiter, ornamented with sweet-smelling flowers, +and is tied by the bridegroom to the neck of the bride. This ornament is +never taken off, unless her husband dies. In such a case she is deprived +of it, to wear it no more for ever—deprived of it, after various +ceremonies, by her nearest female relative, who cuts the thread by which +it is suspended, and removes it. After this a barber is called, who +shaves her head, and she becomes, in the eyes of the people, a +<i>despised</i> widow—no more to wear any ornament about her neck but a +plain one—no more to stain her face with yellow water, nor to wear on +her forehead those marks which are considered by the natives as among +their chief ornaments.</p> + +<p>I have now told you something about the jewels of this people. I hope +that you will never be disposed to imitate them, and load your bodies +with such useless things. They are not only useless, but tend to +encourage pride and vanity. All that you need is, the "Pearl of great +price," even Jesus. Adorn yourself with this Pearl, and you will be +beautiful indeed—beautiful even in the sight of your heavenly Father. +Have you this Pearl of great price, my dear children? Tell me, have you +this Pearl of great price? If you have not, what have you?</p> + +<p>I just now alluded to those marks which the natives consider among their +chief ornaments. These are different among different sects. The +followers of Siva rub ashes on their foreheads. These ashes are +generally prepared by burning what in the Tamul language is called +<i>chaarne.</i> They also apply these ashes in streaks, generally +three together, on their breasts, and on their arms. Some besmear their +whole bodies with them.</p> + +<p>The followers of Vrishnoo wear a very different ornament from that just +described. It consists of a perpendicular line drawn on the forehead, +generally of a red or yellow color, and a white line on each side of it, +which unite at the bottom with the middle line, and form a trident.</p> + +<p>Another ornament consists of a small circle, which is called pottu. This +is stamped in the middle of the forehead. Sometimes it is red, sometimes +yellow or black. Large numbers of women, in this part of the country, +wash their faces with a yellow water, made so by dissolving in it a +paste made of a yellow root and common shell-lime. The Brahmins +frequently instead of rubbing ashes, draw a horizontal line over the +middle of their foreheads, to show that they have bathed and are pure. +Sometimes the people ornament themselves with a paste of sandal-wood. +They rub themselves from head to foot with it. This has a very +odoriferous smell.</p> + +<p>When the people are loaded with jewels, and covered with the marks which +I have just described they think themselves to be highly ornamented But +after all, "they are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear +beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all +uncleanness." The "Pearl of great price," to which I before alluded, +the only Pearl which is of any value in the sight of Him who looketh at +the heart, and not at the outward appearance, they possess not. Millions +in this Eastern world have never even heard of it. O how incessantly +ought you to pray that they may come into possession of it. How gladly +should you give your money to send it to them. I wish, in this place, to +ask you one question. Who of you expect, by and by, to become +missionaries to this land, to tell this people of the Pearl of great +price?</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_III'></a><h2>CHAPTER III.</H2> + +<h3>DRESS, HOUSES, EATING, AND SALUTATION OF THE HINDOOS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—The dress of the Hindoos is very simple. A single +piece of cloth uncut, about three yards in length and one in width, +wrapped round the loins, with a shawl thrown over the shoulders, +constitutes the usual apparel of the people of respectability. These +garments are often fringed with red silk or gold. The native ladies +frequently almost encase themselves in cloth or silk. Under such +circumstances, their cloths are perhaps twenty yards in length. Most of +the native gentlemen now wear turbans, an ornament which they have +borrowed from the Mohammedans This consists of a long piece of very fine +stuff, sometimes twenty yards in length and one in breadth. With this +they encircle the head in many folds.</p> + +<p>Those who are employed by European or Mohammedan princes, wear a long +robe of muslin, or very fine cloth. This also, is in imitation of the +Mohammedans, and was formerly unknown in the country.</p> + +<p>The houses of the Hindoos are generally very plainly built. In the +country, they are commonly made of earth, and thatched with straw. In +the cities, they are covered with tiles. The kitchen is situated in the +most retired part of the house. In the houses of the Brahmins, the +kitchen-door is always barred, to prevent strangers from looking upon +their earthen vessels; for if they should happen to see them, their look +would pollute them to such a degree that they must be broken to pieces. +The hearth is generally placed on the south-west side, which is said to +be the side of the <i>god of fire</i>, because they say that this god +actually dwells there.</p> + +<p>The domestic customs of this people are very different from ours. The +men and women do not eat together. The husband first eats, then the +wife. The wife waits upon the husband After she has cooked the rice, she +brings a brass plate, if they are possessors of one; or if not, a piece +of a plantain-leaf, and puts it down on the mat before him. She then +bails out the rice, places it upon the leaf, and afterwards pours the +currie over it. This being done, the husband proceeds to mix up the +currie and the rice with his hands, and puts it into his mouth. He never +uses a knife and fork, as is customary with us. The currie of which I +have spoken is a sauce of a yellow color, owing to the <i>munchel</i>, a +yellow root which they put in it. This and onions, kottamaly-seeds +mustard, serakum, pepper, etc., constitute the ingredients of the +currie. Some add to these ghea, or melted butter, and cocoa-nut milk. By +the cocoa-nut milk, I do not mean the water of the cocoa-nut. +This—except in the very young cocoa-nut, when it is a most delicious +beverage—is never used. The milk is squeezed from the <i>meat</i> of the +cocoa-nut, after it has been reduced to a pulp by means of an indented +circular iron which they use for this purpose.</p> + +<p>After the husband has eaten, the wife brings water for him to wash his +hands. This being done, she supplies him with vettalay, paakku, +shell-lime, and tobacco, which he puts into his mouth as his dessert. +The vettalay is a very spicy leaf. Why they use paakku, I do not know. +It is a nut, which they cut into small pieces, but it has not much +taste. Sometimes the wife brings her husband a segar. This people, I am +sorry to say, are great smokers and chewers, practices of which I hope +that you, my dear children, will never be guilty. In Ceylon, it is +customary for females to smoke. Frequently, after the husband has smoked +for a while, he hands the segar to his wife. She then puts it into her +mouth, and smokes.</p> + +<p>Several years ago, one of the schoolmasters in that island became a +Christian. After he had partaken of the Lord's supper, his wife +considered him so defiled, that she would not put his segar into her +mouth for a month afterwards. She, however, has since become a +Christian.</p> + +<p>I spoke just now of the plantain-leaf. This leaf is sometimes six feet +long, and in some places a foot and a half wide. It is an unbroken leaf, +with a large stem running through the middle of it. It is one of the +handsomest of leaves. Pieces enough can be torn from a single leaf, to +take the place of a dozen plates. When quite young, it is an excellent +application to surfaces which have been blistered.</p> + +<p>When this people eat, they do not use tables and chairs. They sit down +on mats, and double their legs under them, after the manner of our +friends the tailors in America, when they sew. This is the way in which +the natives as a general thing, sit in our churches. It is not common to +have benches or pews for them. Carpenters and other tradesmen also sit +down either on a board, or on the ground, or on their legs, when they +work. It would divert you much to see their manoeuvring. If a carpenter, +for instance, wants to make a little peg, he will take a small piece of +board, and place it in an erect position between his feet, the soles of +which are turned inward so as to press upon the board. He then takes +his chisel in one hand, and his mallet in the other, and cuts off a +small piece. Afterwards he holds the piece in one hand, and while he +shapes it with his chisel with the other, he steadies it by pressing it +against his great toe.</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/020.gif' width='570' height='409' alt='' title=''> +</center> + +<p>The blacksmiths, with the exception of those who use the sledge-hammer, +sit as do the carpenters while they hammer the iron. I wish you could +see them at work with their simple apparatus. They have small anvils, +which they place in a hole made in a log of wood which is buried in the +ground. They do not use such bellows as you see in America.</p> + +<p>Theirs consist of two leather bags, about a foot wide and a foot and a +half long, each having a nozzle at one end. The other end is left open +to admit the air. When they wish to blow the fire, they extend these +bags to let in the air. They then close them by means of the thumb on +one side, and the fingers on the other, and press them down towards the +nozzle of the bellows, which forces the air through them into the fire. +I should have said before, that the nozzle of the bellows passes through +a small semicircular mound of dried mud.</p> + +<p>I mentioned that the natives do not use tables and chairs in their +houses. Neither do they, as a general thing, use bedsteads. They have no +beds. They sleep on mats, which are spread down on the floor. Sometimes +they use a cotton bolster for their heads. More generally their pillows +are hard boards, which they put under the mat. In addition to cooking, +the females have to prepare the rice for this purpose, by taking it out +of the husk. This they do by beating it in a mortar about two feet high. +The pestle with which they pound it, is about five feet long, made of +wood, with an iron rim around the lower part of it. Three women can +work at these mortars at the same time. Of course they have to be very +skilful in the use of the pestle, so as not to interfere with each +others' operations. Sometimes, while thus engaged, the children, who are +generally at play near their mothers, put their hands on the edge of the +mortars. In such cases, when the pestle happens to strike the edge, +their fingers are taken off in a moment.</p> + +<p>The Hindoos have many modes of salutation. In some places they raise +their right hand to the heart. In others, they simply stretch it out +towards the person who is passing, if they know him, for they never +salute persons with whom they are not acquainted.</p> + +<p>In many places there is no show of salutation. When they meet their +acquaintances they content themselves by saying a friendly word or two +in passing, and then pursue their way. They have borrowed the word +<i>salam</i> from the Mohammedans. They salute both Mohammedans and Europeans +with this word, at the same time raising their hand to the forehead. +When they address persons of high rank, they give them their <i>salam</i> +thrice, touching the ground as often with both hands, and then lifting +them up to their foreheads.</p> + +<p>The other castes salute the Brahmins by joining the hands and elevating +them to the forehead, or sometimes over the head. It is accompanied with +<i>andamayya</i>, which means, Hail, respected lord. The Brahmins stretch out +their hands and say, <i>aaseervaathum</i>—benediction.</p> + +<p>Another very respectful kind of salutation consists in lowering both +hands to the feet of the person to be honored, or even in falling-down +and embracing them.</p> + +<p>Of all the forms of salutation, the most respectful is the +<i>shaashtaangkum</i>, or prostration, in which the feet, the knees, the +stomach, the head, and the arms, all touch the ground. In doing this, +they throw themselves at their whole length on the ground, and stretch +out both arms above their heads. This is practised before priests, and +in the presence of an assembly, when they appear before it to beg pardon +for a crime.</p> + +<p>Relations, who have long been separated, testify their joy when they +meet by chucking each other under the chin, and shedding tears of joy. +I am not aware that grown persons ever kiss each other. Sometimes +mothers, or other individuals, will put their noses to the cheeks of +little children, and draw the air through them, just as we do when we +smell any thing which is agreeable. At other times they will apply the +thumb and first finger to the cheek of the child, and then apply them to +their own noses, and, as it were, smell them.</p> + +<p>The women, as a mark of respect, turn their backs, or at least their +faces aside, when they are in the presence of those whom they highly +esteem. They are never permitted to sit in the presence of men. A +married woman cannot do this, even in the presence of her husband.</p> + +<p>If a person meets another of high rank, he must leave the path, if on +foot, or alight, if on horseback, and remain standing until he has +passed. He must at the same time take off his slippers. He also must +take off his slippers when he enters a house. Should he fail to do this, +it would be considered a great impropriety.</p> + +<p>In addressing a person of note, they mast keep at a certain distance +from him, and cover their mouths with their hands while they are +speaking, lest their breath, or a particle of moisture, should escape +to trouble him.</p> + +<p>When the Hindoos visit a person of distinction for the first time, +civility requires them to take some present as a mark of respect, or to +show that they come with a friendly intention; especially if they wish +to ask some favor in return. When they have not the means of making +large presents, they carry with them sugar, plantains, milk, and other +things of this kind.</p> + +<p>In case of mourning, visits must always be made, though at a distance of +a hundred miles. Letters of condolence would by no means be received as +a substitute.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_IV'></a><h2>CHAPTER IV.</H2> + +<h3>MARRIAGE AMONG THE HINDOOS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—Marriage, to the Hindoos is the greatest event of +their lives. In the celebration of it, many ceremonies are performed Of +these I will mention some of the most important. If the father of the +young girl is a Brahmin, and if he is rich and liberal, he will +frequently bear all the expenses of the marriage of his daughter. To +give a daughter in marriage and to sell her, are about the same thing. +Almost every parent makes his daughter an article of traffic, refusing +to give her up until the sum of money for which he consented to let her +go, is paid. Men of distinction generally lay out this money for jewels, +which they present to their daughters on their wedding-day. You will +infer from what I have just said, that the parties to be married have +nothing to do in the choice of each other.</p> + +<p>There are properly but four months in the year in which marriages can +take place, namely March, April, May, and June. This probably arises +from the circumstance that these are the hottest seasons of the +year—the seasons when the people have more leisure to attend to them. +From the harvest, also, which has just been gathered in, they are +provided with means to perform the various ceremonies.</p> + +<p>The marriage ceremony lasts five days. The bride and bridegroom are +first placed under a puntel, a kind of bower, covered with leaves, in +front of the house. This is superbly adorned. The married women then +come forward, and perform the ceremony called <i>arati</i>, which is as +follows. Upon a plate of copper, they place a lamp made of a paste from +rice flour. It is supplied with oil, and lighted. They then take hold of +the plate with both hands, and raise it as high as the heads of the +couple to be married, and describe a number of circles with the plate +and lamp. This is to prevent the evil of any jealous looks, which +certain persons might make. The Hindoos believe that great evils arise +from wicked looks. They consider that even the gods themselves are not +out of the reach of malicious eyes; and therefore after they have been +carried through the streets, the ceremony of arati is always performed, +to efface the evil which they may have suffered from these looks.</p> + +<p>It ought to have been mentioned, that before any thing is done, they +place an image of Pullian under the puntel. This god is much honored +because he is much feared. And although the great ugliness of his +appearance has hitherto kept him without a wife, they never fail to pay +him the greatest attention, lest he should in some way or other injure +them.</p> + +<p>After arati and many other ceremonies are performed, the kankanan, which +is merely a bit of saffron, is tied to the right wrist of the young +man, and to the left wrist of the girl. This is done with great +solemnity. Another remarkable ceremony succeeds this. The young man +being seated with his face towards the east, his future father-in-law +supposes that he beholds in him the great Vrishnoo. With this +impression, he offers him a sacrifice, and then, making him put both of +his feet in a new dish filled with cow-dung, he first washes them with +water, then with milk, and again with water, accompanying the whole with +suitable muntrums or prayers.</p> + +<p>After many other ceremonies, he takes the hand of his daughter and puts +it into that of his son-in-law. He then pours water over them in honor +of Vrishnoo. This is the most solemn of all the ceremonies, being the +token of his resigning his daughter to the authority of the young man. +She must be accompanied with three gifts, namely, one or more cows, some +property in land, and a <i>salagrama</i>, which consists of some little +amulet stones in high esteem among the Brahmins. This ceremony being +finished, the tahly is brought to be fastened to the neck of the bride. +This, as I before said, is presented on a salver, decked and garnished +with sweet-smelling flowers. Incense is offered to it, and it is +presented to the assistants each of whom touches it and invokes +blessings upon it. The bride then turning towards the East, the +bridegroom takes the tahly, repeats a muntrum or prayer aloud, and ties +it around her neck.</p> + +<p>Fire is then brought in, upon which the bridegroom offers up the +sacrifice of <i>homam</i>, which consists of throwing boiled rice with melted +butter upon the fire. He then takes his bride by the hand, and they walk +three times around it, while the incense is blazing.</p> + +<p>There is another ceremony, which, perhaps, ought to be mentioned, as it +is considered by some to be one of much importance. Two baskets of +bamboo are placed close together, one for the bride, the other for the +bridegroom. They step into them, and two other baskets being brought, +filled with ground rice, the husband takes up one with both hands and +pours the contents over the head of the bride. She does the same to him. +In the marriage of great princes pearls are sometimes used instead of +rice.</p> + +<p>On the evening of the third day, when the constellations appear, the +astrologer points out to the married pair a very small star, close to +the middle or in the tail of <i>Ursa Major</i>, which he directs them to +worship, and which he says is the wife of Vasestha.</p> + +<p>While the assembled guests, are dining, the bridegroom and the bride +also partake, and eat together from the same plate. This is a token of +the closest union. This is the only instance in which they ever eat +together.</p> + +<p>After all the ceremonies are finished, a procession is made through the +streets of the village It commonly takes place in the night, by +torchlight, accompanied with fire-works. The newly married pair are +seated in one palanquin with their faces towards each other, both richly +dressed. The bride, in particular, is generally covered with jewels and +precious stones.</p> + +<p>The procession moves slowly; and their friends and relations come out of +their houses, as they pass; the women hailing the married couple with +the ceremony of <i>arati</i>, and the men with presents of silver, fruits, +sugar, and betel. I once witnessed one of these marriage processions in +the streets of Madras at night, but can give you but little idea of its +magnificence. The lamps used on the occasion could not be numbered. The +shrubbery, which was drawn on carts or other vehicles, appeared +exceedingly beautiful, in consequence of the light reflected from the +lamps. Intermingled with this shrubbery, were to be seen little girls +elegantly dressed, and adorned with flowers on their heads. Many +elephants, with their trappings of gold and silver and red, formed a +part of the procession. Fire-works were also added to make the scene +more brilliant.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_V'></a><h2>CHAPTER V.</H2> + +<h3>DEATH AND FUNERALS OF THE HINDOOS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—The death of a Hindoo is followed by many ridiculous +ceremonies. I will give you a description of a few, connected with the +death of one who has moved in one of the higher ranks—of a Brahmin.</p> + +<p>When it is evident that a Brahmin has but a little time to live, a space +is prepared with earth, well spread with cow-dung, over which a cloth, +that has never been worn, is spread. The dying man is placed upon this +at full length. Another cloth is wrapped around his loins. This being +done, the ceremony of expiating his sins is performed as follows. The +chief of the funeral brings on one plate some small pieces of silver or +copper coin, and on another the punchakaryam, etc. A little of this +punchakaryam is then put into his mouth, and, by virtue of this nauseous +draught, the body is perfectly purified. Besides this, there is a +general cleansing, which is accomplished by making the dying man recite +within himself, if he cannot speak, the proper muntrums, by which he is +delivered from all his sins. After this, a cow is introduced with her +calf. Her horns are decorated with rings of gold or brass, and her neck +with garlands of flowers. A pure cloth is laid over her body. Thus +decked, she is led up to the sick man, who takes hold of her tail. +Prayers are now offered up that the cow may conduct him, by a blessed +path, to the next world. He then makes a gift of a cow to a Brahmin. +This gift is considered indispensable to enable the soul to go over the +river of fire, which it is said all must pass after death. Those who +have made this gift, are met by one of these favored creatures the +moment they arrive at the bank of the stream, and by her help, they are +enabled to pass without injury from the flames.</p> + +<p>As soon as the breath has left his body, all who are present must weep +for a reasonable time, and join in lamentations together.</p> + +<p>After various ceremonies, the body is washed, and a barber is called to +shave his head. He is then clad with his finest clothes and adorned with +jewels. He is rubbed with sandal-wood where the body is uncovered, and +the accustomed mark is put upon his forehead. Thus dressed he is placed +on a kind of state bed, where he remains until he is carried to the +pile.</p> + +<p>After every preparation is made to bear away the corpse, the person who +is to conduct the funeral, with the assistance of some relative or +friend, strips it of its clothing and jewels, and covers it with a +handkerchief provided for the occasion. The corpse is then placed on a +litter. Those who die in a state of marriage, have their faces left +uncovered. The litter, adorned with flowers and foliage, and sometimes +decked with valuable stuffs, is borne by four Brahmins. The procession +is arranged as follows.</p> + +<p>The chief of the funeral marches foremost, carrying fire in a vessel. +The body follows, attended by the relations and friends, without their +turbans, and with nothing on their heads but a bit of cloth, in token of +mourning. The women never attend the funeral, but remain in the house, +where they set up a hideous cry when the corpse is taken out. While +advancing on the road, the custom is to stop three times on the way, +and, at each pause, to put into the mouth of the dead a morsel of +unboiled rice, moistened. The object of stopping is considered to be +very important. It is not without reason; for they say that persons +supposed to be dead have been alive, or even when lifeless have been +restored; and sometimes, also, it has happened that the gods of the +infernal regions have mistaken their aim, and seized one person instead +of another. In any view, it is right to afford the opportunity for +correcting these mistakes, so as not to expose to the flames a person +who is still alive. Hence the propriety of these pauses, each of which +continues half of the quarter of an hour.</p> + +<p>Having arrived at the place for burning the dead, they dig a trench +about six or seven feet in length. This is consecrated by the muntrums. +It is slightly sprinkled with water to lay the dust, and a few pieces of +money in gold are scattered upon it. Here the pile is erected of dried +wood, on which the body is laid out at full length. Over the body a +quantity of twigs are laid, which are sprinkled with punchakaryam The +chief of the funeral then takes on his shoulders a pitcher of water, and +goes around the pile three times, letting the water run through a hole +made in it. After this he breaks the pitcher in pieces near the head of +the corpse.</p> + +<p>At last the torch is brought for setting fire to the pile, and is handed +to the chief of the funeral. Before he receives it, however, he is +obliged to make some grimaces to prove his sorrow. He rolls about on the +ground, beats his breast, and makes the air resound with his cries. The +assistants also cry, or appear to cry. Fire being applied to the four +corners of the pile, the crowd retire, except the four Brahmins who +carried the body; they remain until the whole is consumed.</p> + +<p>The funerals of the Sudras differ in some particulars from those of the +Brahmins. Deafening sounds of drums, trumpets, and other instruments of +music, not in use among the Brahmins, accompany their funerals. To +increase the noise, they sometimes shoot off an instrument which +somewhat resembles a small cannon. I do not now think of any other +particular worthy of mention.</p> + +<p>By the ceremonies which are performed at their funerals, this wretched +people expect to secure the pardon of all the sins of those who have +died. Alas, what a delusion! O, that Christians had sent the Gospel to +this dark land in the days when they sent it to our heathen fathers. +Then might the Hindoos now be seeking the expiation of their sins, +through the blood of the ever-blessed Redeemer. Of this Redeemer, +however, they know nothing. They enter eternity, not that their souls +may be consumed as their bodies have been, but to endure the flames of +divine wrath for ever and ever. Alas, alas, that it should be so! O, +that the generation of Christians now living would lay these things to +heart, and do what they can, through grace, to rescue those who are yet +within the reach of hope from so tremendous a doom. What, my dear +children, will you do for this purpose?</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_VI'></a><h2>CHAPTER VI.</H2> + +<h3>THE GODS OF THE HINDOOS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—The word heathen is applied to those who worship +idols, or who do not know any thing about the true God. This is the case +with this people. They say that there is one supreme being, whom they +call BRAHM; but he is very different from Jehovah, and is never +worshipped. Generally, he is fast asleep. In the place of Brahm, they +worship many gods—gods of all colors: some black, some white, some +blue, some red—gods of all shapes and sizes: some in the shape of +beasts, some in the shape of men; some partly in the shape of beasts, +and partly in the shape of men, having four, or ten, or a hundred, or a +thousand eyes, heads, and hands. They ride through the air on elephants, +buffaloes, lions, sheep, deer, goats, peacocks, vultures, geese, +serpents, and rats. They hold in their hands all kinds of weapons, +offensive and defensive, thunderbolts javelins, spears, clubs, bows, +arrows, shields, flags, and shells. They are of all employments. There +are gods of the heavens above and of the earth below, gods of wisdom and +of folly, gods of war and of peace, gods of good and of evil, gods of +pleasure, gods of cruelty and wrath, whose thirst must be satiated with +torrents of blood. These gods fight and quarrel with one another. They +lie, steal, commit adultery, murder, and other crimes. They pour out +their curses when they cannot succeed in their wicked plots, and invent +all kinds of lying tales to hide their wickedness.</p> + +<p>There are three principal gods, who compose what is called the Hindoo +triad. Their names are Brumha, Vrishnoo, and Siva. They were somehow +drawn from Brahm's essence, on one occasion when he was awake. Brumha, +they say, is the creator of the world, Vrishnoo the preserver, and Siva +the destroyer. Brumha has no temple erected for his worship, on account +of a great falsehood which he told. I will tell you what it was. Once, +as it is said, there was a dispute between him and Vrishnoo, as to who +is the greatest. While thus disputing, Siva appeared between the two as +a fire-post and told them that he who would find the bottom or the top +of the post first, would show that he is the greatest. Vrishnoo +immediately changed himself into a hog, and began to root up the earth +with the hope of finding the bottom of the post. Brumha changed himself +into a swan, flew up towards the top of the post, and cried out, I have +found it, when he had not. This, you know, my dear children, was a +falsehood. For this falsehood, it is said, no temple is erected for his +worship.</p> + +<p>Vrishnoo was a thief and a liar. He was once dwelling in the house of a +dairyman, and he used constantly to be stealing butter and curdled milk +from the dairyman's wife. She did not know, for a long time, what became +of her butter and curdled milk; but at last she found out that Vrishnoo +was the thief. To punish him for his theft, she tied him to a rice +mortar.</p> + +<p>Siva's conduct was very bad. I will tell you but one thing about him. On +one occasion he was playing at cards with his wife Parvathe. Vrishnoo +was appointed to determine who was the best player. After playing for a +little season Parvathe won the game. Siva then beckoned to Vrishnoo to +declare that he, instead of Parvathe, had won it. This he did. In +consequence of this falsehood, he was cursed by Parvathe, and changed +into a snake.</p> + +<p>And now, my dear children, why do I tell you about these gods? I tell +you for the purpose of making you thankful that you were born in a +Christian land, where you have the Bible to teach you better things. Had +you not the Bible, you would worship just such wretched beings as these +poor Hindoos worship. Perhaps you know that our Saxon fathers, before +they had the Bible, were as great idolaters as are this people. They +worshipped Thor and Woden and other similar idols, and they were even in +the habit of offering up human sacrifices Surely, if there is any thing +which should make you give your hearts to your Saviour and love him +above all things, it is God's gift of the Bible to you.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_VII'></a><h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<h3>THE THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY MILLIONS OF THE GODS OF THE HINDOOS—THE +CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE—THE TRANSMIGRATION OF SOULS—THE DIFFERENT +HELLS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear children—I told you that in one of those seasons when Brahm was +awake, Brumha, Vrishnoo, and Siva were somehow drawn from Brahm's +essence. The three hundred and thirty millions of the gods of the +Hindoos were also drawn from this essence; as were all the atoms which +compose the earth, the sun, moon, and stars. At first, these atoms were +all in disorder. For the purpose of reducing them to order, Brahm +created what is called the great mundane egg. Into this egg he himself +entered, under the form, of Brumha, taking with him all these atoms. +After remaining in this egg four thousand three hundred millions of +years, to arrange these atoms, he burst its shell and came out, with a +thousand heads, a thousand eyes, and a thousand arms. With him, he +brought out all those harmonized atoms, which, when separated, produced +this beautiful universe that we see above and around us.</p> + +<p>The universe, as it came from the mundane egg, is generally divided into +fourteen worlds: seven inferior or lower worlds, and seven superior or +upper worlds. The seven lower worlds are filled with all kinds of wicked +and loathsome creatures. Our earth, which is the first of the upper +worlds, it is said, is flat. The following figure will give you some +idea of it.</p> +<br /> +<center> +<img src='images/048.gif' width='587' height='584' alt='Concentric circles with labels on each from outermost to +innermost: Sea of Sweet Water. Sea of Milk. Sea of Sour Curds. Sea of +Clarified Butter. Sea of Spirituous Liquors. Sea of Sugar Cane Juice. +Sea of Salt Water. Earth.' title='Concentric circles with labels on each from outermost to +innermost: Sea of Sweet Water. Sea of Milk. Sea of Sour Curds. Sea of +Clarified Butter. Sea of Spirituous Liquors. Sea of Sugar Cane Juice. +Sea of Salt Water. Earth.'> +</center> +<br /> + +<p>That part of the earth which is inhabited consists of seven circular +islands, or continents each of which is surrounded by a different ocean. +The island in the centre, where we dwell, is surrounded by a sea of salt +water, the second island is surrounded by a sea of sugar-cane juice, the +third island is surrounded by a sea of spirituous liquors, the fourth is +surrounded by a sea of clarified butter, the fifth is surrounded by a +sea of sour curds, the sixth is surrounded by a sea of milk, the seventh +is surrounded by a sea of sweet water.</p> + +<p>In all the worlds above ours are mansions where the gods reside. In the +third is the heaven of Indra. This is the heaven to which it is said the +widow goes, after she has burned herself to death on the funeral pile of +her husband Its palaces are of the purest gold. And such are the +quantities of diamonds, and jasper, and sapphire, and emerald, and all +manner of precious stones there, that it shines with a brightness +superior to that of twelve thousand suns. Its streets are of the +clearest crystal, fringed with gold. In the seventh, or the highest of +the upper worlds, is the heaven where Brumha chiefly resides. This far +exceeds all the other heavens in point of beauty.</p> + +<p>In the inferior worlds it is stated that there are one hundred thousand +hells. These are provided for such as have been great criminals. The +Hindoos say, that those who have not been very wicked, can make an +atonement for their sins in this world. Should they neglect to do this, +they must suffer for it in another birth. They believe in what is called +the transmigration of souls, or the passing of the soul, after death, +into another body. The soul must suffer in the next birth, if not +purified in this. Hence it is asserted, that if a man is a stealer of +gold from a Brahmin, he is doomed to have whitlows on his nails; if a +drinker of spirits, black teeth; if a false detractor, fetid breath; if +a stealer of grain, the defect of some limb; if a stealer of clothes, +leprosy; if a horse-stealer, lameness; if a stealer of a lamp, total +blindness. If he steals grain in the husk, he will be born a rat; if +yellow mixed metal, a gander; if money, a great stinging gnat; if fruit, +an ape; if the property of a priest, a crocodile.</p> + +<p>Those persons whose sins are too great to be forgiven in this world, +must be sent to one of the hells to winch I have alluded. Weeping, +wailing, shrieking, they are dragged to the palace of <i>Yama</i>, the king +of those doleful regions. On arriving there, they behold him clothed +with terror, two hundred and forty miles in height, his eyes as large as +a lake of water, his voice as loud as thunder, the hairs of his body as +long as palm-trees, a flame of fire proceeding from his mouth, the noise +of his breath like the roaring of a tempest, and in his right hand a +terrific iron club. Sentence is passed, and the wretched beings are +doomed to receive punishment according to the nature of their crimes. +Some are made to tread on burning sands, or sharp-edged stones. Others +are rolled among thorns and spikes and putrefying flesh. Others are +dragged along the roughest places by cords passed through the tender +parts of the body. Some are attacked by jackals, tigers, and elephants. +Others are pierced with arrows, beaten with clubs, pricked with needles, +seared with hot irons, and tormented by flies and wasps. Some are +plunged into pans of liquid fire or boiling oil. Others are dashed from +lofty trees, many hundred miles high.</p> + +<p>The torment of these hells does not continue for ever. After criminals +have been punished for a longer or shorter time, their souls return to +the earth again in the bodies of men. Here they may perform such good +acts as may raise them to one of the heavens of the gods; or commit +crimes, which may be the means of their being sent again to the abodes +of misery.</p> + +<p>Things will go on in this way until the universe comes to an end, when +every thing is to disappear, and to be swallowed up in Brahm.</p> + +<p>The Hindoos say, that it is now more than one hundred and fifty billions +of years since the world was created. After it has continued about one +hundred and fifty billions of years more, it is to come to an end. Then +Brumha is to die, and to be swallowed up with the universe in the sole +existing Brahm.</p> + +<p>By what you have heard, you will learn that the Hindoos expect, by their +sufferings, to make an atonement for their sins. But there is no +atonement for sin, except through the blood of Jesus Christ. We must +come as lost sinners to our heavenly Father, confess our transgressions +to him, and plead for his forgiveness, only through the sufferings and +death which Christ endured. My dear children, have you done this? If +not, do it speedily, or the regions of the lost must soon be your +everlasting abode.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_VIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER VIII.</H2> + +<h3>HINDOO CASTES.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—The people of India are divided into castes, as they +are called. Their sacred books declare, that after Brumha had peopled +the heavens above and the worlds below, he created the human race, +consisting of four classes or castes. From his mouth proceeded the +Brahmin caste. Those of this class are the highest and noblest beings on +earth, and hold the office of priests. At the same time there flowed +from his mouth the <i>Vedas</i>, or sacred books, of which the Brahmins are +the sole teachers To their fellow-men, they were to give such parts of +these books as they thought best. From Brumha's arm proceeded the +military caste. The business of this class is to defend their country +when attacked by enemies. From his breast proceeded the third caste, +consisting of farmers and merchants. From his feet, the member of +inferiority, proceeded the Sudras, or servile caste. Carpenters, +braziers, weavers, dyers, and the manual cultivators of the soil, are +included in this class.</p> + +<p>Caste is not a civil, but a sacred institution. You must get some one +older than yourself to explain what this means. Caste is a difference of +<i>kind</i>. Hence, a man of one caste can never be changed into a man of +another caste, any more than a lion can be changed into a mole, or a +mole into a lion. Each caste has its laws, the breaking of which is +attended with great disgrace, and even degradation below all the other +castes. For instance, if a Brahmin should, by eating any forbidden +thing, break his caste, he would sink below all the other castes. He +would become an outcast, or pariah. For beneath the fourth, or lowest +caste, there is a class of people belonging to no caste—a class of +outcasts, held in the utmost abhorrence.</p> + +<p>By the system of castes, the Hindoos have been divided into so many +selfish sections, each scowling on all the rest with feelings of hatred +and contempt. The spirit which upholds it, is similar to that spirit +which says, "Stand by thyself, for I am holier than thou," and, of +course, is nothing but pride. This is one of the greatest obstacles to +the spread of Christianity in this dark land, and for the exhibition of +which we were lately obliged to cut off many of the members of our +churches.</p> + +<p>The Brahmins, in consequence of their being of the highest caste, and of +their having been taught from their infancy to regard all other classes +of men with the utmost contempt, are very proud. They make great efforts +to keep themselves pure, in their sense of the word, both without and +within. They are exceedingly afraid of being defiled by persons of other +castes. They have the utmost dread even of being touched by a pariah. +For them to eat with any of these pariahs, or to go into their houses, +or to drink water which they have drawn, or from vessels which they have +handled, is attended with the loss of their caste. A Brahmin who should +enter their houses, or permit them to enter his, would be cut off from +his caste, and could not be restored without many troublesome ceremonies +and great expense. The pariahs are considered to be so low, that if a +Brahmin were to touch them, even with the end of a long pole, he would +be looked upon as polluted In some districts they are obliged to make a +long circuit, when they perceive Brahmins in the way, that their breath +may not infect them, or their shadow fall upon them as they pass. In +some places their very approach is sufficient to pollute a whole +neighborhood.</p> + +<p>The Brahmins carry their ideas of purity very far. Should a Sudra happen +to look upon the vessels in which they cook their food, they would be +considered as defiled. They can never touch any kind of leather or skin, +except the skin of the tiger and antelope. The most disagreeable of all +American fashions, in their eyes, is that of boots and gloves. They +rarely eat their food from plates; and when they do so, it is only at +home. They use the leaf of the plantain or other trees as a substitute. +To offer them any thing to eat on a metal or earthen plate which others +have used, would be considered a great affront. For the same reason, +they will neither use a spoon nor a fork when they eat; and they are +astonished that any one, after having applied them to their mouths, and +infected them with saliva, should repeat the act a second time. They +have a great abhorrence of the toothpick, if used a second time. When +they eat any thing dry, they throw it into their mouths, so that the +fingers may not approach the lips.</p> + +<p>They do not drink as we do, by applying the cup to the lips. This would +be considered a gross impropriety. They pour the water into their +months. The reason why they do these things is, because they consider +the saliva to be the most filthy secretion that comes from the body. It +is on this account that no one is ever permitted to spit within doors.</p> + +<p>The use of animal food they consider to be defiling. Not only will they +not eat animal food, but they will eat nothing that has the principle of +life in it. On this account, they cannot eat eggs of any kind. I was +once breaking an egg in my medicine-room at Panditeripo, while a Brahmin +was present. He told me that, under such circumstances, he could not +remain with me any longer. In his view, I was committing a great sin. To +kill an ox or a cow, is considered by them as a crime which can never be +atoned for, and to eat their flesh is a defilement which can never be +washed away. To kill a cow is, by <i>Hindoo</i> law, punishable with death.</p> + +<p>The touch of most animals, particularly that of the dog, defiles a +Brahmin. Should a dog touch them, they would be obliged instantly to +plunge into water, and wash their clothes, in order to get rid of such a +stain. Notwithstanding this, the dog is one of the gods worshipped by +the Hindoos.</p> + +<p>The Hindoos consider themselves to be unclean if they have assisted at a +funeral. When the ceremony is over, they immediately plunge into water +for the sake of purification. Even the news of the death of a relative, +a hundred miles off, has the same effect. The person who hears such news +is considered unclean until he has bathed. In unison with this feeling, +a person is no sooner dead, than he is hastened away to be buried or +burned; for, until this is done, those in the house can neither eat nor +drink, nor go on with their occupations.</p> + +<p>A Brahmin who is particular in his delicacy, must be careful what he +treads upon. He is obliged to wash his body or bathe, if he happens to +tread on a bone, or a broken pot, a bit of rag, or a leaf from which one +has been eating. He must also be careful where he sits down. Some +devotees always carry their seats with them, that is, a tiger or +antelope's skin, which are always held pure. Some are contented with a +mat. They may sit down on the ground without defilement, provided it has +been newly rubbed over with cow-dung. This last specific is used daily +to purify their houses from the defilement occasioned by comers, and +goers. When thus applied, diluted with water, it has unquestionably one +good effect. It completely destroys the fleas and other insects, with +which they are very much annoyed.</p> + +<p>There is one thing more which I wish to mention. It is, that all the +high castes consider the use of intoxicating drinks to be defiling. I +hope that you, my dear children, will always have the same opinion, and +never touch them any sooner than you would touch arsenic or other +poisons.</p> + +<p>A person may be restored to his caste, provided he has not committed an +unpardonable offence. This is done as follows. After he has gained the +consent of his relations to be restored he prostrates himself very +humbly before them, they being assembled for that purpose, and submits +to the blows or other punishment which they may think proper to inflict, +or pays the fine which they may have laid upon him. Then, after +shedding tears of sorrow, and making promises that, by his future +conduct, he will wipe away the stain of his expulsion from caste, he +makes the shaashtaangkum before the assembly. This being done, he is +declared fit to be restored to his tribe.</p> + +<p>When a man has been expelled from his caste for some great offence, +those who restore him sometimes slightly burn his tongue with a piece of +gold made hot. They likewise apply to different parts of the body redhot +iron stamps, which leave marks that remain for ever. Sometimes they +compel the offender to walk on burning embers; and to complete the +purification, he must drink the punchakaryam, which literally means the +<i>five things</i>; these all come from the cow, and must be mixed together. +The first three of these I will mention, namely, the milk, butter, and +curds. The other two, for the sake of delicacy, I must not mention. +After the ceremony of punchakaryam is finished the person who has been +expelled from his caste must give a grand feast. This finishes all he +has to do, and he is then restored to favor.</p> + +<p>There are certain offences which, when committed cut off all hope that +the offender will ever be restored to his caste. For instance, should he +eat the flesh of the cow, no presents which he might make, nor any fines +which lie might be disposed to pay, no, not even the punchakaryam +itself, would be of any avail for his restoration or purification.</p> + +<p>I will make a remark here, which I might have made before. It is, that +in Christian countries, there is a spirit of pride which much resembles +the spirit of caste. Many are to be found who are very proud that they +have descended from rich and honorable <i>ancestors</i>, and who look down, +almost with disdain, upon those in other situations. I need hardly tell +you that this is a very wicked spirit, and entirely opposed to the +spirit of the Gospel. No matter what may be our high thoughts of +ourselves, we appear but very low in the sight of Him who created us. We +are all sinners, and, as such, are offensive in his sight. If we would +go to heaven, the first thing which we have to do, is to humble +ourselves for the pride of our hearts, and become as little children +before him. We must have that spirit of which the apostle speaks, when +he says, "Let each esteem others better than themselves." With a humble +spirit we may approach a holy God, with the assurance that he will, for +Christ's sake, forgive all our sins.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_IX'></a><h2>CHAPTER IX.</H2> + +<h3>HINDOO TEMPLES—CARS—PROCESSION OF IDOLS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—I will proceed to give you a description of the Hindoo +temples. These are very numerous. One is to be found in almost every +village. They are to be found, also, in out-of-the-way places, distant +from villages, in woods, on the banks and in the middle of rivers; but, +above all, on mountains and steep rocks.</p> + +<p>This latter practice, of building temples on mountains, is very ancient. +The Israelites were accustomed to choose a mountain when they offered up +their sacrifices to the Lord. Solomon, before the building of the +temple, chose Mount Gibeon on which to offer his burnt-offerings; and +when the ten tribes separated themselves, in the reign of Jeroboam, they +built their altars on the mountain of Samaria. This practice may have +come from the circumstance, that Noah offered to God a great sacrifice +of thanks on one of the highest mountains of Armenia. Probably Mount +Ararat continued long to be remembered, by him and his descendants, as +the scene of their deliverance.</p> + +<p>Besides the temples of the idols, there are various objects of worship, +made of earth and stone. Some of the idols are carved. Some consist +merely of the rough stone. These are to be seen on the high-roads, at +the entrance into villages, and, above all, under lofty trees. Some of +these are covered; but generally they are exposed in the open air.</p> + +<p>You will read in Genesis, 28th chap, and 18th verse, that Jacob, after +his dream, rose up early in the morning and took the stone that he had +put for his pillow, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the +top of it. Whether it has happened from this circumstance or not, that +the heathen universally pour oil over their idols, I cannot tell. All I +know is, that they do it. No idol can become an object of worship until +a Brahmin has said his muntrums, or prayers, for the purpose of bringing +down the god to live, as it is said be does, in the image, and until he +has drenched it with oil and liquid butter.</p> + +<p>The idols, in the great temples, are clothed with rich garments, and +adorned with jewels, which are enriched with precious stones of immense +value. Sacrifices are constantly made to these idols, consisting of +boiled rice, flowers, fruits, etc., but, above all, of lamps, of which +many thousands are sometimes seen burning. They feed them with butter, +in preference to oil.</p> + +<p>The priests of the temples offer up sacrifices twice every day, morning +and evening. They begin the ceremony by washing their idol. The water +which is used is brought from a river or tank. Every morning a +procession, with music, passes before our door, with this water.</p> + +<p>Every priest who offers up sacrifices, must have several lighted lamps +with a bell, which he holds in his left hand. With his right hand he +makes an offering to the idol, adorns it with flowers, and rubs its +forehead and various parts of its body with sandal-wood and holy ashes. +While all this is going on, he is alone in the temple, the door of which +is closed. The unholy multitude remain without, silently waiting till +he has done. What he does, they cannot know, only hearing the sound of +the bell. When he has done, he comes out and distributes among the +people a part of the things which have been offered to the idol. These +are considered as holy. If they consist of rice and fruit, they are +immediately eaten; if of flowers, the men put them in their turbans, and +the girls entwine them in their hair.</p> + +<p>Next to the priests, the most important persons about the temples are +the dancing girls. These are persons of the vilest character. They +perform their religious duties in the temple twice a day. They also +assist at the public ceremonies, and dance. At the same time they sing +the most abominable and filthy songs. Of these wicked creatures, +however, I must not tell you any thing further.</p> + +<p>The next order of persons employed in the temples, are players on +musical instruments. Every temple of note has a band of these musicians +who, as well as the dancers, are obliged to attend the temple twice a +day. They are also obliged to assist at all the public festivals. Their +band generally consists of wind, instruments, resembling clarionets and +hautboys, to which they add cymbals and drums. They have a bass, +produced by blowing into a kind of tube, widened below, and which gives +an uninterrupted sound. Part of the musicians sing hymns in honor of +their gods.</p> + +<p>The expenses of the temples are borne by the voluntary offerings of the +people, consisting of money, jewels, cattle, provisions, and other +articles. In order to induce them to make such offerings, the Brahmins +use all kinds of deception. Sometimes they will put their idols in +irons, chaining their hands and feet. They exhibit them in this sad +condition, declaring that they have been brought into it by creditors +from whom their gods had to borrow money, in times of trouble, to supply +their wants. They declare that their creditors refuse to set the gods at +liberty, until the money with the interest is paid. The people, seeing +the deplorable condition into which they have been brought, come forward +and pay off the debt; when the chains are taken off, and the god is set +at liberty.</p> + +<p>Another way in which the Brahmins sometimes deceive the people, is as +follows. They say that the god is afflicted with some dreadful disease, +brought on by the distress which he has had, because the people do not +worship him as much as they should. In such cases, the idol is sometimes +placed at the door of the temple where they rub his forehead and temples +with various kinds of medicine. They also set before him all sorts of +medicines, pretending in this way to do all they can to cure him. But as +all their efforts prove to be vain, and the disease becomes worse, the +Brahmins send out persons to tell the sad news. The people, believing +the report, hasten to bring in their gifts and offerings. The god, on +beholding such proofs of their attachment to him, feels himself cured of +his disease, and immediately returns to his throne within the temple.</p> + +<p>The Brahmins use another kind of deception, in order to procure +offerings for the temples. They declare that their gods are angry with +certain individuals who have offended them, and that they have sent some +evil spirit or devil to take possession of their bodies and torment +them. Accordingly, persons appear wandering about in different parts of +the country, showing, by their dreadful convulsions, their writhings +and twistings, every symptom of being possessed with the devil. The +people who see them are filled with dismay, fall down before them, and +offer gifts and sacrifices, for fear of being injured by them. Whatever +they ask is granted. The people give them to eat and drink abundantly; +and when they leave a place, accompany them with instruments of music, +till they arrive at some other place, where the same deception is +practised.</p> + +<p>There are various other ways in which the Brahmins deceive the people; +but I have told you enough.</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/069.gif' width='567' height='495' alt='Temple' title='Temple'> +</center> + +<p>At every large temple, there is at least yearly one grand procession. +The idol is brought out from its inclosure, and placed in a great car or +chariot, prepared for this express purpose. This stands upon four wheels +of great strength, not made like ours, of spokes with a rim, but of +three or four pieces of thick, solid timber, rounded and fitted to each +other. The car is sometimes forty or fifty feet high, having upon it +carved images of a most abominable nature. I must not tell you any thing +about them. The car, when finished, presents somewhat the shape of a +pyramid.</p> + +<img src='images/070.gif' width='330' height='431' align='right' alt='Idol' title='Idol'> + +<p>On the day of the procession, it is adorned with painted cloth, garlands +of flowers, green shrubbery, and precious stuffs. The idol is placed in +the centre, loaded with jewels, etc., to attract the attention of the +people. Having fastened ropes to this enormous car, eight or nine +hundred or a thousand people catch hold of the ropes and slowly drag it +along, accompanied with the awful roaring of their voices. At certain +periods they stop; when the immense crowds, collected from all parts of +the country, set up one universal shout, or rather yell. This, with the +sound of their instruments and numerous drums, produces much uproar and +confusion. Sometimes the weighty car comes to a stand, from the dampness +of the ground or from the narrowness of the streets, when the tumult and +noise are redoubled.</p> + +<img src='images/071.gif' width='340' height='475' align='left' alt='Pulliar' title='Pulliar'> + +<p>Perhaps you know that on some occasions, when the cars are drawn, people +throw themselves under the wheels, and are crushed to death. This occurs +at the drawing of the car of Juggernaut, as you may learn if you will +read my Sermon to Children, on the Condition of the Heathen. Here is a +picture of Juggernaut, and on the last page you may see a picture of his +car, and two men crushed to death under the wheels. Not long since, five +persons were thus crushed to death. Many dreadful accidents also take +place at the drawing of these cars. A few years ago several persons in +this city had their limbs amputated, in consequence of injuries +received.</p> + +<p>When I was in America, I showed to many of the dear children an idol +called Pulliar, which was <i>formerly</i> worshipped by Raamu, one of our +native helpers, when he was a heathen. I gave a particular description, +of the I manner in which he daily worshiped it, in the sermon above +mentioned Here is a picture, which will give you some idea of this god.</p> + +<p>You will see that it is partly in the shape of a man, and partly in the +shape of a beast. You, my dear children, would put no confidence in such +vain idols; but this people do, as you may know from what I am now going +to tell you.</p> + +<p>Some months ago, a woman was brought to me with a cancer in her breast. +It had made sad ravages. On the morning after her arrival I took it out. +Before she was brought to me, her brother went to the temple of the +goddess Meenaache, to ascertain what was her will respecting his +bringing her to me, or taking her to a native doctor. In order to +ascertain it, he had recourse to the following expedient. He prepared +several bundles of red and white flowers—the red to represent the red +or Tamil man, the white to represent the white man. These flowers were +carefully inclosed in leaves, so as to prevent their color being seen, +and then laid down on the ground, at the entrance of the temple. After +this, he called a little child to him, and then proceeded to entreat +Meenaache that, if it were her will that he should bring the sick woman +to me, she would direct the child to take up one of the parcels +containing the white flowers. It so happened that the child took up one +of these parcels. Of course, he brought her to me. Had it taken up a +parcel containing the red flowers, she would have been taken to a native +doctor. May we not hope that, not Meenaache, but Jehovah directed him +to bring her to me, that she might hear of a very different being from +her goddess, even of Jesus. Of him she has fully heard.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_X'></a><h2>CHAPTER X.</H2> + +<h3>FESTIVALS OF THE HINDOOS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—The Hindoos have many festivals. These are all +occasions of joy and gladness. On such days, the people quit their usual +employments. Friends and relations unite in family parties, and give +entertainments according to their means. Innocent pastimes and +amusements of various kinds are resorted too to add to their happiness.</p> + +<p>There are eighteen principal festivals yearly, and no month passes +without one or more of them.</p> + +<p>One of the most solemn of these ceremonies is held in the month of +September, and appears to be principally in honor of Parvathe, the wife +of Siva. At this time every laborer and every artisan offers sacrifices +and prayers to his tools. The laborer brings his plough, hoe, and other +farming utensils. He piles them together, and offers a sacrifice to +them, consisting of flowers, fruit, rice, and other articles. After +this, he prostrates himself before them at full length, and then returns +them to their places.</p> + +<p>The mason offers the same adoration and sacrifice to his trowel, rule, +and other instruments The carpenter adores his hatchet, adze, and plane. +The barber collects his razors together and worships them with similar +rites.</p> + +<p>The writing-master sacrifices to the iron pen or style, with which he +writes upon the palm-leaf the tailor to his needles, the weaver to his +loom, the butcher to his cleaver.</p> + +<p>The women, on this day, collect into a heap their baskets, rice-mill, +rice-pounder, and other household utensils, and, after having offered +sacrifices to them, fall down in adoration before them. Every person, in +short, in this solemnity sanctifies and adores the instrument or tool by +which he gains a living. The tools are considered as so many gods, to +whom they present their prayers that they will continue to furnish them +still with the means of getting a livelihood.</p> + +<p>This least is concluded by making an idol to represent Parvathe. It is +made of the paste of grain, and being placed under a sort of canopy, is +carried through the streets with great pomp, and receives the worship of +the people.</p> + +<p>Another festival of great celebrity is observed in October. At this +time, each person, for himself, makes offerings of boiled rice and other +food, to such of their relations as have died, that they may have a good +meal on that day. They afterwards offer sacrifices of burning lamps, of +fruit, and of flowers, and also new articles of dress, that their +ancestors may be freshly clothed.</p> + +<p>At this festival, soldiers offer sacrifices to their weapons, in order +to obtain success in war. On such occasions, a ram is offered in +sacrifice to their armor.</p> + +<p>In November, a festival is observed, which is called the feast of lamps. +At this season, the Hindoos light lamps, and place them around the doors +of their houses. This festival was established to commemorate the +deliverance of the earth from a giant, who had been a great scourge to +the people. He was slain by Vrishnoo, after a dreadful battle. In many +places, on this day, a sacrifice is offered to the <i>dunghill</i> which is +afterwards to enrich the ground. In the villages, each one has his own +heap, to which he makes his offering of burning lamps, fruit, flowers, +etc.</p> + +<p>The most celebrated of all the festivals, is that which is held in the +end of December. It is called the feast of Pongul, and is a season of +rejoicing for two reasons: the first is, because the month of December, +every day of which is unlucky, is about to end; and the other is, +because it is to be followed by a month, every day of which is +fortunate. For the purpose of preventing the evil effects of this month, +the women every morning scour a place about two feet square before the +door of the house, upon which they draw white lines, with flour. Upon +these they place several little balls of cow-dung, sticking in each a +flower. Each day these little balls, with their flowers, are preserved, +and on the last day of the month, they are thrown into tanks or +waste-places.</p> + +<p>The first day of this festival is called the Pongul of rejoicing. Near +relatives are invited to a feast, which passes off with mirth and +gladness.</p> + +<p>The second day is called the Pongul of the sun, and is set apart to +worship that luminary. Married women, after bathing themselves, proceed +to boil rice with milk, in the open air. When the milk begins to +simmer, they make a loud cry, "Pongul, O Pongul." The vessel is then +taken from the fire, and set before an idol. Part of this rice is +offered to the image, and, after standing there for some time, it is +given to the cows. The remainder is given to the people. This is the +great day for visiting among friends. The salutation begins by the +question, "Has the milk boiled?" To which the answer is, "It has +boiled." From this, the festival takes the name of pongul, which +signifies to boil.</p> + +<p>The third day is called the <i>Pongul of cows.</i> In a great vessel, filled +with water, they put saffron and other things. These being well mixed, +they go around the cows and oxen belonging to the house several times, +sprinkling them with water. After this, the men prostrate themselves +before them four times. The cows are then dressed, their horns being +painted with various colors. Garlands of flowers are also put round +their necks, and over their backs. To these are added strings of +cocoa-nuts and other kinds of fruit, which, however, are soon shaken +off, when they are in motion, and are picked up by children and others, +who greedily eat what they gather, as something sacred. After being +driven through the streets, they are suffered, during the day, to feed +wherever they please, without a keeper. I have, however, told you +enough. Are you ready to exclaim, Is it possible that a people can be +guilty of such utter folly? But you, my dear children, would be guilty +of just such folly, if you had not the Bible. Should not the gratitude, +then, which you owe to your heavenly Father, for your distinguished +mercies, constrain you to do all that you can to send this blessed book +to this dark land?</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XI'></a><h2>CHAPTER XI.</H2> + +<h3>THE WORSHIP OF THE SERPENT.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—If you have never heard much about the Hindoos, you +will be astonished to learn how numerous are the objects of their +worship. They worship many living creatures, such as the ape, the tiger, +the elephant the horse, the ox, the stag, the sheep, the hog, the dog, +the cat, the rat, the peacock, the eagle, the cock, the hawk, the +serpent, the chameleon, the lizard, the tortoise, fishes, and even +insects. Of these, some receive much more worship than others, such as +the cow, the ox, and the serpent Cobra Capella. I will speak at present +only of the worship of the serpent.</p> + +<p>Of all the dangerous creatures found in India, there are none that +occasion so many deaths as serpents. The people are very much exposed to +their bite, especially at night, when they are walking. They tread upon +them, and, as they generally do not wear shoes, the snakes turn their +heads, and strike their fangs into those parts of the feet which are +nearest to the place where the pressure is made upon their bodies. +Sometimes the bite is followed with instant death. The Cobra Capella is +one of the most common snakes, and one of the most poisonous. It is +said, that it has a thousand heads, one of which holds up the earth. It +has a peculiar mark on its back, just behind the head. This mark very +much resembles a pair of spectacles, without the handles. If you should +go near it, it would raise the fore part of its body about six inches, +widen out its neck, so as to be about double its common width, and +prepare to strike you. The reason why the Hindoos offer sacrifices and +adoration to it above all the other serpents is, because it is so +frequently met with, and is so much dreaded.</p> + +<p>In order to induce the people to worship this dangerous enemy, the +Hindoos have filled their books with tales concerning it. Figures of it +are often to be seen in the temples, and on other buildings. They seek +out their holes, which are generally to be found in the hillocks of +earth which are thrown up by the white ants; and when they find one, +they go from time to time and offer milk, plantains, and other good +things to it.</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/081.gif' width='557' height='504' alt='' title=''> +</center> + +<p>The Hindoos, as I before observed, have eighteen annual festivals. One +of these festivals is held for the purpose of worshipping this serpent. +Temples in many places are erected to it, of which there is one of great +celebrity in Mysore. When the festival occurs at this temple, great +crowds of people come together to offer sacrifices to this creeping god. +Many serpents besides the Cobra Capella live within it, in holes made +especially for them. All of these are kept and well fed by the Brahmins +with milk, butter, and plantains. By such means they become very +numerous, and may be seen swarming from every crevice in the temple. To +injure or to kill one would be considered a great crime.</p> + +<p>Many of the natives call the Cobra Capella nulla paampu, that is, good +snake. They are afraid to call it a bad snake, lest it should injure +them. The following is the prayer which is offered before the image of +this snake. O, divine Cobra, preserve and sustain us. O, Sheoh, partake +of these offerings, and be gracious unto us.</p> + +<p>Can you think of any thing, my dear children more dishonoring to a holy +God, than such worship? And what have you ever done to prevent it? Have +you, every morning and evening, prayed that the Gospel might be sent to +this people? Did you ever give any money to send it to them? Did you +ever think whether it may not be your duty, by and by, to come to them, +to tell them of this Gospel?</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XII.</H2> + +<h3>THE RIVER GANGES.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—If you will look at the map of Asia, and find the +country of Hindostan, you will see running through it a very celebrated +river—the river Ganges. It is called the Ganges, after the goddess +Gunga. The Hindoos say that the goddess Gungu—who was produced from the +sweat of Vrishnoo's foot, which Brumha caught and preserved in his +alms-dish—came down from heaven, and divided herself into one hundred +streams, which are the mouths of the river Ganges. All classes and +castes worship her. The sight, the name, or the touch of the river +Ganges is said to take away all sin. To die on the edge of the river, or +to die partly buried in the stream, drinking its waters, while their +bodies are besmeared with mud, is supposed to render them very holy. On +this account, when it is expected that a person will die, he is hurried +down to the river, whether willing or unwilling. Sometimes the wood +which the people bring to burn their bodies after death, is piled up +before their eyes. O, how inhuman is this. After it is supposed that +they are dead, and they are placed on the pile of wood, if they should +revive and attempt to rise, it is thought that they are possessed with +the devil, and they are beaten down with a hatchet or bamboo.</p> + +<p>Were you standing on the banks of the Ganges you might, perhaps, in one +place see two or three young men carrying a sick female to the river. If +you should ask what they are going to do with her, perhaps they would +reply, We are going to give her up to Gunga, to purify her soul, that +she may go to heaven; for she is our mother. In another place you might +see a father and mother sprinkling a beloved child with muddy water, +endeavoring to soothe his dying agonies by saying, "It is blessed to die +by Gunga, my son; to die by Gunga is blessed, my son." In another place +you might see a man descending from a boat with empty water-pans tied +around his neck, which pans, when filled, will drag down the poor +creature to the bottom, to be seen no more. Here is murder in the name +of religion. He is a devotee, and has purchased heaven, as he supposes, +by this his last good deed. In another place you might see a person +seated in the water, accompanied by a priest, who pours down the throat +of the dying man mud and water, and cries out, "O mother Gunga, receive +his soul." The dying man may be roused to sensibility by the violence. +He may entreat his priest to desist; but his entreaties are drowned. He +persists in pouring the mud and water down his throat, until he is +gradually stifled, suffocated—suffocated in the name of +humanity—suffocated in the name of religion.</p> + +<p>It happens, sometimes, in cases of sudden and violent attacks of +disease, that they cannot be conveyed to the river before death. Under +such circumstances, a bone is preserved, and at a convenient season is +taken down and thrown into the river. This, it is believed, contributes +essentially to the salvation of the deceased.</p> + +<p>Sometimes strangers are left on the banks to die, without the ceremony +of drinking Ganges water. Of these, some have been seen creeping along +with the flesh half eaten off their bones by the birds; others with +their limbs torn by dogs and jackals, and others partly covered with +insects.</p> + +<p>After a person is taken down to the river, if he should recover, it is +looked upon by his friends as a great misfortune. He becomes an outcast. +Even his own children will not eat with him, nor offer him the least +attention. If they should happen to touch him, they must wash their +bodies, to cleanse them from the pollution which has been contracted. +About fifty miles north of Calcutta, are two villages inhabited entirely +by these poor creatures, who have become outcasts in consequence of +their recovery after having been taken down to the Ganges.</p> + +<p>At the mouth of the river Hoogly, which is one of the branches of the +Ganges, is the island Sauger, which I saw as we approached Calcutta +after having been at sea for one hundred and twenty-eight days. Now, my +dear children, if you come out to India as missionaries, you will have +to sail nearly one hundred and thirty days before you can reach it. +Sauger island is the island where, formerly, hundreds of mothers were in +the habit of throwing their children to the crocodiles, and where these +mothers were wont to weep and cry if the crocodiles did not devour their +children before their eyes. Think what a dreadful religion that must +be, which makes mothers so hard-hearted. Did you ever take any corn or +Indian meal and throw it to the chickens? And what did these chickens +do? Did they not come around you and eat it? Well, just in this way the +crocodiles would come near those mothers, and devour their children. +Here is a picture of a mother throwing her child to a crocodile.</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/087.gif' width='534' height='478' alt='' title=''> +</center> + +<p>I am glad to tell you, that the British have put a stop to the sacrifice +of children at that place; but mothers continue to destroy their +children elsewhere, and will continue to destroy them until Christians +send the Gospel to them. It is not improbable that vast numbers of +children are annually destroyed in the Ganges. Mothers sacrifice them, +in consequence of vows which they have made. When the time to sacrifice +them has come, they take them down to the river, and encourage them to +go out so far that they are taken away by the stream, or they push them +off with their own hands.</p> + +<p>I just remarked, that mothers will continue to destroy their children +until the Gospel is sent to them. That the Gospel does prevent such +things, the following circumstance will show. Several years ago, a +missionary lady went from New England to India. As she was walking out +one morning, on the banks of the Ganges, she saw a heathen mother +weeping. She went up to her, sat down by her side, put her hand into +hers, and asked what was the matter with her. "I have just been making a +basket of flags," said she, "and putting my infant in it—pushing it off +into the river, and drowning it. And my gods are very much pleased with +me, because I have done it." After this missionary lady had heard all +she had to say, she told her that her gods were no gods; that the only +true God delights not in such sacrifices, but turns in horror from them; +and that, if she would be happy here and hereafter, she must forsake her +sins, and pray to Jesus Christ, who died to save sinners like herself. +This conversation was the means of the conversion of that mother, and +she never again destroyed any of her infants.</p> + +<p>Such is the power of the blessed Gospel. And what the Gospel has done +once, it can do again. If Christians will send it to them, with the +blessing of God, the time will soon come when heathen mothers will no +more destroy their children. And have you nothing to do in this great +work, my dear children? When you grow up, cannot you go and tell them of +the Saviour? Here is a very pretty hymn about a heathen mother throwing +her child to a crocodile.</p> + +<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'> +<span>See that heathen mother stand<br /></span> +<span>Where the sacred currents flow,<br /></span> +<span>With her own maternal hand,<br /></span> +<span>'Mid the waves her infant throw.<br /></span> +</div><div class='stanza'> +<span>Hark, I hear the piteous scream—<br /></span> +<span>Frightful monsters seize their prey,<br /></span> +<span>Or the dark and bloody stream<br /></span> +<span>Bears the struggling child away.<br /></span> +</div><div class='stanza'> +<span>Fainter now, and fainter still,<br /></span> +<span>Breaks the cry upon the ear;<br /></span> +<span>But the mother's heart is steel,<br /></span> +<span>She unmoved that cry can hear.<br /></span> +</div><div class='stanza'> +<span>Send, O send the Bible there,<br /></span> +<span>Let its precepts reach the heart;<br /></span> +<span>She may then her children spare,<br /></span> +<span>Act the mother's tender part.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>I have heard of a little boy who learned this hymn. He was deeply +affected by it, and wanted very much to give something to send the +Gospel to India. But he had no money. He was, however, willing to labor +in order to earn some. Hearing that a gentleman wanted the chips removed +from the ground near his woodpile, he hired himself to him, removed the +chips, got his money, and, with glistening eyes, went and delivered it +up, to be sent to the heathen, repeating, as he went,</p> + +<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'> +<span>Send, O send the Bible there,<br /></span> +<span>Let its precepts reach the heart;<br /></span> +<span>She may then her children spare,<br /></span> +<span>Act the mother's tender part.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>About one hundred miles above the mouth of the Hoogly is the city of +Calcutta, and about five hundred miles above that city is the city of +Benares. In these cities, as well as in other places, we see how much +the heathen will contribute to support their wretched religion. A rich +native in Calcutta has been known to spend more than one hundred +thousand dollars on a single festival—the festival of the goddess +Karle—and more than thirty thousand dollars every year afterwards +during his life, for the same purpose. Not long since, a rich native +gave at one time to his idols more than one million two hundred thousand +dollars. And what have Christians ever done to honor their Saviour, +which will bear a comparison with what the heathen do for their idols? +Alas, alas, few Christian men or Christian women, in all the church, are +willing to give even one-tenth of their annual income to the Lord. Most +of those who are rich, hoard up their money, instead of spending it for +the purpose of saving souls. And there are many persons who have never +given a farthing to send the Gospel to the heathen. O, what will such +say, when they must meet the heathen at the bar of God?</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XIII.</H2> + +<h3>THE GODDESS DURGA.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—From what I said, in my last chapter, about the +goddess Gunga, you see that the Hindoos worship goddesses as well as +gods. There is another goddess much worshipped the wife of the god Siva. +She has appeared in a thousand forms, with a thousand different names. +Of all these thousand forms, Durga and Karle are the most regarded by +the people. I will speak of Durga first. Of all the festivals in Eastern +India, hers is the most celebrated. She has ten hands, in which she +holds an iron club, a trident, a battle-axe, spears, thunderbolts, etc. +Thus armed, she is ever ready to fight with her enemies.</p> + +<p>Were you to be present in the city of Calcutta in the month of +September, you might everywhere see the people busy in preparing for the +yearly festival of this goddess. Images representing her you would find +in great numbers for sale, as bread or meat is sold. In the houses of +the rich, images are to be found made of gold, silver, brass, copper, +crystal, stone, or mixed metal, which are daily worshipped. These are +called permanent images. Besides these, multitudes of what are called +temporary images are made—made merely for the occasion and then +destroyed. They may be made of hay, sticks, clay, wood, or other such +things. Their size varies from a few inches to twenty feet in height. If +any persons are too poor to buy one of these images, they can make them +for themselves. When the festival is near at hand, people are seen in +every direction taking the images to their houses. After they are thus +supplied, the festival commences. It lasts fifteen days. The greater +part of this time is spent in preparing for the three great days of +worship. Early on the morning of the first of the three great days, the +Brahmins proceed to consecrate the images, or to give them, as they +suppose, life and understanding. Until they are consecrated, they are +not thought to be of any value. They are looked upon as senseless. A +wealthy family can always receive the services of one or more Brahmins, +and a few of the poor may unite and secure the services of one of them. +At length the solemn hour arrives. The Brahmin, with the leaves of a +sacred tree, comes near the image. With the two forefingers of his +right hand he touches the breast, the two cheeks, the eyes, and the +forehead of the image, at each touch saying the prayer, "Let the spirit +of Durga descend and take possession of this image." By such ceremonies, +and by repeating various <i>muntrums</i>, it is supposed that the Brahmins +have the power to bring down the goddess to take possession of the +image. Having been thus consecrated, it is believed to be a proper +object of worship. Having eyes, it can now behold every act of worship +which is made; having ears, it can be delighted with music and with +songs; having a nose, it can smell the sweet perfumes which are offered; +having a mouth, it can be delighted with the rich food which is prepared +for it.</p> + +<p>After the image is consecrated, the worship begins. The devotee comes +near the image, and falls down before it. He then twists himself into a +great variety of shapes. Sometimes he sits on the floor, sometimes he +stands, sometimes he looks in one direction, sometimes in another. Then +he sprinkles the idol with holy water, rinses its mouth, washes its +feet, wipes it with a dry cloth, throws flowers over it, puts jewels on +it, offers perfumes to it, and finishes by performing shaashtaangkum.</p> + +<p>The worship of the idol is succeeded by a season of carousing, joy, and +festivity. On this occasion, large offerings are made to the idols. A +rich native has been known to offer eighty thousand pounds of +sweetmeats, eighty thousand pounds of sugar, a thousand suits of cloth +garments, a thousand suits of silk, a thousand offerings of rice, +plantains, and other fruits.</p> + +<p>Bloody sacrifices are offered up on such occasions. The king of Nudiya, +some time ago, offered a large number of sheep, goats, and buffaloes on +the first day of the feast, and vowed to double the offering every day; +so that the whole number sacrificed amounted to more than sixty-five +thousand. You may remember that king Solomon offered up on one occasion +twenty-two thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. If +all the animals slain throughout Hindostan, at the festival of the +goddess Durga, were collected together, they would amount to a much +larger number than Solomon offered.</p> + +<p>After the worship and offerings have been continued for three days, the +festival closes. As the morning of the first day was devoted to the +consecration of the images, the morning of the fourth is spent in +unconsecrating them. This work is done by the Brahmins. They profess, by +various ceremonies, to send back the goddess to her heaven, concluding +with a farewell address, in which they tell her that they expect her to +accept of all their services, and return and pay them a visit again in +the coming year. Then all unite in bidding her a sorrowful adieu, and +many seem affected even to the shedding of tears.</p> + +<p>Soon afterwards the images are carried forth into the streets, placed on +stages or platforms, and raised on men's shoulders. As the procession +moves onward through the streets, accompanied with music and songs, amid +clouds of dust, you might see them waving long hairy brushes to wipe off +the dust, and to keep off the flies and mosquitoes, which might trouble +the senseless images. But where are these processions going? To the +banks of the Ganges. And for what purpose? For the purpose of casting +the images into the river. When all the ceremonies connected with the +occasion are finished, those who carry the images suddenly fall upon +them, break them to pieces, and then throw them with violence into the +river. After this the people return to their homes.</p> + +<p>I have now given you a specimen of the image-worship of the Hindoos; and +how different is it from the worship which the Bible enjoins. "God is a +Spirit; and they who worship him, must worship him in spirit and in +truth." The very reverse of this, as you have seen, marks the worship of +the heathen. They are not satisfied, unless they can have some object +before them, to which they can make their offerings and their prayers. +Thus daily are they engaged in a service which, above all others, is the +most offensive and provoking to a holy God—a service which has caused +him to declare, that idolaters shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. +This, too, is the service in which every person, who has never given +himself to the Saviour, is engaged; and, of course, in which you are +engaged if you have not given your hearts to him. Those who think more +of their money than they think of Christ, just as certainly worship the +image which is stamped on a dollar or a cent, as the heathen worship +their idols. Those who love their fathers and mothers, and brothers and +sisters more than Christ, make these their idols. And are you, my dear +children, yet out of Christ? If so, you have your idols. And what are +these idols? Are they the world and its vanities? Then God is as angry +with you as he is with the heathen, and unless you give up these idols, +you too must be lost.</p> + +<p>In a tract of mine, published by the American Tract Society, entitled, +"Knocking at the Door"—a tract which I <i>most earnestly</i> entreat you to +get and read—you will find an account of the death of a young lady, who +had chosen the world and its vanities as her idols. I was her physician. +After having attended her for about a month, I perceived, one morning, +that her disease must soon prove fatal. I told her that she could not +live. She then exclaimed, "Doctor, can I not live a month?" I informed +her that she could not. Again she exclaimed, "Can I not live two weeks?" +She was told that she could not live two weeks. And such a scene of +horror followed as I never before witnessed, and may God be pleased to +grant that I may never witness such another. Until laid upon a dying +bed, I fear that she had neglected to think about her soul's concerns. +Now she requested to be taken from it, and placed upon her knees, that +she might call upon God to have mercy upon her. As her case excited much +attention, some of the youth came to see her. These she warned, in the +most solemn manner, not to put off repentance, as she had done, to a +dying hour. Looking up at me, on one occasion, she exclaimed, "Doctor, +cannot you save me?" Alas, what could I do for the poor sufferer. +Witness, now, how anxious she was to obtain the favor of that God whom +she had hitherto neglected. Yes, so anxious that she requested her +friends not to allow her to sleep, that she might spend every remaining +breath in calling upon God to have mercy upon her. One very affecting +circumstance occurred. She requested her trunk either to be brought to +her bedside, or to be opened. From this a ring, which was set with red +garnets, was taken out by herself, or by another, and handed to her. She +then called a young friend to her bedside, put the ring upon her finger, +and said to her, "Don't you put off repentance, as I have done, until a +dying hour." That ring is now in my possession. In less than forty-eight +hours after I told her that she could not live, she passed into +eternity. Would that I could show you that mournful countenance, which +continued long after the last spark of life had become extinct; yes, +even up to the moment when the lid of her coffin for ever hid it from +our view. Never, never shall I forget it. It was a sad monument of the +wreck within.</p> + +<p>Now, my dear children, you would not like to die as, I fear, this young +lady died. Well, then, if you would die differently, you must live +differently. You must live for Christ, if you would die in Christ. And +are you Christ's, or are you yet gay and thoughtless—as gay and as +thoughtless as this young lady was, until laid upon her dying bed? If +you are so, and if you continue to remain in this sad condition, your +season of sorrow too will certainly come, and it will come when you +expect it not. As the little insect which flies round and round your +candle is dazzled with its brightness, and feels nothing but pleasure, +until it unconsciously strikes the blaze with its little wings, and is +swallowed up in the flame; so you are dazzled with the pleasures of the +world, thinking nothing of the flames which may swallow you up in a +moment, and put a stop to all your joys for ever. O, that the death-bed +scene of Miss Matthews might have a happy effect upon you. O, that the +solemn warning which she gave to her young friend, not to put off +repentance as she had done, until a dying hour, might continue to sound +in your ears, until you would no longer delay repentance. My dear +children, this young lady, though dead, yet speaketh. She speaks to you. +She calls upon you from her tomb—from the eternal world, to delay +repentance no longer. Will you, then, be so mad as to turn a deaf ear to +this call? Will you ever take another sip from the cup of unhallowed +pleasure? Will you ever direct your little feet to the ballroom, or +other places of sinful amusement? Will you hereafter prefer your worldly +joys to Christ? O, you must not, you must not. It will not do for you to +be lost. Who, O who can lie down in everlasting burnings? Who can dwell +for ever with devouring flames?</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XIV'></a><h2>CHAPTER XIV.</H2> + +<h3>THE GODDESS KARLE.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—In the preceding chapter I spoke of Karle. She, as I +there mentioned, is the wife of Siva, and, like her husband, has the +power of destruction. From the images made of her, it would appear that +she is a female, of a black or dark blue color. She has four arms. In +one hand she holds a sword, and in another a human head. Her hair is +dishevelled, reaching down to her feet. Her countenance is most +ferocious. Her tongue comes out of her mouth, and hangs over her chin. +She has three eyes, red and fiery. Her lips and eyebrows are streaked +with blood. She has two dead bodies for ear-rings, and wears a girdle +around her loins—a girdle made of bloody hands, which she cut off from +the bodies of her enemies. She has a necklace of skulls, which she took +from the bodies of the giants and others killed by her.</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/103.gif' width='557' height='471' alt='' title=''> +</center> + +<p>Of all the Hindoo divinities, this goddess is the most cruel and +revengeful. Such is her thirst for blood, that being unable at one time +to procure any giants for her prey, in order to quench her thirst, she +cut her own throat, that the blood issuing thence might spout into her +mouth. Different acts of worship are performed to appease her. If, for +example, a devotee should burn his body, by applying a burning lamp to +it, it would be very pleasing to her. If he should draw some of his +blood and give it to her, or if he should cut off a piece of his flesh +and offer it as a burnt-offering, she would be still move pleased. If he +should present <i>whole</i> burnt-offerings upon the altar, saying, "Hrang, +brang, Karle, Karle! O, horrid-toothed goddess, eat, eat; destroy all +the malignant: cut with this axe; bind, bind; seize, seize; drink this +blood; spheng, spheng; secure, secure; salutation to Karle," she would +be much delighted. It is said that she will be pleased for three months, +if the people offer her the blood of a crocodile—for a thousand years, +if they offer her the blood of one man, and a hundred thousand years, if +they offer her the blood of three.</p> + +<p>This goddess is the patroness of thieves. To her they pay their +devotions, to obtain help to carry on their wicked delights. Gangs meet +together, and, after having offered bloody sacrifices, and worshipped +their weapons, and having drunk some intoxicating liquor, and rubbed +their bodies with oil, they go forth to rob. They have a prayer, which +they offer when they worship their weapons. It is as follows: "O, +instrument formed by the goddess, Karle commands thee to cut a passage +into the house, to cut through stones, bones, bricks, wood, the earth, +and mountains, and cause the dust thereof to be carried away by the +wind." Scattered throughout India, there is a lawless set of men whose +profession it is to get their food by murder. They are called +Phansiagars, or Thugs. They owe their origin and laws to Karle. They say +that she told them to become murderers and plunderers. They are called +Phansiagars, from the name of the instrument which they use when they +murder people. Phansiagar means a strangler, and they use a phansi, or +noose, which they throw over the necks of those whom they intend to +plunder, and strangle them. These Phansiagars are composed of all +castes, Hindoos, Mahommedans, pariahs, and chandellars. This arises from +the circumstance that they never destroy the children of those whom they +rob and murder. These children they take care of, and bring up to their +own horrible mode of life. They always murder those whom they rob, +acting upon the maxim that "dead men tell no tales." A gang of these +robbers varies from a dozen to sixty or seventy persons. These divide +into small parties. Those whom they murder are travellers, whom they +happen to meet on the road. Sometimes two or three of a gang will take +up their station in a choultry, or place where the traveller stops, and +while he sleeps, they rouse him from his sleep, and cast the noose over +his head and kill him. It takes two persons to kill a man. One casts the +noose over his head, and immediately tightens it with all his strength; +the other strikes him on the joint of his knees as he rises, which +causes him to fall forwards. After he has fallen, they kick him on the +temples till he dies, which is usually in a minute. They never commit a +murder until they have taken every precaution not to be found out. They +will follow a traveller for weeks, if necessary, before they destroy +him. After they have murdered him, they gash the body all over and bury +it. They gash it, that it may not swell, and cause cracks to take place +in the ground, which might cause the jackals to dig down to the body, +and thus expose their guilt. If a dog accompanies the person, they +always kill it, lest the faithful creature should lead to the discovery +of his master. They think it to be a very good act to give a part of the +plunder, which they get when they murder a person, to their goddess. If +they fail to put him to death according to their rules, they suppose +that they have made her angry, and they make offerings to her, that she +may be appeased. Thus, you see that their religion teaches them to +commit the blackest of crimes.</p> + +<p>The reason why this people gash and bury the bodies of those whom they +murder, is as follows. They say that the goddess used to save them the +trouble of burying the corpses of their victims by eating them, thus +screening the murderers from all chance of being found out. Once, after +the murder of a traveller, the body was, as usual, left unburied. One of +the Phansiagars employed, unguardedly looking behind him, saw the +goddess in the act of feasting upon it. This made her so angry, that she +vowed never again to devour a body slaughtered by them; they having, by +this one act of curiosity, forfeited her favor. However, as an +equivalent for withdrawing her patronage, she plucked one of the fangs +from her jaw, and gave it to them, saying that they might use it as a +pickaxe, which would never wear out. She then opened her side and pulled +out one of her ribs, which she gave them for a knife, whose edge nothing +could blunt. Having done this, she stooped down and tore off the hem of +her garment, which she gave to them for a noose, declaring that it +would never fail to strangle any person about whose throat it might be +cast. She moreover commanded them to gash and bury the bodies of those +whom they destroyed.</p> + +<p>The Phansiagars bring up their children to their own profession. To +learn this, the boy is placed under the care of a tutor. Sometimes his +father is his teacher. By him he is taught that it is just as proper to +murder a man, as it is to kill a snake which lies in his path and would +bite him as he passes. He is not permitted at first to see the murders, +but merely a dead body; his mind being gradually prepared for the sight. +After this, the dreadful secret of his trade is, by degrees, told him. +When he expresses a wish to be engaged in this horrid business, they +tell him all about it. In the meantime he is allowed a small part of the +plunder, in order that his desire to commit these murders may be +increased; since it is only by murder that the plunder is obtained. He +is from time to time allowed to assist in some things, while the murder +is taking place, or allowed to be present to see how the business is +managed. It is not, however, until he becomes a man, that he is +permitted to apply the noose. To attain this privilege, he usually +devotes eight or ten years. Before he can commit a murder, his tutor +must present him with a noose. This sets him loose upon the world, as a +licensed murderer. When the tutor is about to give him the noose, he +takes him apart, and solemnly enjoins it upon him to use it with skill, +as it is to be the means of his earning his food, and as his safety will +depend upon the skill with which it is used. After he receives it, he +tries his skill in strangling a person the first opportunity that +offers.</p> + +<p>By the course of education which the Phansiagars undergo, they become so +fond of their dreadful occupation, that nothing can induce them to quit +it. Some who have been employed in the East India Company's service, +have always returned to their business when an opportunity offered of a +successful enterprise.</p> + +<p>When the Phansiagars become old, they do not quit the service, but act +as watchers, and decoy the traveller, by some false tale of distress, +into some distant place, where he is murdered.</p> + +<p>Women are sometimes admitted to the society of these plunderers, and, +on some occasions, are allowed to apply the noose. They select a +handsome girl, and place her in a convenient spot, where, by her beauty, +or by a false story of distress, she may decoy some unsuspecting +traveller, and be the means of his destruction. Should he be on +horseback, she will induce him to take her up behind him; after which, +when an opportunity offers, she throws the noose over his head, leaps +from the horse, drags him to the ground, and strangles him. I will +mention an instance. It happened that a horseman of Coorg, in the Madras +presidency, was passing by a spot where one of these interesting-looking +girls was stationed. She told him a piteous story of having been robbed +and badly treated, and begged him to assist her. Feeling sorry for her, +he offered to take her behind him, on his horse, and thus assist her a +few miles on her journey. She expressed much gratitude for his kindness, +and mounted. Soon afterwards she suddenly passed a noose over his head, +and, drawing it with all her might, endeavored to pull him from his +saddle. At this moment, a number of Phansiagars started from the +neighboring thicket and surrounded him. The murderess then slipped from +the horse; but the Coorg striking his heels into the horse's sides, it +threw out its hind legs with great violence, and struck to the ground +the girl, who immediately let go the cord. He then drew his sword, and, +cutting his way through the robbers, effected his escape. He wounded two +of them severely. These men were shortly afterwards taken, and, through +their means, twelve others fell into the hands of the judicial officers +of the king of Coorg, including the girl who attempted the murder. They +were all put to death.</p> + +<p>And is it possible that such persons can go to heaven? How could such +ever relish its pure joys? What would they do, could they be admitted +there? My dear children, it is a charity which has no foundation, to +suppose that the heathen can go to heaven. I have preached the Gospel to +tens of thousands of them, but I never saw one who had the least atom of +a qualification for that holy place. "They have all gone out of the +way." Every crime which the apostle Paul speaks of in the latter part of +the first chapter of his epistle to the Romans, they commit, and crimes +of so dreadful a nature that I cannot mention them—crimes which, should +they be written in the Bible, would cause the Bible to be a sealed book +for ever.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XV'></a><h2>CHAPTER XV.</H2> + +<h3>SELF-TORTURES OF THE HINDOOS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—As the heathen have no Bible to direct them, they have +devised various means by which they expect to obtain the favor of their +gods, and get to heaven. I will mention some of these.</p> + +<p>Some burn a lamp in a temple. They think that this is a very meritorious +act. Some roll on the ground after the god, as he is carried in a great +car or chariot around the temple. It is customary for the people to +build very high cars or chariots, and cover them with very beautiful +cloths. They also tie the cocoa-nut blossom and plantain-tree within +them, and attach great ropes to them. When they are ready to drag these +cars, or chariots, they bring their gods of gold or of brass from the +temples, and place them on them. Then one, two, three, six, nine +hundred, and even a thousand persons, when the cars are very large, +catch hold of these ropes and drag them around the temple. While they +are doing this, many of the heathen, to fulfil vows which they made when +in sickness, and at other times of distress, throw themselves on the +ground, and roll over from side to side, and frequently much injure +themselves.</p> + +<p>Some swing on great hooks, which are passed through the tender parts of +their backs. Sometimes they swing for half an hour; sometimes an hour. +The longer they can bear the torture of the swinging, the more +acceptable they suppose it will be to their goddess. It occasionally +happens, that the flesh in which the hooks are fastened gives way, in +which case the poor creature is dashed to the ground. When this occurs, +the people hold him in the greatest abhorrence. They judge him to be a +great criminal, and suppose that he has met a violent death in +consequence of sins which he committed in a former birth.</p> + +<p>Not long since, I attended one of these hook-swingings, not far from the +city of Madura. It took place on the morning of June 8th, 1848, just +twenty-nine years after I first left America for India. It should have +taken place on the preceding afternoon; but one of the axle-trees of the +car, which was to support the machine on which the man was to be +elevated in the air, was broken. Nothing, of course, could be done until +it was repaired. The carpenters and others worked with great diligence +until about eleven o'clock at night, when every thing was prepared for +the swinging. I expected immediately after this to witness the ceremony. +It however did not take place until the morning. While waiting for the +man who was to be swung to make his appearance, I took a pencil and made +a drawing of the machine to which he was to be fastened. The picture on +the first page of the book will give you some idea of it.</p> + +<p>Yon have, perhaps, often seen a well-sweep. The long beam in the picture +is swung in the same manner as is the well-sweep, with a single +exception. In addition to its usual motion, it is made to turn +horizontally. The cuts which you may have seen, in two or three of my +little books, differ much from the above; of course different machines +are used at different times. There are stationary swingings, as well as +swingings of the kind to which I just alluded.</p> + +<img src='images/117.gif' width='310' height='481' align='right' alt='.' title=''> + +<p>Between six and seven o'clock in the morning, the man who was to be +swung made his appearance for a few moments, and then disappeared. The +hooks by which he was to be swung, as well as the iron rods with which a +number of devotees were immediately to pierce their sides, were carried +through the streets, and held up that they might be seen by the people. +Soon afterwards the man again appeared with the hooks in his back, and +went up to the end of the beam to which he was to be fastened. This, of +course, was lowered. Notwithstanding the dense multitudes of people, I +made my way to the same spot, determined to be satisfied whether or not +there was any deception in the application of the hooks. There was no +deception. They passed through the skin, on the sides of the backbone. +To these hooks were attached yellow ropes, by which he was fastened to +the beam, as you will perceive in the picture. This being done, the men, +five or six in number, who had hold of the ropes fastened to the end of +the beam which you see resting on the ground, and which was then, of +course, high in the air, drew him up until the beam lay horizontally. +Then, after making him perform one circular motion around the car, they +elevated him, as you see in the picture. When thus elevated, it was +thought that he was forty feet from the ground. All being ready, the +people seized the ropes which you see in front of the car, and began to +draw it. Mr. Chandler and myself accompanied it through the streets, +until it came to the place from which it set out. The distance of ground +passed over was at least half a mile, and the time in which the journey +was accomplished exceeded an hour. Of course he was swinging more than +an hour. As the car passed through the streets, the people threw +plantains from the tops of the houses to the crowds below.</p> + +<p>The man who was swung was adorned with flowers and other ornaments. He +had a tinselled turban on his head. His body was rubbed over with a +yellow paste, made, most probably, from the sandal-wood. Around his +ankles were rings, hung with little bells, which he made to tinkle, as +he was swinging, by striking his legs together. He wore a dark or black +pair of pantaloons, which came a little below the knees, and which had +a border of gold around them. He held a handkerchief in one hand, and a +knife somewhat resembling a dagger, in the other. These he kept in +constant motion, by moving his arms. On one occasion, a bunch of +plantains was tied to one of the long ropes which you see hanging down +by the side of the swinger. These he drew up, and afterwards scattered +over the people on a house opposite to him.</p> + +<img src='images/120.gif' width='478' height='600' align='left' alt='' title=''> + +<p>After following the car for a quarter of a mile or more, we went before +it, and there witnessed another appalling sight. There were five or six +men, who had the rods of iron which I just mentioned passed through the +skin of their sides. They were dancing along, and, as they danced, they +made these rods go backward and forward through the skin.</p> + +<p>After the car had reached the place from which it set out, the end of +the beam from which the man was swinging was then lowered and he was +untied. Again I looked very carefully at the hooks in the back. The +people say that no blood is shed by their introduction, and consider +this to be a miracle. The falsity of this assertion was shown by the +blood which I saw on the side of one of the wounds.</p> + +<p>I have been long in this country, and consequently have become so +familiarized with heathenism, that my feelings, though deeply wounded at +this sight, were not so keenly affected as were those of my new +associate, Mr. Chandler. He has been on heathen ground but a short time. +When they tied the man to the beam, he was unnerved and wellnigh +overcome; and he told me, that during all the time he was following the +car, he felt like shedding tears.</p> + +<p>While following the car, the young men of America came into my mind. +They refuse to come, said I, to help these miserable creatures. O, they +will not come—they will not come. I thought, that if many of the dear +children of that land—children to whom I lately preached, as well as +others, could witness this poor creature swinging from the end of a long +beam, far above the tops of the trees, and that, too, by hooks passing +through the tender parts of his back, they would say, we will, by and +by, become missionaries, and, by the help of God, proclaim to the +heathen that there is a Saviour.</p> + +<p>On the evening of the day on which the swinging takes place, another act +of great cruelty is practised. Devotees throw themselves from, the top +of a high wall, or a scaffold of twenty or thirty feet in height, upon a +bed of iron spikes, or on bags of straw with knives in them. Many are +often mangled and torn. Others are quickly killed.</p> + +<p>At night, many of the devotees sit down in the open air, and pierce the +skin of their foreheads, by inserting a small rod of iron. To this is +suspended a lamp, which is kept burning till daylight.</p> + +<p>Sometimes bundles of thorns are collected before the temple, among which +the devotees roll themselves without any covering. These thorns are then +set on fire, when they briskly dance over the flames.</p> + +<p>Other devotees swing before a slow fire; some stand between two fires, +as you see in this picture.</p> + +<p>Some have their breasts, arms, and other parts stuck entirely full of +pins, about the thickness of small nails, or packing needles.</p> + +<img src='images/122.gif' width='442' height='478' align='right' alt='' title=''> + +<p>Another very cruel torture is practised. Some of the devotees make a +vow. With one hand they cover their under lip with wet earth or mud. On +this, with the other hand, they place some small grains, usually of +mustard-seed They then stretch themselves flat on their backs, exposed +to the dews of night, and the blazing and scorching sun by day. Their +vow is, that from this position they will not stir, that they will not +move nor turn, nor eat nor drink, till the seeds planted on their lips +begin to sprout. This usually takes place on the third or fourth day. +After this they arise, and then think that they are very holy.</p> + +<p>There is a class of devotees in this country called Yogis, whose object +it is to root out every human feeling. Some live in holes and caves. +Some drag around a heavy chain attached to them. Some make the circuit +of an empire, creeping on their hands and knees. Some roll their bodies +from the shores of the Indus to the Ganges.</p> + + + +<p>The Rev. Mr. Heyer, in one of his letters from India, says, that an +Indian devotee has spent more than nine years on a journey from Benares +to Cape Comorin, that is, from the 27th to the 7th degree of north +latitude. The whole journey is made by rolling on the bare ground, from +side to side. When he comes to a river, of course he cannot roll over +it. He therefore fords it, or passes over it in a boat, and then rolls +on the banks of the river just as far as the river is wide. By doing +this, he supposes that his determination to roll all the way is fully +carried out.</p> + +<img src='images/123b.gif' width='247' height='541' align='left' alt='' title=''> + +<p>Some devotees hold up one or both arms, until the muscles become rigid, +and their limbs become shrivelled into stumps. In the above cut, you +have a representation of a man with one of these shrivelled arms. See +how long his finger-nails have grown. One has run through his hand and +back through his arm. Some stretch themselves on beds of iron spikes. +Some wear great square irons on their necks. I have seen not only a man, +but a woman, with these great square irons around their necks, each +nearly two feet in length and two feet in breadth. These they put on for +the purpose of fulfilling some vow which they have made. For instance, +if a mother has a very sick little boy, she will say, "Now, Swammie, if +you will cure my little boy, I will have a square iron put on my neck, +and wear it all my life." After this vow is made, if the little boy gets +well, the mother thinks that her Swammie has cured him, and to fulfil +her engagement she will have one of these irons put on her neck.</p> + +<img src='images/123a.gif' width='369' height='195' align='right' alt='' title=''> + + + +<p>Other devotees throw themselves from the tops of precipices, and are +dashed to pieces; some bury themselves alive in holes, which their own +relatives have dug; some bind themselves with ropes or chains to trees, +until they die; some keep gazing so long and so constantly at the +heavens, that the muscles of their neck become contracted, and no +aliment but liquids can pass into the stomach.</p> + +<p>But I will not continue this subject. You perceive, my dear children, +what a wretched religion that must be which encourages its followers to +perform such acts. And how vain are all these acts—how utterly +destitute are they of any merit. Those who practise them are not made +better by them, and they are just as far from the kingdom of heaven +after having performed them, as they were before. The Christian religion +encourages no such things. It tells us to perform no pilgrimages to holy +places, to inflict no self-tortures. But it has its requirements, and +these are very simple, and may easily be performed by all who are +willing to do their duty. These requirements are, repentance, forsaking +sin, faith in Christ, and a supreme devotedness to his service. Have +you, my dear children, attended to these requirements? If not, you are +in a much worse condition than these poor heathen of whom you have been +reading. They are not as guilty before God as you are. They know not +their Master's will. Still, they must perish, unless the Gospel is sent +to them. But though they perish, their punishment will be lighter than +the punishment of those who refuse to love and obey the Saviour. That +servant who knows his Lord's will, and prepares not himself, neither +does according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he +that knows not, and does commit things worthy of stripes, shall be +beaten with few stripes. Should it be your sad lot to perish at last, it +would be far better for you to go down to hell enveloped in all the +darkness of a heathen land, than to go down to hell from a land of such +gospel light and privileges as you enjoy.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XVI'></a><h2>CHAPTER XVI.</H2> + +<h3>THE SUTTEE, OR BURNING OF WIDOWS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear children—From what I have already told you, you know that the +Hindoos are a cruel people. But I have not told you of the extent to +which they carry their cruelty. Perhaps it is shown to the highest +degree in their practice of the suttee, or burning of widows. The +British have abolished this rite throughout their dominions in India. +They have also made great exertions to have it abolished in the +territories of the native princes, but I am sorry to say, that in some +of these territories it is still practised. Within the last three years, +twenty-three of the princes just alluded to, have issued orders for its +abolishment throughout their dominions. These orders have probably been +issued solely in consequence of their fear of the British power, for it +is a practice which is riveted in the affections of the people. This +power they know that it will be dangerous to resist.</p> + +<p>In my "Sermon to Children, on the Condition of the Heathen," I +mentioned, that the sacred books of the heathen encourage the suttee. I +also mentioned several instances, in which widows had been burned to +death with the corpses of their husbands. Even though you may have seen +that book, it will be well for me to give you two or three other cases, +to impress your minds more fully with the horrors of the Hindoo +religion. The first took place in a village of Tanjore. A merchant +having died, his wife, who was about thirty years old, determined to +burn herself with his corpse. The news of what she was going to do, +quickly spread in every direction, and large numbers of people collected +to witness the burning. After she was adorned with jewels and dressed in +her best clothing, and after her body was tinged with the yellow +infusion of sandal-wood and saffron, bearers arrived to take away the +corpse with the wretched woman. The body of the man was placed on a car, +ornamented with costly stuffs, flowers, etc. There he was seated like a +living man, elegantly decorated with all his jewels, and clothed in rich +attire.</p> + +<p>The corpse being carried first, the wife followed in a rich palanquin. +As she went along, the surrounding multitudes of people stretched out +their hands towards her to show how much they admired her conduct. The +women in particular went up to her to wish her joy, apparently desiring +to receive her blessing, or at least, that she would pronounce over them +some pleasing word. She tried to satisfy them all, saying to one, that +she would long continue to enjoy her worldly happiness, and to another, +that she would be the mother of many beautiful children. Another was +informed, that she would soon arrive at great honor in the world. These, +and similar expressions, she made to all who came near her, and they +departed with the full belief that they would enjoy all the blessings of +which she had spoken. She also distributed among them some betel-leaves, +which they gladly received as relics, or something of blessed influence.</p> + +<p>During the whole procession, which was very long, her countenance was +serene and even cheerful, until they came to the pile upon which she was +to die. Then she suddenly became pensive. She no longer attended to what +was passing around her. Her looks were wildly fixed upon the pile. Her +face grew pale. She trembled with fear, and seemed ready to faint away.</p> + +<p>The Brahmins, who took the lead in this ceremony, with her relations, +seeing her sad condition, ran to her, and endeavored to restore her +spirits, but she seemed not to know what they said, and answered not a +word.</p> + +<p>They made her quit the palanquin, and her nearest relatives took her to +a pond of water which was near the pile, where they washed her. They +then attended her to the pile, on which the corpse of her husband had +already been laid. It was surrounded with Brahmins, each with a lighted +torch in one hand, and a bowl of melted butter in the other, all ready, +as soon as the poor victim was placed on the pile, to envelope her in +fire.</p> + +<p>The relatives armed with muskets, sabres, and other weapons, stood +closely around in a double line, for the purpose, it was said, of making +her afraid, if she might wish to draw back, or of frightening any body +who might pity her, and endeavor to rescue her.</p> + +<p>At length the time for firing the pile being proclaimed, the young widow +was stripped of her jewels, and led on towards the pile. She was then +commanded to walk three times around it, two of her nearest relations +supporting her by the arms. The first round she accomplished with +tottering steps; but in the second, her strength forsook her, and she +fainted away in the arms of those who were holding her. They were +obliged to drag her between them for the third round. Then senseless, +she was thrown upon the corpse of her husband. At that instant, the +multitude made the air to ring with their shouts of gladness, while the +Brahmins poured the butter on the dry wood, and applied the torches. +Instantly the whole pile was in a blaze.</p> + +<p>As soon as the flames began to rage, the poor woman, now in the midst of +them, was called upon by name, from all sides; but as insensible as the +corpse on which she lay, she made no answer. She entered eternity, +suffocated at once, most probably, by the flames.</p> + +<p>The second case of suttee which I shall mention took place at the death +of the rajah, or king of Tanjore. He left behind him four wives.</p> + +<p>The Brahmins having determined that two of these four should be burned +with the corpse of their husband, and having selected the two whom they +thought best to sacrifice, they told them of what awaited them. They +received the information with apparent joy. A refusal would have been +attended with their utter disgrace.</p> + +<p>One day only was necessary to get ready for the funeral ceremonies. They +were conducted as follows: In a field somewhat distant from the palace, +the people made a hollow, not very deep, but about twelve or fifteen +feet square. Within it they made a pyramid of the sweet-smelling +sandal-wood. On the middle of the pyramid, a scaffold was built in such +a manner that the posts could easily be taken away, by which means the +scaffold would fall at once. On the four corners of the platform, large +jars were placed, filled with melted butter, to besmear the pyramid, +that it might be the more easily set on fire.</p> + +<p>The following was the order of the procession. It was headed by a great +number of soldiers under arms. They were followed by a multitude of +musicians, chiefly trumpeters, who made the air reëcho with their +melancholy sounds. Next came the body of the king upon a splendid +palanquin, richly adorned. This was surrounded by the nearest relations +and by the priest of the king. They were all on foot, and without their +turbans in token of mourning. A large party of Brahmins formed around +them as an immediate escort. The two wives who were to be burned with +the corpse came next, each borne on a palanquin. During the journey they +appeared calm and cheerful. The troops kept off the immense crowds who +were assembled from every direction.</p> + +<p>The two queens, loaded with jewels, were attended by their favorite +women, with whom they occasionally conversed, and by their relations of +both sexes. To many of these they had made presents before leaving the +palace. They were also accompanied by thousands of Brahmins, collected +from different quarters. These were followed by an innumerable multitude +of persons of both sexes. When they arrived at the ground where they +were to be burned, the two victims were made to descend from their +palanquins, for the purpose of performing the preparatory ceremonies. +They went through the whole without showing any fear until towards the +close, when their countenances began to change, and their three circuits +around the pile were not performed without considerable effort to +maintain calmness.</p> + +<p>In the meantime, the body of the king had been placed on the scaffold +over the platform. The two queens were also laid down beside the corpse, +one on the right hand, and the other on the left, and they joined hands +by stretching them over the body. The astrologer having then declared +that the happy moment was come for firing the pile, the Brahmins +repeated several prayers in a loud voice, and sprinkled the pile with +holy water. When these ceremonies were finished, a signal was given, and +the pillars which supported the pyramid and the scaffold were suddenly +taken away. Immediately the women were covered with the falling mass of +timber, which tumbled over them with a crash. At the same instant the +pile was fired in all its parts. On one side, the nearest relative of +the king applied his torch, and on the other side, the priest; while the +Brahmins, in every quarter, were pouring jars of melted butter on the +flames, creating so intense a heat as must instantly have consumed the +victims. Then the multitude shouted for joy, and the relations +approaching the pile also set up a loud cry, calling them by their +names. They supposed that they heard a voice in answer pronouncing +<i>Enna?</i> that is, <i>What</i>? but the fall of the platform, and the immediate +bursting out of the flames, must have stifled them at once.</p> + +<p>Such was the miserable cud of these poor unhappy queens—unhappy victims +of the most cruel religion that ever disgraced the earth.</p> + +<p>Not unfrequently the sons take a prominent part in destroying their +mothers. This will appear from the following case. A Brahmin died, and +was brought to the place of burning. His wife was fastened to the pile, +and the fire was kindled, but the night was dark and rainy. When the +fire began to scorch the poor woman, she contrived to disentangle +herself from the dead body, and creeping from under the pile, hid +herself among some brushwood. In a little time it was discovered that +there was but one body on the pile. The relations immediately took the +alarm, and searched for the poor creature. The son soon dragged her +forth, and insisted that she should throw herself on the pile again, or +drown or hang herself. She pleaded for her life at the hands of her own +son, and declared that she could not embrace so horrid a death; but she +pleaded in vain. He urged, that he should lose his caste if she were +spared, and added, that either he or she must die. Unable to persuade +her to hang or drown herself, the son and the others present tied her +hands and feet, and threw her on the funeral pile, where she quickly +perished.</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/135.gif' width='574' height='481' alt='BURNING OF WIDOWS' title='BURNING OF WIDOWS'> +</center> + +<p>I observed that the rite of suttee is riveted in the affections of this +people. The following communications from two of the native princes who +lately consented to put a stop to this rite, will show you that this is +the case. The rajah of Oorcha declares, that "no subject of his state +shall in future be permitted to become a suttee, though according to the +Shasters, it is no doubt very meritorious for a widow to die of grief +for the death of her husband." The rajah of Sumpthem says, "The practice +of suttee is so very old, and has been countenanced and encouraged by +the wise men of so many generations that I have never thought myself +justified in interposing to prevent it; but my anxiety to meet the +wishes of the governor-general in this and in all things, is so great, +that I have waived all other considerations, and forbidden suttee."</p> + +<p>If the British were to lose their power in India, the suttee would +immediately be rëestablished. Power has put it down, but power alone +will never root it out of the affections of the people. Nothing but the +Gospel can do this. O that Christians would think of this, and hasten, +yea, with great haste, to send this blessed Gospel to them.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XVII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XVII.</H2> + +<h3>THE REVENGEFUL NATURE OF THE HINDOO RELIGION.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—The sacred books of the Hindoos encourage revenge. In +the Vedas, which are the most sacred books, are laid down forms of +religious service, or acts of worship, which are designed to injure or +destroy their enemies. When a person wishes to have his enemy +destroyed, he goes to a Brahmin or priest, and secures his supposed aid. +The Brahmin, before he proceeds to his work, clothes himself with a +black garment. He also makes four images of the foe, and clothes these +with black garments. He then kindles a sacrificial fire, and after the +performance of various ceremonies, he takes pieces of some animal which +has been consecrated for the purpose, and throws them into this fire. On +every occasion when he makes this burnt-offering, he touches the mouth +of the image of this enemy, uttering one or other of the forms of prayer +which are written in the sacred books. Of these, the following are a +few: "O Agni," god of fire, "thou who art the mouth of all gods, do +thou destroy the wisdom of my enemy." "O Agni, fill with distraction the +mind of this my enemy." "O Agni, destroy the senses of this my enemy." +"O Agni, make dumb the mouth of this my enemy." "O Agni, fasten with a +peg the tongue of this my enemy." "O Agni, reduce to ashes this my +enemy."</p> + +<p>How different, my dear children, is the religion of Jesus from the +religion of which I have been giving you a description. No precepts +teach us that we may injure or destroy our enemies. On the contrary, +they teach us to love them, and do them good. Let me repeat to you some +of the words which our Saviour spoke on this point. "Ye have heard that +it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy; +but I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do +good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you +and persecute you, that ye may be the children of your Father which is +in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, +and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."</p> + +<p>One of the young Hindoos in Dr. Duff's school in Calcutta, when reading +the above and similar passages, was so struck with the difference +between these precepts and the precepts of his Shasters, that he could +not but exclaim "O, how beautiful, how divine. Surely this is the +truth—this is the truth—this is the truth." The consequence was, that +he never could rest until he had thrown aside his sacred books and his +idols, and embraced that Saviour whose precepts appeared to him to be so +beautiful. And was this heathen so struck with the beauty of the +precepts of the Bible—so struck, that he had no peace until he gave +himself to his Saviour? And have you ever, my dear children, been struck +with the precepts of your Saviour—so struck with them, that you could +never rest until you had given up your hearts to him? If not, how great +is the contrast between you and that young Hindoo. He gave his heart to +the Saviour. You withhold yours. He, through grace, will dwell for ever +with Christ in heaven. You, if you continue in your present awful +condition, must be banished from his presence, and cast into hell, where +you shall be tormented day and night for ever, with the devil and his +angels. Flee, my dear children, flee to the Saviour now, if you have +never yet done so. Flee to him, and then you also shall dwell for ever +with him.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XVIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XVIII.</H2> + +<h3>THE DECEPTION OF THE HINDOOS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—From what I have previously stated, you are aware that +the Hindoos are a very deceitful people. Let me give you another +instance of their deception. A late head catechist of one of my +missionary brethren was, before his conversion, the priest of a temple. +A man from whom about one thousand rupees' worth of jewels and similar +things had been stolen, came to this priest, and promised to reward him +well, if he would detect the thief, and secure to him the restoration of +his property. The priest promised to comply with his wishes; and in +order to effect his purpose, he had drums beaten through the village, +and proclaimed, that at a certain time he would hold a meeting and +detect the thief. At the appointed time, a large concourse of people +assembled, the priest appearing in the midst of them with a cocoa-nut +bound around with saffron-cords. He then told them, that if, after +putting down the cocoa-nut, it should move of its own accord towards +him, they might know that he would be able certainly to detect the +thief; and added, that after it had thus moved, it would pursue the +offender, and follow him until it would break his head. He then +performed certain ceremonies calculated to awaken superstitious feelings +in the minds of the people, and laid the cocoa-nut down at a little +distance from him. To the great amazement of all present, it began to +move towards the priest, and continued to move until it reached his +feet. This being done, he told the people, that they might conclude from +what they had seen, that the cocoa-nut would follow the thief until it +would break his head. He consented, however, to give him a little +grace—to spare his life until the next day; adding his advice, that the +thief, whoever he might be, had better come to him privately, and tell +him where the property was. In the dead of the night, a tap was heard at +the door of the priest; the thief presented himself, and delivered up +the property. The priest received a present from the owner of the +property, and rewarded the thief for his promptness. After this man was +converted, he was asked how he contrived to make the cocoa-nut move +towards him. "Why, sir," he answered, "if you will carefully divide a +cocoa-nut, scoop out the kernel from one-half of it, enclose a strong, +lively rat, put the parts of the cocoa-nut together, and bind the whole +with saffron-cords, to prevent the crack being seen, and then place it +on a declivity previously prepared, it is clear, that if you place +yourself at the foot of this declivity the rat will twirl the cocoa-nut, +and cause it to descend until it reaches your feet."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XIX'></a><h2>CHAPTER XIX.</H2> + +<h3>SUPERSTITION OF THE HINDOOS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—In my Sermon to Children, before alluded to, I +mentioned a few particulars to prove that the people of India are very +superstitious. Let me mention a few more. It is said that no act, +however good it may be, if performed on Sunday, will succeed. Some will +not eat at all on Sunday, until they have seen a certain bird—the bird +on which the god Vrishnoo rides. If a man rubs oil on his head on +Monday, and bathes, he will commit a sin equal to the sin of destroying +a temple of Siva. If he has his hair out on Tuesday, he will become +poor. Even to worship the gods on Wednesday, is bad. If a person takes +medicine on Thursday, his sickness will be increased. Should he lend any +thing on Friday, he will lose his property. If he should buy a new cloth +on Saturday, take it home, and keep it there, death may be the +consequence. Should he die on this day, some other member of the family +will die on the following week.</p> + +<p>If the foundation of a house is laid in June, the destruction of that +house will follow. Should a family enter a new house in March, some +member of the family will die. If a marriage is celebrated in September, +the husband and wife will fight with each other.</p> + +<p>Should a thunderbolt fall on a house, or a vulture alight on it, some +evil will befall the people living in it. If a crow should strike any +person on the head with its wings, some of his relations will die. +Should a cat or a snake cross his path, it would be an indication of +evil. In the latter case, one of his relations will die. If, when +returning home, a person should meet him bearing a light, a quarrel will +be the result.</p> + +<p>After a person has left his house, should he meet a single Brahmin, or a +woman who has had her head shaved, or a dumb or a blind man, or a +washerman or a barber, the object for which he left would not succeed. +Or, when going out, should he hit his head against the top of the +door-frame, or should any one ask him where he was going, or should he +happen to sneeze, he would consider these things as hinderances to his +going, and reënter the house.</p> + +<p>Should a son or a daughter be born on the new moon in April, they will +become thieves. If a person is born under the planet Saturn, he will be +slandered, his riches will be dissipated, and his wife, son, and friends +will be destroyed. He will also be at variance with others, and endure +many sufferings. Should he be born under the planet Mars, he will be +full of anxious thoughts, be imprisoned, and oppressed with fear from +robbers, fire, etc. He also will lose his lands, trees, and good name.</p> + +<p>If a person dreams that a monkey has bitten him, he will die in six +months; or if he dreams that bedbugs, in large numbers, are creeping +over his body to bite him, he will die in eight days. Should he dream +that a dog has bitten him, he will die in three years; or should he +dream that a dead person has appeared to him and spoken to him, he will +die immediately.</p> + +<p>If a man has a little head, he will become rich. If he has a large head, +he will be poor. If his forehead is wide, he will live a hundred years. +If he has a small neck, he will be a murderer. If the second toe is +long, he will be a bad man. If a woman has curly hair, she will not +prosper. If her nose is long, she will have a good disposition. If her +ear is wide, she will tell falsehoods. If she has a mole on her nose, +she will be subject to anger; if on her lips, she will be learned; if on +the eyebrows she will be cunning.</p> + +<p>I could continue to fill a number of pages with things of the same +description, but it will be unnecessary. I will merely mention one +instance more. On a certain night in the month of November, the people +will not look at the moon. The reason assigned for this, is as follows. +Once, when the elephant-faced god Pulliar was dancing before the gods, +the moon happening to see him, laughed at him, and told him that he had +a large stomach, an ear like a winnowing-fan, etc. This so enraged him, +that he cursed her. This curse was inflicted on the night above +mentioned.</p> + +<p>How does the wretchedness of a people, both in reference to the things +of this world and of the world to come, show itself where the Bible is +unknown. If this blessed book was not an inspired book—if it did no +more than remove the temporal miseries of men, how invaluable would it +be! Of how much more value then, is it, in reference to the removal of +their spiritual miseries?</p> + +<p>O, why is it that Christians have not long since sent this Bible to +them? Why is it that they do not send it to them <i>now</i>? This is a +mystery, which we must leave to be unravelled at the judgment-seat of +the last day. My dear children, you are to stand before that +judgment-seat. Shall any of these heathen among whom I dwell, rise up at +that awful season—stretch out their hands towards you, and say, There +stand the children who might have sent us the Bible, but they did not +send it; and now we must be lost—<i>lost for ever!</i></p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XX'></a><h2>CHAPTER XX.</H2> + +<h3>BURMAH, CHINA, ETC., ETC.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear children—If you will look on your map of Asia, you will see, +adjoining Hindostan, at the east, a country called Burmah. This is +another land of idols. Here the "Baptist General Convention for Foreign +Missions" have one of the most interesting and flourishing missions in +the world. The people of Burmah are, if possible, still further removed +from divine knowledge than the people of India. They are in reality +atheists, or, in other words, people who do not believe in a creator or +preserver of the world. But still they worship gods, who, they say, have +become so by acts of religious merit. He whom they now worship is called +Gaudama, or Boodh. He is reputed to be the son of the king of Benares, +and, if their history be correct, was born six hundred years before +Christ. The Boodhists are all idolaters. They have many temples erected +to the honor of Boodh and his image. Before this image they present +flowers, incense, rice, betel-nuts etc. Like all other idolatrous +nations, the Burmese are very wicked. They do not respect their females +as they should do. They treat them as an inferior order of beings. They +often sell them.</p> + +<p>A very singular custom prevails in that country. It consists in paying a +kind of homage to a white elephant. This elephant is sumptuously dressed +and fed. It is provided with officers, like a second sovereign, and is +made to receive presents from foreign ambassadors. It is next in rank to +the king, and <i>superior</i> to the queen.</p> + +<p>Burmah is the country in which Drs. Judson and Price, and Messrs. Hough +and Wade suffered so much, during the war with England several years +ago. Messrs. Hough and Wade were the first to suffer. As the ships which +were to make the attack upon Rangoon approached the city, they were +seized and cast into prison. Their legs were bound together with ropes, +and eight or ten Burmans, armed with spears and battle-axes, were +placed over them, as a guard. They were afterwards put in irons. The +next morning, as the fleet approached still nearer the city, orders were +sent to the guard, through the grates of their prison, that the instant +the shipping should fire upon the town, they were to kill them, together +with the other prisoners confined with them. The guard, on receiving +these orders, began to sharpen the instruments with which they intended +to kill them, and moved them about their heads to show with how much +skill and pleasure they would attend to their orders. Upon the floor +where they intended to butcher them, a large quantity of sand was spread +to receive the blood. The gloom and silence of death reigned among the +prisoners; the vast ocean of eternity seemed but a step before them. At +length the fleet arrived, and the firing commenced The first ball which +was thrown into the town passed, with a tremendous noise, directly over +their heads. This so frightened the guard, that they seemed unable to +execute their murderous orders. They shrunk away into one corner of the +prison, where they remained quiet, until a broadside from one of the +ships made the prison shake and tremble to its very foundation. This so +alarmed them, that they burst open the doors of the prison and fled. The +missionaries, with the other prisoners, were then left alone. Their +danger, however, was not at an end; but as God had protected them thus +far, he continued to protect them until they were set at liberty, and +allowed to preach the Gospel again to those perishing heathen. Drs. +Judson and Price were also imprisoned, and suffered much; but they, too, +were preserved and delivered. The accounts of their sufferings are so +long, that I cannot now relate them all to you. You will find them in +the life of Mrs. Judson.</p> + +<p>After the war was over, the missionaries were permitted to go everywhere +to proclaim the name of the Saviour; and their efforts have been very +much blessed, especially among the Karens. It will be impossible for me +to give you an account of their many labors, and of the many tokens +which they have received of God's favor towards multitudes who have +become followers of the Redeemer. Suffice it to say, that more than six +thousand have been received into the Christian church. One of the native +teachers not long since baptized, on one occasion, three hundred and +seventy-two persons.</p> + +<p>Adjoining Burmah, is China, a country containing more than three hundred +millions of people, about twenty times as many as there are in the +United States of America. It is a country filled with idols. Many of the +people earn their living by making and selling these idols. There are +many shops where they are sold, or repaired when they become broken or +defaced.</p> + +<p>The females in that country are in a very degraded state. They are the +slaves of their husbands, and live and die in the greatest ignorance. +Any attempt to raise themselves to the level of females in Christian +lands, is considered as very wicked. The little female child is tortured +from her birth. You have, perhaps, heard that the women of China have +small feet. These are made small by a very cruel practice—by putting +bandages of cloth so tightly around them, that they cannot grow. Many +women have feet not larger than those of an American infant of one year +old. Mr. Doty, missionary to China, says, that he was acquainted with a +little girl whose mother had bound up her feet so tightly, that she +cried two or three hours every day, on account of the great pain which +she suffered.</p> + +<p>With such little feet, you may well suppose that it would be very +difficult for the women to walk. It is so. They limp and hobble along, +just as if their feet had been cut off, and they had to walk on stumps.</p> + +<p>The Chinese do not count their daughters among their children. Mr. Doty +says, he one day asked his Chinese teacher how many children he had. He +replied, that he had several. "How many of these," he then inquired, +"are daughters?" "We do not count our daughters among our children," he +answered. "I have three daughters, but we Chinese count our sons only as +children."</p> + +<p>When this missionary was in a Chinese village where he had never been +before, a man called to see him, bringing with him two pretty little +girls, neatly dressed, about six and seven years old. He said that they +were his daughters and that he wished to sell them. Mr. Doty refused to +buy them, as it was wicked to buy and sell children; but he told him, +that if he would commit them to him, he would take them home with him, +and educate them, and that they might return home after they had grown. +To this proposal he would not consent but said, that if he would buy +them, they should be his for ever. He could have bought them both for +about twenty-six dollars.</p> + +<p>The Chinese have many schools, but none for their daughters, as they do +not teach them, to read. When they are about thirteen years old, they +shut them up in what are called "women's apartments," where they remain +until the time of their marriage. Then the parents sell them to those +who wish to have wives for their sons. In this way, they are frequently +married to persons whom they never before saw.</p> + +<p>Many parents in China destroy their little girls soon after they are +born, or while they are very small. This they frequently do by throwing +them into rivers, or into the sea, after they have wrapped them up in +coarse mats. There is a little Chinese girl, named Ellen, now living in +Newark, New Jersey, whose father was about to kill her when she was +three weeks old. An English lady heard of his intentions, and sent a +person with ten dollars to see if she could not be bought. He was +offered the ten dollars, but refused to take them. She sent ten dollars +more. He consented to take the twenty dollars. This little girl was +brought by this English lady to America, when she was about six years +old. The friends who have her under their care, are educating her with +the hope that she may go back to China, to tell its females of the +Saviour.</p> + +<p>Did you ever, my dear girls, think why it is that your parents love you, +and educate you—why it is that they try to make you happy, instead of +cramping your feet, shutting you up, and, perhaps, at last selling you? +It is because they have the Bible. Then, how anxious should you be to +save what money you can, to buy Bibles to send to those poor heathen.</p> + +<p>As I am now speaking of the destruction of infants, I would observe, +that this crime is common in other heathen countries. It was quite +common, until lately, in the island of Tahiti, and other places in the +South Pacific Ocean. When the missionaries of the London Missionary +Society went there, many years ago, they found the females in a very +degraded situation. Mr. Nott, one of these missionaries, declared that +three out of four of the children were murdered as soon as they were +born. He met a woman soon after this dreadful crime had been abolished +to whom he said, "How many children have you?" "This one in my arms," +was her answer. "And how many did you kill?" She replied, "Eight." +Another woman, who was asked the same question, said that she had +destroyed <i>seventeen</i>. Infanticide, or, in other words, the destruction +of infants, says the Rev. Mr. Williams, was carried to an almost +incredible extent in Tahiti, and some other islands. He writes, "During +the visit of the deputation, G. Bennet, Esq., was our guest for three or +four days; and on one occasion, while conversing on this subject, he +expressed a wish to obtain accurate knowledge of the extent to which +this cruel practice had prevailed. Three women were sitting in the room +at the time, making European garments, under Mrs. Williams direction; +and, after replying to Mr. Bennet's inquiries, I said, 'I have no doubt +but that each of these women has destroyed some of her children.' Mr. +Bennet exclaimed, 'Impossible; such motherly, respectable women could +never have been guilty of so great an atrocity.' 'Well,' I added, 'we +will ask them.' Addressing the first, I said to her, 'Friend, how many +children have you destroyed?' She was startled at my question, and at +first charged me with unkindness, in harrowing up her feelings, by +bringing the destruction of her babes to her remembrance; but upon +learning the object of my inquiry, she replied, with a faltering voice, +'I have destroyed <i>nine</i>.' The second, with eyes suffused with tears, +said, 'I have destroyed <i>seven</i>;' and the third informed us that she had +destroyed <i>five</i>. Had the missionaries gone there but a few years +before, with the blessing of God, they would have prevented all this. +These mothers were all Christians at the time this conversation was +held."</p> + +<p>"On another occasion," says Mr. Williams, "I was called to visit the +wife of a chief in dying circumstances. She had professed Christianity +for many years, had learned to read when about sixty, and was a very +active teacher in our adult school. In the prospect of death, she sent a +pressing request that I would visit her immediately; and on my entering +her apartment she exclaimed, 'O, servant of God, come and tell me what I +must do.' Perceiving that she suffered great mental distress, I +inquired the cause of it, when she replied, 'I am about to die.' 'Well,' +I rejoined, 'if it be so, what creates this agony of mind?' 'O, my sins, +my sins,' she cried; 'I am about to die.' I then inquired what the +particular sins were which so greatly distressed her, when she +exclaimed, 'O, my children, my murdered children! I am about to die, and +shall meet them all at the judgment-seat of Christ.' Upon this I +inquired how many children she had destroyed, and to my astonishment she +replied, 'I have destroyed <i>sixteen</i>, and now I am about to die.'" After +this Mr. Williams tried to comfort her, by telling her that she had done +this when a heathen, and during the times of ignorance, which God winked +at. But she received no consolation from this thought, and exclaimed +again, "O, my children, my children." He then directed her to the +"faithful saying, which is worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ +came into the world to save sinners." This gave her a little comfort; +and after visiting her frequently, and directing her to that blood which +cleanseth from all sin, he succeeded, with the blessing of God, in +bringing peace to her mind. She died soon after, rejoicing in the hope +that her sins, though many, would be forgiven her. Well may you exclaim, +my dear children,</p> + +<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'> +<span>"Holy Bible, book divine,<br /></span> +<span>Precious treasure, thou art mine."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Infanticide still prevails in India, but as I have given a particular +description of this crime in my Sermon to Children, on the Condition of +the Heathen, I will here say nothing farther on the subject.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXI'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXI.</H2> + +<h3>THE DUTY OF PRAYING AND CONTRIBUTING FOR THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear children—There is another story connected with India, which I +might have mentioned in my last chapter while writing about the +destruction of infants. I will relate it now, in order that you may be +constrained to pray more frequently for the heathen. Some time ago, the +wife of a native prince had a little daughter. The father ordered it to +be put to death, immediately after it was born. Had it been a son, an +heir to the throne, he would have taken great care of it. A second, a +third, a fourth, a fifth little daughter was born. All these were also +put to death by the command of the father. When a sixth little daughter +was born, the mother's heart yearned over it. "I cannot part with it," +said she; "I will have it taken away and hid, so that the king may know +nothing about it." This was done, but the poor mother never dared to +send for her little girl. She never saw her again, but died sometime +after.</p> + +<p>Many of the little girls in India are very pretty. They have dark eyes, +and sweet, expressive countenances. This little child grew to be a very +beautiful girl; and when she was eleven years old, some of her relations +ventured to bring her to her father. They thought that he would be +struck with the sight of his sweet child, and that he would love her for +the sake of her mother who had died. The little girl fell at his feet +and clasped his knees, and looked up in his face and said, "My father." +And what do you think that father did? Do you think that he took her up +in his arms, and kissed her? No. He seized her by the hair of her head, +drew his sword from his belt, and with a single blow took off her head.</p> + +<p>Now, my dear children, do you not think that you ought to pray for the +poor heathen—to pray that God will send the Gospel to them? I want to +tell you of a little boy who heard me preach some time ago about the +heathen. One night he said his prayers, and went to bed. After he got +into bed, he said to the nurse, "I have forgotten to pray for the +heathen, and I must get out of bed and pray for them." The nurse then +told him that it would not be necessary for him to get up, as he could +pray for them while in bed. "No," said he, "I must get out of bed and +pray for them." And the dear little boy would not rest until he got out +of bed and prayed for them. Now I want all of you, my dear children, +every morning and evening, to kneel down and pray for the heathen, as +this little boy did. And I want you to do something more. I want you +always to be punctual in attending <i>the usual monthly concerts of +prayer,</i> provided there are no juvenile monthly concerts to which you +can go. I have long wished to see juvenile monthly concerts of prayer +established. They would be very interesting if I am to judge from the +account of one which I some time ago received from a friend of mine, the +Rev. Mr. V——. I will give you some extracts from his letter. He +writes, "According to promise, I send you an account of the first +children's monthly concert, so far as I can learn, held on Long Island. +As notice was not given either in the church or Sabbath-school, the +attendance was smaller than it otherwise would have been. Still, about +sixty interesting children attended. After a few remarks concerning the +object of the meeting by the superintendent of the Sabbath-school they +sung with melting eyes the hymn that describes the wretched heathen +mother casting her lovely babe into the jaws of the monster of the +Granges. Prayer then was made, of about two or three minutes in length. +Then I gave some of the most affecting accounts of the cruelties and +ignorance of the heathen, as related by the devoted Williams, that +martyr missionary. Their silent attention and subdued countenances told +that their hearts were with the wretched idolaters. After having thus +spent about ten minutes, the children sung in a sweet manner, a hymn—a +prayer for those laboring amid the heathen:"</p> + +<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'> +<span>"When worn by toil, their spirits fail,<br /></span> +<span>Bid them the glorious future hail;<br /></span> +<span>Bid them the crown of life survey,<br /></span> +<span>And onward urge their conquering way."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>"After which, two resolutions were passed, unanimously, by the children. +First, that they will each one attend the monthly concert of prayer +regularly, when able, and bring with them all their companions whom they +can persuade to come.</p> + +<p>"Secondly, that they, with the children of the various schools of W——, +will constitute—— a life member of the W—— Bible Society. Some of +the smaller children had brought their little Bibles to give them to +----, that he might carry them to the poor children of the heathen. But +when informed that the heathen could not understand English, they +determined to raise money, and send it out to purchase Bibles for the +children. This interesting meeting was closed by prayer, the doxology, +and benediction."</p> + +<p>But not only can you pray for the heathen, you can give <i>something</i> to +send the Gospel to them. Do you say that you have no money to give? But +cannot you earn some? Many young persons have done so. One of whom I +have read, says, "Besides supporting a school in Ceylon, we are going to +support five Chinese boys. I earn six cents a week for not using tea, +one for not using sugar, and three for not using coffee."</p> + +<p>Another says, "I, with three others, have been making matches to the +amount of ten dollars, and should have made more, but the people are +pretty well supplied. I am going to dig my father's garden, and my +mother is going to give me a quarter of a dollar for digging it, which I +shall give to the missionaries. I am going to do all I can, and to earn +all I can, and save all that I have, to support the missionaries."</p> + +<p>Another says, "I am going to leave off buying candy." What is that? Can +little girls and boys do without sugar-candy? I am afraid that many of +you, my dear children, would find it difficult to go without it. But let +me quote all that this child wrote. "I am going to leave off buying +candy and such little notions, unless it is necessary, and save every +cent that I can get and give it to the missionaries."</p> + +<p>Now, my dear children, I do think that if you would save some of those +cents which you spend in buying candy, fire-crackers, and similar +things, and buy Bibles and tracts for the poor heathen, you would do +much more good with them.</p> + +<p>I want to tell you about a little boy who belonged to one of my schools +in Ceylon, who has, as I hope, gone to heaven through the means of a +tract which cost only two or three cents, and which was the cause of his +coming under my care. After he had attended preaching for some time, he +begged me to admit him to the church. As he was quite young, not eleven +years old, I was afraid to receive him. This feeling, perhaps, was +wrong. He never joined the church on earth. He has, however, I hope, +gone to join the church in heaven. When he was about eleven years of +age, he was attacked with the cholera and died. In this country, when +children are very ill, the father or mother will catch up a cocoa-nut or +a few plantains, and run off to the temple, and say, "Now, Swammie, if +you will cure my little boy or little girl, I will give you this +cocoa-nut, or these plantains." The mother of this boy saw that he was +very ill, and she told him that she wished to go to make offerings to +one of her idols, in order that he might get well. But he requested her +not to do so. "I do not worship idols," said he; "I worship Christ, my +Saviour. If he is pleased to spare me a little longer in the world, it +will be well; if not, I shall go to him." The last words he uttered +were, "I am going to Christ the Lord."</p> + +<p>Now when you think about this little boy, I want you to ask yourselves, +whether it is not better to give two or three cents to try and save the +soul of some poor little heathen boy or girl, than to spend them in +buying candy, and other useless things.</p> + +<p>But I must tell you about a little girl whom I saw some time ago, who +refused to buy candy while there are so many heathen without the Bible. +Her father is a sea-captain. Being absent from home, he sent her five +dollars to buy candy, or any thing else which she wished. As this little +girl had heard about the heathen, she determined to throw all her money +into the missionary-box, instead of spending it for her own pleasure. +The mother, on learning her intentions, asked her if she would not like +to spend a part of it for candy, and similar things. She replied, that +she would not, and in due time she put her five dollars into the +missionary-box. Not long after this, she was attacked with a severe +toothache. The mother proposed that the defective tooth should be +extracted. The little creature, for she was only about eight years old, +dreaded the operation, and seemed at first to be backward about having +it performed. To encourage her to submit to it, her mother offered her +twenty-five cents. This little girl did not then begin to reason, Now, +if I can only get those twenty-five cents, I can buy a doll, or I can +buy some sugar-candy; but she reasoned thus, Now, if I can get those +twenty-five cents, I can go and put them into the missionary-box. So she +said to her mother, I will go and have the tooth taken out. The tooth, +however, ceased to ache, but still she wished to have it extracted. Her +mother then interfered, and told her that, as it had ceased to ache, it +might be well for her not to have it drawn until it ached again. The +little girl, however, persisted, saying, that if it were not taken out, +she could not get the twenty-five cents to devote to the missionary +cause. She therefore went to the dentist's, submitted to the operation, +received her twenty-five cents, and went and threw them into the Lord's +treasury. Was not that a noble little girl? Doubtless you will all say +she was.</p> + +<p>I must tell you about a noble little boy also. Some time ago, I was +preaching to the children of Canandaigua, in the western part of New +York. After I had preached there, I went on to Rochester. Returning from +that place, I met with a lady in the cars, who told me as follows: +"After you had preached in Canandaigua," said she, "a young lady there, +who had lost her mother, and who had six or seven or eight of her +brothers and sisters under her care, formed them into a missionary +society." Oh, I wish that all the dear children in America were formed +into missionary societies. After she had done this, she asked her little +brother how he was going to get money to put into the missionary-box. +"By catching mice," said he. His sister gave him two or three cents for +every mouse he caught. Thus it appears, that this dear little boy was +going to throw all his earnings into the Lord's treasury.</p> + +<p>But let me tell you a little more about the children to whom I before +alluded. Another says, "In some of the day-schools of this city, the +girls have formed sewing societies, and make pin-cushions, needle-books, +emery-bags, and the like, and send the money that is raised from the +sale of them to the missionaries, to be used for the heathen. There are +seven Sabbath-schools in this town, and in each of them there is a +missionary association; so that in all about five hundred dollars are +sent from the Sabbath-schools every year."</p> + +<p>Now, my dear girls, I want you to think of what has now been said about +the formation of sewing societies; and I want you to ask your mothers +whether they will not allow you to form such societies, to meet once a +week, or once in two weeks, or once a month to sew, to get some money to +send the Gospel to the heathen. Many societies of this kind have been +formed. After I had preached to the children in one of the churches in +Third-street, New York, the little girls who attend that church formed +such a society. The account which I received of it is as follows. "You +may remember, that in your address to our Sabbath-school, you related +instances of little girls knitting, sewing, etc., to earn something for +the missionary-box The examples which you related were not lost to the +girls of the Sabbath-school. Immediately they began to talk about +forming themselves into a sewing society, and making small articles, and +giving the proceeds to the missionary society. They did not stop here, +but went right to work, and soon formed their society, which they styled +the Juvenile Sewing Society. They are in a very prosperous and +flourishing condition at present. I know not the amount of funds they +possess—they pay a cent a week into their treasury—but they have a +large assortment of articles already made. I understand, also, they meet +once a week to sew."</p> + +<p>After I had preached at a place called Little Falls, New York, the girls +formed a sewing society there. The following account of this society I +received from one of its little members. "When you were here last fall, +and told us how much good little girls had done in having sewing +societies, we thought we would see if <i>we</i> could not do some good in the +world, as well as they; and, since October, we have met weekly, and by +holding a fair, we have succeeded in raising sixty-two dollars. We +hope it will be the means of saving some poor heathen children."</p> + +<p>Now, as I said before, I want you, my dear girls, to ask your mothers if +you may not form such societies also. Will you think of it? I hope you +will.</p> + +<p>Another of the children to whom I have twice referred, says, "I can try +and save their souls, if I am not there. I can work for them, and send +some money to you to buy them Bibles, and I can pray for them; and if I +should save some souls, O how would they thank me. But if I did not send +my money, nor care any thing about them, and I should not go to heaven, +and they should not, how would they rise up in judgment against me, and +say, If we had had the privileges that you had, we should not be here. +O, how thankful we ought to be, that we were not born in heathen lands. +O, if the poor heathen could only have such privileges as we have, how +thankful would they be; and if we were born in heathen lands, I have no +doubt that they would come and tell us about a Saviour."</p> + +<p>I have received many letters from children, breathing the same spirit +which is manifested in the notes I have copied.</p> + +<p>One writes, "Last winter I brought in the wood for mother, and she gave +me fifty cents. I now am very glad that I have not spent it, as I can +give it to you to buy tracts for the little heathen children of India."</p> + +<p>A second writes, "The enclosed fifty cents my grandmother gave me when I +was a very little boy, for sitting still one hour. Will you please to +use it to furnish the Bible and missionary to the heathen."</p> + +<p>A third writes, "I have always spent my money for candy and other +trifles, but since I have heard about the darkness and misery of the +heathen, I intend to save it all, and put it into the missionary-box."</p> + +<p>A fourth writes, "The enclosed I earned by knitting. I intended to save +it, till I had sufficient to carry me a short journey to see some of my +friends; but when I heard you tell about the little heathen girls, I +thought I would give it to you, for the poor heathen children."</p> + +<p>A fifth writes, "I have enclosed twelve and a half cents, which my +father gave me to go and see General Tom Thumb. When I heard you +lecture last evening, I came home and concluded to give it to you, and +let you buy Bibles for the poor heathen."</p> + +<p>A sixth writes, "I remember, before my mother died, she used to tell me +a great deal about the children of India, and now she is in heaven. I +think she would like to have me give my heart to the Saviour, and go and +teach those poor children. I give you some money that was given to me to +see an exhibition, which I saved to give for such things, rather than +go."</p> + +<p>A seventh writes, "You told us that two cents were the means of +converting a young man. I would give two cents every week, if it would +convert souls to Christ."</p> + +<p>An eighth writes, "My mother told me, some time ago, that every day I +recited my lessons without missing a word, she would give me a penny; +and not being desirous to spend it, I do wish you would take it—fifty +cents—to the heathen. It may buy some tracts at the bazaar or market."</p> + +<p>A ninth writes, "We feel sorry for those poor heathen children. We will +try to earn some money to buy Bibles for the heathen. Father has +promised us some land to work next summer, and we think we can raise +something and sell it to get the money."</p> + +<p>A tenth writes, "Since you were here last spring, I have saved what I +could—one dollar—for the heathen children, and should be glad if I +could do more."</p> + +<p>An eleventh writes, "The money which you will find enclosed, I earned by +working for my mother on Saturday, which I intended to keep to buy a +microscope; but when I heard you preach on Sabbath, I concluded to give +it to buy Bibles for the poor heathen children."</p> + +<p>A twelfth writes, "The enclosed, five dollars, was a birthday present +from my father, but I want to give it to Dr. Scudder, for the poor +little boys in Ceylon."</p> + +<p>A thirteenth writes, "Please accept my mite, by the hand of my brother. +I have been keeping it for the purpose of buying a geography; but when I +heard you preach yesterday, I thought I had better send it to you, for +the poor heathen."</p> + +<p>A fourteenth writes, "I would like much to become a missionary, as I am +named after one; I hope I shall be one. I have been saving a dollar to +buy myself some books, but concluded to give it to buy some books for +the heathen."</p> + +<p>The last two children, whose letters you have been reading, gave to the +missionary cause the money which they had been earning to buy books. +When you have been earning money for the express purpose of giving it to +the missionary cause, then you should devote it all to that cause; but I +would advise you not to do as did the two children last mentioned. Had +my opinion been asked, relative to the disposal of their money, I would +have recommended them to give <i>one-tenth,</i> or perhaps a little more, of +the sums they had been earning, to their Saviour, and to keep the rest +to buy their books. The giving of not less than one-tenth of all you +earn, for charitable purposes, is the principle which I wish to have +impressed fully on your minds, and I hope you will grow up under the +influence of this principle, and <i>never, never</i> depart from it. But +while I thus speak, you must not suppose that I wish you to confine +yourselves to the giving of one-tenth, when you can give more; I hope +you will not give merely this, but one-half, or more, if you can afford +it. Indeed, if you do not go as missionaries to the heathen, I want you +to make it your great object <i>to make money for Christ, and to spend it +for Christ</i>. O, if the generation which is grown, were as anxious to +make money for Christ, and to spend it for Christ, as they are to make +it for themselves, and to spend it for themselves, or to hoard it up—it +may be for the everlasting destruction of the souls of their +heirs—there would be no complaints that money could not be had to send +the Gospel to the destitute, both at home and abroad.</p> + +<p>In my twelfth chapter, I spoke of the liberal donations which the +heathen of India make for the support of their religion. In the city of +Calcutta alone, it is supposed that two millions of dollars are spent +every year on the festival of a single goddess—a festival which lasts +only a few days. A single native has been known to give, as I before +said, more than one hundred thousand dollars at one time to this +festival, and afterwards thirty thousand dollars yearly. How vast, then, +must be the sums which are spent upon all the different festivals of +their gods. Would that we could see such liberality among Christians. +Would that we could see the generality of them willing to give even +one-tenth of their annual income to the Lord. Alas, what would the +heathen say, if they were to learn how much greater are the sums of +money which they give to their idols, than Christians give to honor +their Saviour? Would they not exclaim, It is because Christianity is +false, and heathenism is true, that Christians give so little for +Christ, while we give so much for our gods? My dear children, I hope +that you will never allow the heathen to say that the Christian religion +is false, because you do not give your money for the spread of the +Gospel. Will you not resolve now, that you will, so long as God prospers +you in worldly goods, give <i>at least</i> one-tenth of all you earn to the +Lord? Do, my dear children, do make the resolution now.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXII.</H2> + +<h3>PERSONAL LABORS AMONG THE HEATHEN.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear children—You have, perhaps, often seen Campbell's missionary +map of the world. If not, I want you very carefully to look at it. I +want you to look at the red spots on it, and think how many millions of +people embrace the religion both of the Greek and Roman Catholic +churches—a religion which is nothing more nor less than paganism, with +a few Christian doctrines added to it. After this, I want you to look at +the green spots, and think of the hundred and twenty millions of +Mohammedans, who spurn the name of Jesus as a Saviour, and who have set +up Mahomet as their prophet. I want you also to look at all the dark +spots, where, with comparatively a few exceptions, the people are in +pagan darkness, without any knowledge of God and the only Saviour of +sinners Jesus Christ. And in view of all this darkness—in view of the +need of more than half a million of ministers of the Gospel to preach +the news of salvation to them, I want you, my dear boys, to ask +yourselves whether it may not be your duty, after you grow up, to +become ministers, and go and preach the Gospel to them. You know that +you are bound to do all the good to others which you can; and even if +you do not love the Saviour, you are not released from your obligations +to do good. I would by no means have you become ministers without giving +your hearts to Christ; but this you are as much bound to do, as you are +bound to do all the good you can to others. If you are not Christians, I +want you, through grace, to become such, and I want many of you to +become ministers and missionaries. Two of my sons are now missionaries +in India, and four others, I hope, are preparing to come. And why should +not you also come here, or go to other heathen lands? If you can be +excused from coming or going, why may not all who are now little boys +also be excused? In such a case, there will be no missionaries at all. +And you know that this would be very wrong. But I do not merely want +many of you, my dear boys, to become missionaries, I want many of you, +my dear girls, to become missionaries also. Many little girls and boys +have expressed a desire to become missionaries. Several little boys who +wrote to Mr. Hutchings, one of my missionary brethren, and several +little boys and girls who have written to me, have said that they would +like to be missionaries.</p> + +<p>One writes, "I should like to go and be a missionary, and instruct the +poor heathen children to love God."</p> + +<p>A second says, "I have been selling matches that I made. I got five +dollars—just as many dollars as I am years old. I think I shall become +a missionary, and come and help you. I hope I shall see you again when I +come to Ceylon. Tell the heathen children they must love God, and be +good children. They must not give the children to the crocodiles, nor +throw them into the water; and they must not worship wooden and brass +gods. They must worship the true God, and keep his commandments."</p> + +<p>A third says, "I like to send money to help the poor heathen to learn to +read the Bible, and other good books. I think it will be pleasant to +sail across the ocean, and teach them to turn from their idols. I would +teach them not to lay themselves down before the car of Juggernaut, and +be crushed to death; and I would teach them not to burn themselves to +death on the funeral pile."</p> + +<p>A fourth says, "I mean to save something to send to you, to help support +one school. Should my life be spared, and the way be opened at some +future day, I think I should be willing to leave my native home, to go to +some distant land to tell the heathen of a Saviour, whom I hope I have +found."</p> + +<p>A fifth says, "If you are ever in want of money, just please to send on +to me, and I will endeavor to raise all that you want. If I live to be a +man, I hope be a missionary to Ceylon or China."</p> + +<p>One little boy wrote to me as follows: "I have for a long time been +saving three shillings, for the purpose of buying a little racoon, which +I intended to do on Monday. On Sunday I heard you preach, and thought I +would give it to you to save some poor heathen soul; and I hope you will +pray for me, that I may become a minister, and go to India, and preach +to the heathen."</p> + +<p>Another writes, "This is to certify that I, Charles D.H. Frederick, +pledge myself, if God spares my life, when I get to be a man, and he +pardons me through Christ Jesus, I will go and preach to the heathen."</p> + +<p>A little girl wrote me as follows: "According to my present feelings, I +should like to engage in so glorious a cause," as the missionary cause, +"and I hope, when I arrive at an age to be of use to God, and the poor +heathen, to embrace so glorious a cause."</p> + +<p>Another little girl writes, "I felt very bad when I heard you tell about +the poor heathen who worship the idols. I could not keep from weeping, +when you told us about the man who came so far to get a teacher to come +and tell the Gospel to his friends, and was disappointed. I felt very +bad Sunday evening; and on Monday evening I felt that the Lord had given +me a new heart. I felt happy, and sang some beautiful verses that I +learned in one of mother's little books. I have read the Day-springs, +and thought a great deal about the heathen for two years.</p> + +<p>"I used to think a great deal about having nice clothes, before I +thought so much about the heathen. My mother told me some time ago, that +she thought she would get me a white dress when I was ten years old. I +am now ten years old, and this evening mother gave me two dollars to +get the dress, or dispose of it in any way I thought best; and I wish +you would take it to have the poor heathen taught about the Saviour. If +I live, and it is the Lord's will, I hope I shall come and help you +teach the poor heathen about the Saviour."</p> + +<p>There is a little boy in the city of New York, who formerly used to tell +his mother, that he meant to be a cab-driver, and all she could say to +him was of no avail in making him think differently. This little boy +came with his mother to hear me preach about the heathen.</p> + +<p>After he had left the church, as he was going home, he burst into tears, +and exclaimed, "Mother, I mean to be a missionary to the heathen;" and +so far as I know, he has never talked about being any thing else since. +And I hope that many of you will never talk about being any thing else +than missionaries to the heathen.</p> + +<p>I am acquainted with a little girl in Ohio, who has resolved to become a +missionary. She is a niece of Mr. Campbell, late missionary to Africa. +She was not quite four years old when I saw her. When she was eighteen +months of age, she saw the picture of a heathen mother throwing her +child into the mouth of a crocodile She was deeply impressed with the +sight. When she was two and a half years old, she resolved to be a +missionary, and follow her uncle to Africa. From this resolution she has +never drawn hack. When I was at her father's house, she was asked if she +would not go to India. She replied, that she would not go to India, but +to Africa. She was asked why she wished to go to Africa. "To teach the +heathen," was her answer. "Why should you teach the heathen?" "Because +they worship idols." Her mother told me, that ever since she began to +get money, she has contributed to the missionary cause; and this money +has generally, if not always, been earned by some act of self-denial on +her part. I hope that many of you will feel just as this little girl +felt, and do just as she did.</p> + +<p>When I was in America, I used continually, when preaching, to ask the +dear children whether they would not become missionaries. I used also to +beg them to write down what I had asked them. Many complied with my +request. While I was at the Avon Springs, one of the daughters of a +physician there, not only wrote it down, but gave me what she had +written. The following is a copy of what she wrote,</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/184.gif' width='574' height='274' alt='<p><i>August 18, 1844. + + Dr. Scudder requested me to come to India to help him when I am + grown. S. P. S. Avon Springs' title=''> +</center> + +<p>Could I raise my voice loud enough to reach America, I would beg of +<i>you</i> to write down the following sentence: Dr. Scudder asks me, to-day, +whether I will not hereafter become a missionary to the heathen. Perhaps +you will write it down <i>immediately</i>.</p> + +<p>Now, my dear boys, if you will come out to India, or go to Burmah or +China, to tell the heathen of the Saviour, you may, with the blessing of +God, do as much good as Swartz and Carey, and others have done. And if +you, my dear girls, will do the same, you also may do much good. This +will appear from what I am going to tell you about a little girl in +Ceylon. This little girl belonged to the boarding-school at Oodooville. +She early gave her heart to the Saviour, and joined the church when she +was thirteen years old. I should like to know if there are any of you +who have not followed her example. If so, this is not right. My dear +children, it is not right. Shall this little girl, in a heathen land, a +land filled with idols, give her heart to Christ; and you, in a +Christian land, a land of Sabbaths, and Sabbath-schools, and Bibles, not +give your hearts to him? This is not right. You know that it is not +right.</p> + +<p>But let me go on with my account of the little girl. After she had +joined the church, she wanted to go and see her mother, who was a +heathen, for the purpose of conversing with her about her soul's +concerns. Now, in this country, when children who have been absent from +their parents for any length of time go home, the mother spreads a mat +down on the floor, and tells them to sit down upon it, adding that she +will go and cook rice for them. They have no seats to sit on, as you +have in America. Well, this little girl went home. When her mother saw +her, she was very glad; and after she had spread a mat for her, and told +her to sit down, she said that she would go and cook rice for her. The +little girl told her that she was not hungry, and did not wish to eat, +but wanted to talk with her. "You cannot talk with me," said her mother, +"until I have cooked rice for you." "Mother," said the little girl, "you +worship idols, and I am afraid that you will lose your soul, and I want +to talk with you about Jesus Christ." The mother became quite angry with +her, and rebuked her. But still the little girl continued to talk with +her about her soul. The mother then became so angry, that she told her +to be silent, or she would punish her. The little girl replied, "Mother, +though you do whip me, I must talk to you about Jesus Christ," and she +burst into tears. The mother's heart was broken. She sat down on the +mat, and her little daughter talked with her, and prayed with her. After +this the little girl was so troubled, fearing that her mother's soul +might be lost, that she was heard praying for her during all parts of +the night. And God heard her prayers. Her mother forsook her idols, and +became a Christian, and her conversion was followed by the conversion of +one or two others. Now, my dear little girls, if you will give your +hearts to the Saviour, and in due time come here, or go to other heathen +lands, and tell the people of a Saviour, you may, with the help of the +Holy Spirit, be as useful as this little girl was.</p> + +<p>Female missionaries have done much good among the heathen. I mentioned +an instance on page 88, to prove this. Let me mention another instance +more.</p> + +<p>In the year 1838, an English lady, Miss Aldersey, went to the East, at +her own expense to promote female education among the Chinese. At that +time, she could not go to China, as that country was not open to +missionaries She therefore went to Java, where there was a colony of +Chinese. Here she hired a house, and collected about twenty-five girls, +whom she clothed, and boarded, and taught. The Lord blessed her labors, +and several of these girls were hopefully converted. When their parents +saw that they would no longer worship idols, they became much opposed to +the school, and some of them took their daughters from it. In the year +1842, God opened the door for the entrance of the Gospel into China. +This missionary then broke up her school in Java, went to that country, +and resided in the city of Ningpo. Of the girls who had become +Christians while under her care, two were much persecuted by their +parents. They were whipped and beaten, with the hope that they would +again return to their idols; but all the efforts which were made to +induce them to forsake the Saviour were in vain. They declared that they +would sooner die than forsake him. When their parents saw that stripes +and blows were of no avail, they determined to marry them to men who +were much devoted to their idols. This stratagem, they thought, might +succeed in destroying all their interest in their new religion. Here, +however, they were again foiled. The girls became alarmed, and fled from +their parents. An English gentleman, but who was not a professor of +religion, felt deeply interested for them, and assisted them to get on +board a ship going to Batavia. Here they were pursued but escaped from +the pursuers by going on board of a ship which sailed for Singapore. +From Singapore they sailed for China, where they were permitted to join +the old friend who had been the means of their conversion. This lady +collected a school at Ningpo of more than thirty girls. Thus you see how +much good female missionaries have done by going to heathen lands. And +are none of you willing to follow their example? Are none of you willing +to say, Here am I, Lord, send me?</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXIII.</H2> + +<h3>SUCCESS OF THE GOSPEL IN INDIA AND CEYLON.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—I have told you that India is a very dark land, but +there are a few bright spots in it. Through the blessing of God upon the +prayers of his people in Christian lands, and upon the prayers and +labors of his missionary servants, many of the heathen of India and +Ceylon have forsaken their idols, and are now enlisted under the banner +of Jehovah Jesus. In the Travancore and Tinnivelly districts to say +nothing of the success of the Gospel in other places, thousands and tens +of thousands of the people have embraced Christianity. In hundreds of +villages where but a few years ago the name of Jesus had never been +heard, it is now known and adored.</p> + +<p>You have often heard of Ceylon. If you will look at the map of +Hindostan, you will find it close to that country. Here Christianity has +begun to prevail. This island is two hundred miles long, and in some +places quite wide. A large part of it is covered with what is called +jungle. Jungle and wilderness mean the same thing. In this jungle there +are many wild beasts, such as elephants, bears, wild hogs, and +buffaloes. In it also, there are men, women, and children, running wild, +just like the wild beasts. This people are called Verders, or wild +people. They wear scarcely any clothing. They have no houses. When it +rains, they creep into holes, or go under overhanging rocks. Their beds +consist of a few leaves. Sunk almost to the level of the brute, they +live and die like their shaggy companions of the forest. Even upon these +the Gospel has tried its power. More than fifty families have settled +down, forming two pleasant, and now Christian villages. They have +schoolmasters and Christian teachers.</p> + +<p>I must give you a description of two revivals of religion which +occurred while I was in the island of Ceylon, in the year 1833. Before +those revivals took place, there was no particular manifestation of much +seriousness at any of our stations. It was in the month of October of +that year, that we began to feel that we must labor more, and pray more +for the conversion of perishing souls. A protracted meeting was spoken +of, and it was determined that one should be held at our seminary in +Batticotta—a seminary which was established for the purpose of raising +up a native ministry. On the morning of the day in which the meeting was +commenced, Mr. Spaulding and myself went to that station to assist Mr. +Poor, the principal of the seminary, in laboring with the students. In +these labors we spent five days. It was good to be there. No sooner had +we begun our exercises, than a blessing from on high was experienced. +The windows of heaven were opened, and the Holy Ghost descended. This +was evident from the spirit of prayer which was poured out upon the +pious students of the seminary. They were heard "a great while before +day" pleading, in their social circles, that God would have mercy upon +their impenitent companions, and bring them into the kingdom of his +grace. We trust, also, that a spirit of prayer was given to those of us +who took a prominent part in the meeting. At the termination of our +exercises, with the exception of a few lads belonging to a Tamul class, +who had lately been admitted to the seminary, there was not, so far as I +know, an individual connected with it, who was not humbled at the foot +of the cross, either to lie there until healed of his wounds, or to +show, if he perished, that he must perish under circumstances of a very +aggravated nature.</p> + +<p>After we had finished our meeting at Batticotta we went to the female +seminary at Oodooville, to hold similar meetings. Before we reached that +station, the church-members there, after having heard what God was doing +at Batticotta, became very much aroused to pray for the influences of +the Holy Spirit to descend upon the impenitent in their seminary also. +Soon after we reached the station, we held a meeting with the girls. +Some of them were then deeply concerned for the salvation of their +souls; but it was not until Wednesday afternoon, that we knew how +powerfully the Spirit of God had been at work. The meeting which we held +with the seminarists at that time was one of the most solemn meetings +which I ever attended. One of them, a girl of high caste, and of a very +good family, said to her companions in that meeting, "My sisters, I have +been a proud one among you. I hope that if you ever see me proud again, +you will tell me of it. I used to tell the missionaries, that I had +given myself to the Saviour, but I had not done it." Another of the +girls burst into tears, and cried out aloud. As she could not restrain +her feelings, and did not wish to disturb the assembly, she arose and +left it. She retired to one of the prayer-rooms adjoining the seminary, +there to weep alone. She, however, was not left alone. Mr. Poor, one of +my missionary associates, followed her, and endeavored to administer the +consolations of the Gospel to her; but she refused to be comforted. All +her distress seemed to arise from a single source. "I told you a +falsehood," said she, "last Monday, in saying that I had dedicated +myself to the Saviour, when I had not." Perhaps she thought at that +time, that she had thus dedicated herself to the Saviour, but +afterwards found that she had deceived herself. In this wretched state +of mind, she continued until half-past ten o'clock that night, when she +came into Mr. Spaulding's house, where I then was, and wished to know +what she must do to be saved. She was told, as she had often been told +before, that she must dedicate herself entirely to her Saviour. She went +away, and returned the same night at about half-past eleven o'clock, +saying, that she had found HIM.</p> + +<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'> +<span>"Friends, is not my case amazing?<br /></span> +<span class='i1'>What a Saviour I have found."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>My dear young friends, are there any of you who have never given your +hearts to Christ? If so, let me entreat you to follow the example of +that dear little girl of whom I have now been speaking. She found it to +be necessary to give her heart to the Saviour, and I hope that she did +give it to him. O that you too might give up your hearts to him. Alas, +if you do not, you must soon go down to eternal burnings where you will +be constrained to cry out, Lost, lost, lost for ever! Be careful, my +dear children, O be careful that this young girl does not rise up +against you in the last day, and condemn you. She must do so—she will +do so, if you do not, like her, choose Christ as your portion. But I am +digressing, and must go back to the point I left.</p> + +<p>The next day, one of our missionary sisters, who had lately reached +Ceylon from America, came to Oodooville, to witness the nature of the +work which she heard was in progress at that place. As she was entering +Mr. Spaulding's house, she was met by one of the most consistent +church-members of the seminary, who declared that she had lost her hope +of being a Christian. Perhaps this church-member was disposed to write +bitter things against herself because she did not feel all that warmth +in religion which marked the conduct of those who, at that time, were +indulging the hope that they had passed from death to life. After the +sister to whom I alluded had been in the house a little while, she +requested Mrs. Spaulding to allow her to have an interview with such of +the girls as were entertaining a hope of their interest in the Saviour. +These were twenty-two in number. This interview was granted. As she +knew nothing about the Tamul language, I acted as her interpreter. +Through me, she requested the girls to give a statement of their +feelings. One of them arose, and said, "I feel as happy as an angel. I +feel joys that I can express to no one but my Saviour; and I am just as +certain that my sins are forgiven, as if I had sent up a karduthaase," +that is, a letter to heaven, "and received an answer to it." Another of +the girls said, that the missionaries had often talked with her about +her dedicating herself to the Saviour, but that she did not then know +what it meant. "I now know," added she, "what it means, for God has +taught it to me." Another of the girls said, "Though they put me in the +fire, I will never forsake the Saviour."</p> + +<p>Now, my dear children, I must bid you farewell Probably I shall never +see you, unless you come to this heathen land, until I meet you at the +judgment-seat of Christ. If you do not become missionaries, most of you +will probably die, and be buried where you now are. Probably I shall die +in this heathen land. But we shall not always sleep in our graves. After +a little season, the archangel's trumpet will sound, and you in +America, and I in India, shall hear his voice proclaiming, "Awake, ye +dead, and come to judgment." And we shall all at once rise from our +graves, and stand before our Judge. And where shall I then see you? +Shall I see any of you on the left hand of Christ, and hear him say, +"Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and +his angels?" O, if I should hear that dreadful sentence pronounced +against you, how would my heart die within me. How could I bear to hear +it. Oh, I could not—I could not bear to hear it. My dear children, if +you are yet out of Christ, I entreat you, <i>at this very moment</i>, to lay +down this book, and throw yourselves at the feet of your Saviour. Tell +him, that you are lost sinners, deserving to be cast into everlasting +burnings. Tell him, that though you have been wicked children, you will +leave off your wickedness, and be his for ever. Plead with him, with as +much earnestness as a <i>drowning</i> man would plead with you to save him, +to give you the influences of his Holy Spirit, to create within you a +clean heart, and renew within you a right spirit, without which you are +eternally undone; and continue to plead, until he pardons you, and +receives you as his children. By all the sufferings of the Son of God, +by all the joys of heaven, by all the torments of hell, by the +solemnities of your dying bed, by the value of your immortal souls +<i>which, if once lost, must be lost for ever</i>, I beseech you thus +<i>immediately</i> to throw yourselves at his feet, and plead with him to +make you his. Neglect this duty—neglect giving yourselves to Christ, +even for one minute, and it may be, that you will be lost, yea, LOST FOR +EVER.</p> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13539 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + + diff --git a/13539-h/images/002.gif b/13539-h/images/002.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9094cb3 --- /dev/null +++ b/13539-h/images/002.gif diff --git a/13539-h/images/020.gif b/13539-h/images/020.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..45f6411 --- /dev/null +++ b/13539-h/images/020.gif diff --git a/13539-h/images/048.gif b/13539-h/images/048.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0f5bfd4 --- /dev/null +++ b/13539-h/images/048.gif diff --git a/13539-h/images/069.gif b/13539-h/images/069.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e1e8da1 --- /dev/null +++ b/13539-h/images/069.gif diff --git a/13539-h/images/070.gif b/13539-h/images/070.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b2ba427 --- /dev/null +++ b/13539-h/images/070.gif diff --git a/13539-h/images/071.gif b/13539-h/images/071.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1117841 --- /dev/null +++ b/13539-h/images/071.gif diff --git a/13539-h/images/081.gif b/13539-h/images/081.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..95a0440 --- /dev/null +++ b/13539-h/images/081.gif diff --git a/13539-h/images/087.gif b/13539-h/images/087.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3202a34 --- /dev/null +++ b/13539-h/images/087.gif diff --git a/13539-h/images/103.gif b/13539-h/images/103.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..423f004 --- /dev/null +++ b/13539-h/images/103.gif diff --git a/13539-h/images/117.gif b/13539-h/images/117.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ff0b6e7 --- /dev/null +++ b/13539-h/images/117.gif diff --git a/13539-h/images/120.gif b/13539-h/images/120.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..414f5d4 --- /dev/null +++ b/13539-h/images/120.gif diff --git a/13539-h/images/122.gif b/13539-h/images/122.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a5a5694 --- /dev/null +++ b/13539-h/images/122.gif diff --git a/13539-h/images/123a.gif b/13539-h/images/123a.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0d8de30 --- /dev/null +++ b/13539-h/images/123a.gif diff --git a/13539-h/images/123b.gif b/13539-h/images/123b.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..bbc17ce --- /dev/null +++ b/13539-h/images/123b.gif diff --git a/13539-h/images/135.gif b/13539-h/images/135.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ebf85ca --- /dev/null +++ b/13539-h/images/135.gif diff --git a/13539-h/images/184.gif b/13539-h/images/184.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6239081 --- /dev/null +++ b/13539-h/images/184.gif diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8355146 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #13539 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13539) diff --git a/old/13539-8.txt b/old/13539-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..baec0ce --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13539-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4124 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Dr. Scudder's Tales for Little Readers, +About the Heathen., by Dr. John Scudder + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Dr. Scudder's Tales for Little Readers, About the Heathen. + +Author: Dr. John Scudder + +Release Date: September 27, 2004 [EBook #13539] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DR. SCUDDER'S TALES *** + + + + +Produced by Stephen Schulze and the PG Online Distributed Proofreaders +Team + + + + + + + + + +DR. SCUDDER'S + +TALES FOR LITTLE READERS, + +ABOUT THE HEATHEN. + + + +1849 + + +The following work, so far as the Hindoos are concerned, is principally +a compilation from the writings of Duff, Dubois, and others. + +Should the eyes of any Christian father or mother rest upon it, I would +ask them if they have not a son or a daughter to dedicate to the +_missionary_ work. The duty of devoting themselves to this work of +Christ, or at least, of consecrating to it their money, their efforts, +and their prayers, is the great duty to be perseveringly and prayerfully +impressed on the minds of our children. A generation thus trained would, +with aid from on high, soon effect the moral revolution of the world. +Blessed will be that father, blessed will be that mother, who shall take +any part in such a training. And I would add, too, blessed will be that +pastor, and blessed will be that Sabbath-school teacher, who shall come +up to their help. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +CHAPTER I. + +General Remarks + +CHAPTER II. + +The Color and Ornaments of the Hindoos + +CHAPTER III. + +Dress, Houses, Eating, and Salutation of the Hindoos + +CHAPTER IV. + +Marriage among the Hindoos + +CHAPTER V. + +Death and Funerals among the Hindoos + +CHAPTER VI. + +The Gods of the Hindoos + +CHAPTER VII. + +The Three Hundred and Thirty Millions of the Gods of the Hindoos--The +Creation of the Universe--The Transmigration of Souls--The different +Hells + +CHAPTER VIII. + +Hindoo Castes + +CHAPTER IX. + +Hindoo Temples--Cars--Procession of Idols + +CHAPTER X. + +Festivals of the Hindoos + +CHAPTER XI. + +The worship of the Serpent + +CHAPTER XII. + +The River Ganges + +CHAPTER XIII. + +The Goddess Durga + +CHAPTER XIV. + +The Goddess Karle + +CHAPTER XV. + +Self-tortures of the Hindoos + +Chapter XVI. + +The Suttee, or Burning of Widows + +CHAPTER XVII. + +The revengeful Nature of the Hindoo Religion + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +The Deception of the Hindoos + +CHAPTER XIX. + +Superstition of the Hindoos + +CHAPTER XX. + +Burmah, China, etc., etc. + +CHAPTER XXI. + +The duty of Praying and Contributing for the Spread of the Gospel + +CHAPTER XXII. + +Personal Labors among the Heathen + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +Success of the Gospel in India and Ceylon + + + + +DR. SCUDDER'S + +TALES FOR LITTLE READERS, + +ABOUT THE HEATHEN. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +GENERAL REMARKS + + +My dear children--When I was a little boy, my dear mother taught me, +with the exception of the last line, the following prayer: + + "Now I lay me down to sleep, + I pray the Lord my soul to keep; + If I should die before I wake, + I pray the Lord my soul to take; + And this I ask for Jesus' sake." + +Though I am now more than fifty years old, I often like to say this +prayer before I go to sleep. Have you ever learned it, my dear +children? If you have not, I hope that you will learn it _now_; and I +hope, too, that when you say your other prayers at night, you will also +say this. I think that you would be glad to see how this prayer looks in +the Tamul language--the language in which I am now preaching the Gospel, +and in which I hope that some of you will hereafter tell the heathen of +the Saviour. The following is a translation of it: + +[Illustration: The Lord's Prayer in Tamul] + +I wish that all the little heathen children knew this prayer; but their +fathers and mothers do not teach it to them. Their fathers and mothers +teach them to pray to gods of gold, or brass, or stone. They take them, +while they are very young, to their temples, and teach them to put up +their hands before an idol, and say, "Swammie." Swammie means Lord. As +idolatry is the root of all sin, these children, as you may suppose, in +early life become very wicked. They disobey their parents, speak bad +words, call ill names, swear, steal, and tell lies. They also throw +themselves on the ground in anger, and in their rage they tear their +hair, or throw dirt over their heads, and do many other wicked things. + +Let me give you an instance, to show you how they will speak bad words. +A few months ago, a little girl about twelve years of age was brought to +me, with two tumors in her back. To cut them out, I had to make an +incision about eight inches in length; and as one of these tumors had +extended under the shoulder-blade she suffered much before the operation +was finished. While I was operating she cried out, "I will pull out my +eyes." "I will pull out my tongue." "Kurn kertta tayvun." The +translation of this is, "The blind-eyed god." By this expression, she +meant to say, "What kind of a god are you, not to look upon me, and help +me in my distress?" If this little girl had had a Christian father to +teach her to love the Saviour, she would not have used such bad +language. But this father was even more wicked than his daughter, +inasmuch as those who grow old in sin, are worse than those who have not +sinned so long. I never saw a more hard-hearted parent. That he was so, +will appear from his conduct after the operation was finished. He left +his daughter, and went off to his home, about forty miles distant. +Before going, he said to his wife, or to one who came with her, "If the +child gets well, bring her home; if she dies, take her away and bury +her." + +I hope, my dear children, that when you think of the wicked little girl +just mentioned, you will be warned never to speak bad words. God will be +very angry with you, if you do. Did you never read what is said in 2 +Kings, 2d chapter and 23d verse, about the little children who mocked +the prophet Elijah, and spoke bad words to him. O, how sorry must they +have felt for their conduct, when they saw the paws of those great bears +lifted up to tear them in pieces, and which did tear them in pieces. +Besides all this, little children who speak bad words can never go to +heaven. God will cast them into the great fire. Have you ever spoken bad +words? If so, God is angry with you, and he will not forgive you unless +you are sorry that you have done so, and seek his forgiveness through +the blood of his dear Son. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE COLOR AND ORNAMENTS OF THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear children--If you will take a piece of mahogany in your hands, +and view its different shades, you will have a pretty good +representation of the color of a large class of this heathen people--I +say, of a large class, for there is a great variety of colors. Some +appear to be almost of a bronze color. Some are quite black. It is +difficult to account for the different colors which we often see in the +same family. For instance, one child will be of the reddish hue to which +I just referred; another will be quite dark. When I was in Ceylon, two +sisters of this description joined my church. One was called Sevappe, or +the red one; the other was called Karappe, or the black one. + +This people very much resemble the English and Americans in their +features. Many of them are very beautiful. This remark will apply +particularly to children, and more especially to the children of +Brahmins and others, who are delicately brought up. But however +beautiful any of this people may be, they try to make themselves appear +more so, by the ornaments which they wear. These ornaments are of very +different kinds, and are made of gold, silver, brass, precious stones, +or glass. All are fond of ear-rings. Sometimes four or five are worn in +each ear, consisting of solid gold, the lower one being the largest, and +the upper one the smallest. Some men wear a gold ornament attached to +the middle of the ear, in which a precious stone is inserted. Sometimes +they wear very large circular ear-rings, made of the wire of copper, +around which gold is twisted so as to cover every part of it. These are +frequently ornamented with precious stones. The females, in addition to +ear-rings, have an ornament which passes through the rim of the ear, +near the head, half of it being seen above the rim, and half of it below +it. An ornamental chain is sometimes attached to this, which goes some +distance back, when it is lost in the hair. They sometimes also wear a +jewel in the middle of the rim of the ear, and another on that little +forward point which strikes your finger when you attempt to put it into +the ear. Nose jewels also are worn. Sometimes three are worn at the +same time. Holes are made through each side of the lower part of the +nose, and through the cartilage, or that substance which divides the +nostrils, through which they are suspended. The higher and wealthier +females wear a profusion of ornaments of gold and pearls around the +neck. + +A very pretty ornament, about three inches in diameter, having the +appearance of gold, is also frequently worn by them on that part of the +head where the females in America put up their hair in a knot. In +addition to this, the little girls sometimes wear one or two similar but +smaller ornaments below this, as well as an ornament at the end of the +long braid of hair which hangs down over the middle of their backs. +Occasionally the whole, or the greater part of this braid is covered +with an ornament of the same materials with those just described. They +also wear an ornament extending from the crown of the head to the +forehead, just in that spot where the little girls to whom I am writing +part their hair. Attached to this, I have seen a circular piece of gold +filled with rubies. Rings are worn on the toes as well as on the +fingers, and bracelets of gold or silver on the wrists. Anklets similar +to bracelets, and tinkling ornaments are worn on the ankles. The poor, +who cannot afford to wear gold or silver bracelets, have them made of +glass stained with different colors. I have seen nearly a dozen on each +wrist. + +The little boys wear gold or silver bracelets; also gold or silver +anklets. I just alluded to finger-rings. I have seen a dozen on the same +hand. In this part of the country, the little opening which is made in +the ears of the children is gradually distended until it becomes very +large. At first, the opening is only large enough to admit a wire. After +this has been worn for a short time, a knife is introduced into the ear +in the direction of the opening, and an incision made large enough to +admit a little cotton. This is succeeded by a roll of oiled cloth, and +by a peculiar shrub, the English name of which, if it has any, I do not +know. When the hole becomes sufficiently large, a heavy ring of lead, +about an inch in diameter, is introduced. This soon increases the size +of the opening to such an extent, that a second, and afterwards a third, +a fourth, and a fifth ring are added. By these weights, the lower parts +of the ear are drawn down sometimes very nearly, or quite to the +shoulders. Not unfrequently the little girls, when they run, are obliged +to catch hold of these rings to prevent the injury which they would +receive by their striking against their necks. I need hardly say, that +in due time, these rings are removed, and ornamented rings are +substituted. + +A different plan is pursued with the Mohammedan little girls. They have +their ears bored from the top to the bottom of the ear. The openings +which are at first made are small, and are never enlarged. A ring is +inserted in each of these openings. I have seen a little girl to-day in +whose ears I counted twenty-four rings. + +Flowers in great profusion are sometimes used to add to the adornment of +the jewels. + +I cannot conclude my account of the jewels of the little girls, without +giving you a description of the appearance of a little patient of mine +who came here a few days ago, loaded with trinkets. I will give it in +the words of my daughter, which she wrote in part while the girl was +here. "On the 17th, a little dancing-girl came to see us. She was +adorned with many jewels, some of which were very beautiful. The jewel +in the top of the ear was a circle, nearly the size of a dollar. It was +set with rubies. Nine pearls were suspended from it. In the middle of +the ear was a jewel of a diamond shape, set with rubies and pearls. The +lowest jewel in the ear was shaped like a bell. It was set with rubies, +and from it hung a row of pearls. Close by the ear, suspended from the +hair, was a jewel which reached below her ear. It consisted of six bells +of gold, one above the other. Around each was a small row of pearls, +which reached nearly to the bell below, thus forming a jewel resembling +very many drops of pearls. It is the most beautiful jewel that I ever +saw. In the right side of her nose was a white stone, set with gold, in +the shape of a star. From it hung a large pearl. There was a hole bored +in the partition between the nostrils. This hole had a jewel in it, +about an inch in length, in the middle of which was a white stone with a +ruby on each side. It also had a ruby on the top. From the white stone +hung another, of a similar color, attached to it by a piece of gold. In +the left side of the nose was a jewel about an inch in diameter. It was +somewhat in the shape of a half-moon, and was set with rubies, pearls, +emeralds, etc. etc. This jewel hung below her mouth. On the back of her +head was a large, round gold piece, three inches in diameter. Another +piece about two inches in diameter, hung below this. Her hair was +braided in one braid, and hung down her back. At the bottom of this were +three large tassels of silk, mounted with gold. Her eyebrows and +eyelashes were painted with black. Her neck was covered with jewels of +such beauty, and of such a variety, that it is impossible for me to +describe them. Around her ankles were large rings which looked like +braided silver. To these were attached very many little bells, which +rung as she walked. I believe all dancing-girls wear these rings. We +felt very sad when we thought that she was dedicated to a life of infamy +and shame." + +There is an ornament worn by the followers of the god Siva, on their +arms, or necks, or in their hair. It is called the _lingum_. The nature +of this is so utterly abominable, that I cannot tell you a word about +it. + +Married women wear an ornament peculiar to themselves. It is called the +tahly. It is a piece of gold, on which is engraven the image of some one +of their gods. This is fastened around the neck by a short yellow +string, containing one hundred and eight threads of great fineness. +Various ceremonies are performed before it is applied, and the gods, of +whom I will tell you something by and by, with their wives, are called +upon to give their blessing. When these ceremonies are finished, the +tahly is brought on a waiter, ornamented with sweet-smelling flowers, +and is tied by the bridegroom to the neck of the bride. This ornament is +never taken off, unless her husband dies. In such a case she is deprived +of it, to wear it no more for ever--deprived of it, after various +ceremonies, by her nearest female relative, who cuts the thread by which +it is suspended, and removes it. After this a barber is called, who +shaves her head, and she becomes, in the eyes of the people, a +_despised_ widow--no more to wear any ornament about her neck but a +plain one--no more to stain her face with yellow water, nor to wear on +her forehead those marks which are considered by the natives as among +their chief ornaments. + +I have now told you something about the jewels of this people. I hope +that you will never be disposed to imitate them, and load your bodies +with such useless things. They are not only useless, but tend to +encourage pride and vanity. All that you need is, the "Pearl of great +price," even Jesus. Adorn yourself with this Pearl, and you will be +beautiful indeed--beautiful even in the sight of your heavenly Father. +Have you this Pearl of great price, my dear children? Tell me, have you +this Pearl of great price? If you have not, what have you? + +I just now alluded to those marks which the natives consider among their +chief ornaments. These are different among different sects. The +followers of Siva rub ashes on their foreheads. These ashes are +generally prepared by burning what in the Tamul language is called +[Tamul:] _chaarne._ They also apply these ashes in streaks, generally +three together, on their breasts, and on their arms. Some besmear their +whole bodies with them. + +The followers of Vrishnoo wear a very different ornament from that just +described. It consists of a perpendicular line drawn on the forehead, +generally of a red or yellow color, and a white line on each side of it, +which unite at the bottom with the middle line, and form a trident. + +Another ornament consists of a small circle, which is called pottu. This +is stamped in the middle of the forehead. Sometimes it is red, sometimes +yellow or black. Large numbers of women, in this part of the country, +wash their faces with a yellow water, made so by dissolving in it a +paste made of a yellow root and common shell-lime. The Brahmins +frequently instead of rubbing ashes, draw a horizontal line over the +middle of their foreheads, to show that they have bathed and are pure. +Sometimes the people ornament themselves with a paste of sandal-wood. +They rub themselves from head to foot with it. This has a very +odoriferous smell. + +When the people are loaded with jewels, and covered with the marks which +I have just described they think themselves to be highly ornamented But +after all, "they are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear +beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all +uncleanness." The "Pearl of great price," to which I before alluded, +the only Pearl which is of any value in the sight of Him who looketh at +the heart, and not at the outward appearance, they possess not. Millions +in this Eastern world have never even heard of it. O how incessantly +ought you to pray that they may come into possession of it. How gladly +should you give your money to send it to them. I wish, in this place, to +ask you one question. Who of you expect, by and by, to become +missionaries to this land, to tell this people of the Pearl of great +price? + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +DRESS, HOUSES, EATING, AND SALUTATION OF THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear Children--The dress of the Hindoos is very simple. A single +piece of cloth uncut, about three yards in length and one in width, +wrapped round the loins, with a shawl thrown over the shoulders, +constitutes the usual apparel of the people of respectability. These +garments are often fringed with red silk or gold. The native ladies +frequently almost encase themselves in cloth or silk. Under such +circumstances, their cloths are perhaps twenty yards in length. Most of +the native gentlemen now wear turbans, an ornament which they have +borrowed from the Mohammedans This consists of a long piece of very fine +stuff, sometimes twenty yards in length and one in breadth. With this +they encircle the head in many folds. + +Those who are employed by European or Mohammedan princes, wear a long +robe of muslin, or very fine cloth. This also, is in imitation of the +Mohammedans, and was formerly unknown in the country. + +The houses of the Hindoos are generally very plainly built. In the +country, they are commonly made of earth, and thatched with straw. In +the cities, they are covered with tiles. The kitchen is situated in the +most retired part of the house. In the houses of the Brahmins, the +kitchen-door is always barred, to prevent strangers from looking upon +their earthen vessels; for if they should happen to see them, their look +would pollute them to such a degree that they must be broken to pieces. +The hearth is generally placed on the south-west side, which is said to +be the side of the _god of fire_, because they say that this god +actually dwells there. + +The domestic customs of this people are very different from ours. The +men and women do not eat together. The husband first eats, then the +wife. The wife waits upon the husband After she has cooked the rice, she +brings a brass plate, if they are possessors of one; or if not, a piece +of a plantain-leaf, and puts it down on the mat before him. She then +bails out the rice, places it upon the leaf, and afterwards pours the +currie over it. This being done, the husband proceeds to mix up the +currie and the rice with his hands, and puts it into his mouth. He never +uses a knife and fork, as is customary with us. The currie of which I +have spoken is a sauce of a yellow color, owing to the _munchel_, a +yellow root which they put in it. This and onions, kottamaly-seeds +mustard, serakum, pepper, etc., constitute the ingredients of the +currie. Some add to these ghea, or melted butter, and cocoa-nut milk. By +the cocoa-nut milk, I do not mean the water of the cocoa-nut. +This--except in the very young cocoa-nut, when it is a most delicious +beverage--is never used. The milk is squeezed from the _meat_ of the +cocoa-nut, after it has been reduced to a pulp by means of an indented +circular iron which they use for this purpose. + +After the husband has eaten, the wife brings water for him to wash his +hands. This being done, she supplies him with vettalay, paakku, +shell-lime, and tobacco, which he puts into his mouth as his dessert. +The vettalay is a very spicy leaf. Why they use paakku, I do not know. +It is a nut, which they cut into small pieces, but it has not much +taste. Sometimes the wife brings her husband a segar. This people, I am +sorry to say, are great smokers and chewers, practices of which I hope +that you, my dear children, will never be guilty. In Ceylon, it is +customary for females to smoke. Frequently, after the husband has smoked +for a while, he hands the segar to his wife. She then puts it into her +mouth, and smokes. + +Several years ago, one of the schoolmasters in that island became a +Christian. After he had partaken of the Lord's supper, his wife +considered him so defiled, that she would not put his segar into her +mouth for a month afterwards. She, however, has since become a +Christian. + +I spoke just now of the plantain-leaf. This leaf is sometimes six feet +long, and in some places a foot and a half wide. It is an unbroken leaf, +with a large stem running through the middle of it. It is one of the +handsomest of leaves. Pieces enough can be torn from a single leaf, to +take the place of a dozen plates. When quite young, it is an excellent +application to surfaces which have been blistered. + +When this people eat, they do not use tables and chairs. They sit down +on mats, and double their legs under them, after the manner of our +friends the tailors in America, when they sew. This is the way in which +the natives as a general thing, sit in our churches. It is not common to +have benches or pews for them. Carpenters and other tradesmen also sit +down either on a board, or on the ground, or on their legs, when they +work. It would divert you much to see their manoeuvring. If a carpenter, +for instance, wants to make a little peg, he will take a small piece of +board, and place it in an erect position between his feet, the soles of +which are turned inward so as to press upon the board. He then takes +his chisel in one hand, and his mallet in the other, and cuts off a +small piece. Afterwards he holds the piece in one hand, and while he +shapes it with his chisel with the other, he steadies it by pressing it +against his great toe. + +[Illustration] + +The blacksmiths, with the exception of those who use the sledge-hammer, +sit as do the carpenters while they hammer the iron. I wish you could +see them at work with their simple apparatus. They have small anvils, +which they place in a hole made in a log of wood which is buried in the +ground. They do not use such bellows as you see in America. + +Theirs consist of two leather bags, about a foot wide and a foot and a +half long, each having a nozzle at one end. The other end is left open +to admit the air. When they wish to blow the fire, they extend these +bags to let in the air. They then close them by means of the thumb on +one side, and the fingers on the other, and press them down towards the +nozzle of the bellows, which forces the air through them into the fire. +I should have said before, that the nozzle of the bellows passes through +a small semicircular mound of dried mud. + +I mentioned that the natives do not use tables and chairs in their +houses. Neither do they, as a general thing, use bedsteads. They have no +beds. They sleep on mats, which are spread down on the floor. Sometimes +they use a cotton bolster for their heads. More generally their pillows +are hard boards, which they put under the mat. In addition to cooking, +the females have to prepare the rice for this purpose, by taking it out +of the husk. This they do by beating it in a mortar about two feet high. +The pestle with which they pound it, is about five feet long, made of +wood, with an iron rim around the lower part of it. Three women can +work at these mortars at the same time. Of course they have to be very +skilful in the use of the pestle, so as not to interfere with each +others' operations. Sometimes, while thus engaged, the children, who are +generally at play near their mothers, put their hands on the edge of the +mortars. In such cases, when the pestle happens to strike the edge, +their fingers are taken off in a moment. + +The Hindoos have many modes of salutation. In some places they raise +their right hand to the heart. In others, they simply stretch it out +towards the person who is passing, if they know him, for they never +salute persons with whom they are not acquainted. + +In many places there is no show of salutation. When they meet their +acquaintances they content themselves by saying a friendly word or two +in passing, and then pursue their way. They have borrowed the word +_salam_ from the Mohammedans. They salute both Mohammedans and Europeans +with this word, at the same time raising their hand to the forehead. +When they address persons of high rank, they give them their _salam_ +thrice, touching the ground as often with both hands, and then lifting +them up to their foreheads. + +The other castes salute the Brahmins by joining the hands and elevating +them to the forehead, or sometimes over the head. It is accompanied with +_andamayya_, which means, Hail, respected lord. The Brahmins stretch out +their hands and say, _aaseervaathum_--benediction. + +Another very respectful kind of salutation consists in lowering both +hands to the feet of the person to be honored, or even in falling-down +and embracing them. + +Of all the forms of salutation, the most respectful is the +_shaashtaangkum_, or prostration, in which the feet, the knees, the +stomach, the head, and the arms, all touch the ground. In doing this, +they throw themselves at their whole length on the ground, and stretch +out both arms above their heads. This is practised before priests, and +in the presence of an assembly, when they appear before it to beg pardon +for a crime. + +Relations, who have long been separated, testify their joy when they +meet by chucking each other under the chin, and shedding tears of joy. +I am not aware that grown persons ever kiss each other. Sometimes +mothers, or other individuals, will put their noses to the cheeks of +little children, and draw the air through them, just as we do when we +smell any thing which is agreeable. At other times they will apply the +thumb and first finger to the cheek of the child, and then apply them to +their own noses, and, as it were, smell them. + +The women, as a mark of respect, turn their backs, or at least their +faces aside, when they are in the presence of those whom they highly +esteem. They are never permitted to sit in the presence of men. A +married woman cannot do this, even in the presence of her husband. + +If a person meets another of high rank, he must leave the path, if on +foot, or alight, if on horseback, and remain standing until he has +passed. He must at the same time take off his slippers. He also must +take off his slippers when he enters a house. Should he fail to do this, +it would be considered a great impropriety. + +In addressing a person of note, they mast keep at a certain distance +from him, and cover their mouths with their hands while they are +speaking, lest their breath, or a particle of moisture, should escape +to trouble him. + +When the Hindoos visit a person of distinction for the first time, +civility requires them to take some present as a mark of respect, or to +show that they come with a friendly intention; especially if they wish +to ask some favor in return. When they have not the means of making +large presents, they carry with them sugar, plantains, milk, and other +things of this kind. + +In case of mourning, visits must always be made, though at a distance of +a hundred miles. Letters of condolence would by no means be received as +a substitute. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +MARRIAGE AMONG THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear Children--Marriage, to the Hindoos is the greatest event of +their lives. In the celebration of it, many ceremonies are performed Of +these I will mention some of the most important. If the father of the +young girl is a Brahmin, and if he is rich and liberal, he will +frequently bear all the expenses of the marriage of his daughter. To +give a daughter in marriage and to sell her, are about the same thing. +Almost every parent makes his daughter an article of traffic, refusing +to give her up until the sum of money for which he consented to let her +go, is paid. Men of distinction generally lay out this money for jewels, +which they present to their daughters on their wedding-day. You will +infer from what I have just said, that the parties to be married have +nothing to do in the choice of each other. + +There are properly but four months in the year in which marriages can +take place, namely March, April, May, and June. This probably arises +from the circumstance that these are the hottest seasons of the +year--the seasons when the people have more leisure to attend to them. +From the harvest, also, which has just been gathered in, they are +provided with means to perform the various ceremonies. + +The marriage ceremony lasts five days. The bride and bridegroom are +first placed under a puntel, a kind of bower, covered with leaves, in +front of the house. This is superbly adorned. The married women then +come forward, and perform the ceremony called _arati_, which is as +follows. Upon a plate of copper, they place a lamp made of a paste from +rice flour. It is supplied with oil, and lighted. They then take hold of +the plate with both hands, and raise it as high as the heads of the +couple to be married, and describe a number of circles with the plate +and lamp. This is to prevent the evil of any jealous looks, which +certain persons might make. The Hindoos believe that great evils arise +from wicked looks. They consider that even the gods themselves are not +out of the reach of malicious eyes; and therefore after they have been +carried through the streets, the ceremony of arati is always performed, +to efface the evil which they may have suffered from these looks. + +It ought to have been mentioned, that before any thing is done, they +place an image of Pullian under the puntel. This god is much honored +because he is much feared. And although the great ugliness of his +appearance has hitherto kept him without a wife, they never fail to pay +him the greatest attention, lest he should in some way or other injure +them. + +After arati and many other ceremonies are performed, the kankanan, which +is merely a bit of saffron, is tied to the right wrist of the young +man, and to the left wrist of the girl. This is done with great +solemnity. Another remarkable ceremony succeeds this. The young man +being seated with his face towards the east, his future father-in-law +supposes that he beholds in him the great Vrishnoo. With this +impression, he offers him a sacrifice, and then, making him put both of +his feet in a new dish filled with cow-dung, he first washes them with +water, then with milk, and again with water, accompanying the whole with +suitable muntrums or prayers. + +After many other ceremonies, he takes the hand of his daughter and puts +it into that of his son-in-law. He then pours water over them in honor +of Vrishnoo. This is the most solemn of all the ceremonies, being the +token of his resigning his daughter to the authority of the young man. +She must be accompanied with three gifts, namely, one or more cows, some +property in land, and a _salagrama_, which consists of some little +amulet stones in high esteem among the Brahmins. This ceremony being +finished, the tahly is brought to be fastened to the neck of the bride. +This, as I before said, is presented on a salver, decked and garnished +with sweet-smelling flowers. Incense is offered to it, and it is +presented to the assistants each of whom touches it and invokes +blessings upon it. The bride then turning towards the East, the +bridegroom takes the tahly, repeats a muntrum or prayer aloud, and ties +it around her neck. + +Fire is then brought in, upon which the bridegroom offers up the +sacrifice of _homam_, which consists of throwing boiled rice with melted +butter upon the fire. He then takes his bride by the hand, and they walk +three times around it, while the incense is blazing. + +There is another ceremony, which, perhaps, ought to be mentioned, as it +is considered by some to be one of much importance. Two baskets of +bamboo are placed close together, one for the bride, the other for the +bridegroom. They step into them, and two other baskets being brought, +filled with ground rice, the husband takes up one with both hands and +pours the contents over the head of the bride. She does the same to him. +In the marriage of great princes pearls are sometimes used instead of +rice. + +On the evening of the third day, when the constellations appear, the +astrologer points out to the married pair a very small star, close to +the middle or in the tail of _Ursa Major_, which he directs them to +worship, and which he says is the wife of Vasestha. + +While the assembled guests, are dining, the bridegroom and the bride +also partake, and eat together from the same plate. This is a token of +the closest union. This is the only instance in which they ever eat +together. + +After all the ceremonies are finished, a procession is made through the +streets of the village It commonly takes place in the night, by +torchlight, accompanied with fire-works. The newly married pair are +seated in one palanquin with their faces towards each other, both richly +dressed. The bride, in particular, is generally covered with jewels and +precious stones. + +The procession moves slowly; and their friends and relations come out of +their houses, as they pass; the women hailing the married couple with +the ceremony of _arati_, and the men with presents of silver, fruits, +sugar, and betel. I once witnessed one of these marriage processions in +the streets of Madras at night, but can give you but little idea of its +magnificence. The lamps used on the occasion could not be numbered. The +shrubbery, which was drawn on carts or other vehicles, appeared +exceedingly beautiful, in consequence of the light reflected from the +lamps. Intermingled with this shrubbery, were to be seen little girls +elegantly dressed, and adorned with flowers on their heads. Many +elephants, with their trappings of gold and silver and red, formed a +part of the procession. Fire-works were also added to make the scene +more brilliant. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +DEATH AND FUNERALS OF THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear Children--The death of a Hindoo is followed by many ridiculous +ceremonies. I will give you a description of a few, connected with the +death of one who has moved in one of the higher ranks--of a Brahmin. + +[Illustration] + +When it is evident that a Brahmin has but a little time to live, a space +is prepared with earth, well spread with cow-dung, over which a cloth, +that has never been worn, is spread. The dying man is placed upon this +at full length. Another cloth is wrapped around his loins. This being +done, the ceremony of expiating his sins is performed as follows. The +chief of the funeral brings on one plate some small pieces of silver or +copper coin, and on another the punchakaryam, etc. A little of this +punchakaryam is then put into his mouth, and, by virtue of this nauseous +draught, the body is perfectly purified. Besides this, there is a +general cleansing, which is accomplished by making the dying man recite +within himself, if he cannot speak, the proper muntrums, by which he is +delivered from all his sins. After this, a cow is introduced with her +calf. Her horns are decorated with rings of gold or brass, and her neck +with garlands of flowers. A pure cloth is laid over her body. Thus +decked, she is led up to the sick man, who takes hold of her tail. +Prayers are now offered up that the cow may conduct him, by a blessed +path, to the next world. He then makes a gift of a cow to a Brahmin. +This gift is considered indispensable to enable the soul to go over the +river of fire, which it is said all must pass after death. Those who +have made this gift, are met by one of these favored creatures the +moment they arrive at the bank of the stream, and by her help, they are +enabled to pass without injury from the flames. + +As soon as the breath has left his body, all who are present must weep +for a reasonable time, and join in lamentations together. + +After various ceremonies, the body is washed, and a barber is called to +shave his head. He is then clad with his finest clothes and adorned with +jewels. He is rubbed with sandal-wood where the body is uncovered, and +the accustomed mark is put upon his forehead. Thus dressed he is placed +on a kind of state bed, where he remains until he is carried to the +pile. + +After every preparation is made to bear away the corpse, the person who +is to conduct the funeral, with the assistance of some relative or +friend, strips it of its clothing and jewels, and covers it with a +handkerchief provided for the occasion. The corpse is then placed on a +litter. Those who die in a state of marriage, have their faces left +uncovered. The litter, adorned with flowers and foliage, and sometimes +decked with valuable stuffs, is borne by four Brahmins. The procession +is arranged as follows. + +The chief of the funeral marches foremost, carrying fire in a vessel. +The body follows, attended by the relations and friends, without their +turbans, and with nothing on their heads but a bit of cloth, in token of +mourning. The women never attend the funeral, but remain in the house, +where they set up a hideous cry when the corpse is taken out. While +advancing on the road, the custom is to stop three times on the way, +and, at each pause, to put into the mouth of the dead a morsel of +unboiled rice, moistened. The object of stopping is considered to be +very important. It is not without reason; for they say that persons +supposed to be dead have been alive, or even when lifeless have been +restored; and sometimes, also, it has happened that the gods of the +infernal regions have mistaken their aim, and seized one person instead +of another. In any view, it is right to afford the opportunity for +correcting these mistakes, so as not to expose to the flames a person +who is still alive. Hence the propriety of these pauses, each of which +continues half of the quarter of an hour. + +Having arrived at the place for burning the dead, they dig a trench +about six or seven feet in length. This is consecrated by the muntrums. +It is slightly sprinkled with water to lay the dust, and a few pieces of +money in gold are scattered upon it. Here the pile is erected of dried +wood, on which the body is laid out at full length. Over the body a +quantity of twigs are laid, which are sprinkled with punchakaryam The +chief of the funeral then takes on his shoulders a pitcher of water, and +goes around the pile three times, letting the water run through a hole +made in it. After this he breaks the pitcher in pieces near the head of +the corpse. + +At last the torch is brought for setting fire to the pile, and is handed +to the chief of the funeral. Before he receives it, however, he is +obliged to make some grimaces to prove his sorrow. He rolls about on the +ground, beats his breast, and makes the air resound with his cries. The +assistants also cry, or appear to cry. Fire being applied to the four +corners of the pile, the crowd retire, except the four Brahmins who +carried the body; they remain until the whole is consumed. + +The funerals of the Sudras differ in some particulars from those of the +Brahmins. Deafening sounds of drums, trumpets, and other instruments of +music, not in use among the Brahmins, accompany their funerals. To +increase the noise, they sometimes shoot off an instrument which +somewhat resembles a small cannon. I do not now think of any other +particular worthy of mention. + +By the ceremonies which are performed at their funerals, this wretched +people expect to secure the pardon of all the sins of those who have +died. Alas, what a delusion! O, that Christians had sent the Gospel to +this dark land in the days when they sent it to our heathen fathers. +Then might the Hindoos now be seeking the expiation of their sins, +through the blood of the ever-blessed Redeemer. Of this Redeemer, +however, they know nothing. They enter eternity, not that their souls +may be consumed as their bodies have been, but to endure the flames of +divine wrath for ever and ever. Alas, alas, that it should be so! O, +that the generation of Christians now living would lay these things to +heart, and do what they can, through grace, to rescue those who are yet +within the reach of hope from so tremendous a doom. What, my dear +children, will you do for this purpose? + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE GODS OF THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear Children--The word heathen is applied to those who worship +idols, or who do not know any thing about the true God. This is the case +with this people. They say that there is one supreme being, whom they +call BRAHM; but he is very different from Jehovah, and is never +worshipped. Generally, he is fast asleep. In the place of Brahm, they +worship many gods--gods of all colors: some black, some white, some +blue, some red--gods of all shapes and sizes: some in the shape of +beasts, some in the shape of men; some partly in the shape of beasts, +and partly in the shape of men, having four, or ten, or a hundred, or a +thousand eyes, heads, and hands. They ride through the air on elephants, +buffaloes, lions, sheep, deer, goats, peacocks, vultures, geese, +serpents, and rats. They hold in their hands all kinds of weapons, +offensive and defensive, thunderbolts javelins, spears, clubs, bows, +arrows, shields, flags, and shells. They are of all employments. There +are gods of the heavens above and of the earth below, gods of wisdom and +of folly, gods of war and of peace, gods of good and of evil, gods of +pleasure, gods of cruelty and wrath, whose thirst must be satiated with +torrents of blood. These gods fight and quarrel with one another. They +lie, steal, commit adultery, murder, and other crimes. They pour out +their curses when they cannot succeed in their wicked plots, and invent +all kinds of lying tales to hide their wickedness. + +There are three principal gods, who compose what is called the Hindoo +triad. Their names are Brumha, Vrishnoo, and Siva. They were somehow +drawn from Brahm's essence, on one occasion when he was awake. Brumha, +they say, is the creator of the world, Vrishnoo the preserver, and Siva +the destroyer. Brumha has no temple erected for his worship, on account +of a great falsehood which he told. I will tell you what it was. Once, +as it is said, there was a dispute between him and Vrishnoo, as to who +is the greatest. While thus disputing, Siva appeared between the two as +a fire-post and told them that he who would find the bottom or the top +of the post first, would show that he is the greatest. Vrishnoo +immediately changed himself into a hog, and began to root up the earth +with the hope of finding the bottom of the post. Brumha changed himself +into a swan, flew up towards the top of the post, and cried out, I have +found it, when he had not. This, you know, my dear children, was a +falsehood. For this falsehood, it is said, no temple is erected for his +worship. + +Vrishnoo was a thief and a liar. He was once dwelling in the house of a +dairyman, and he used constantly to be stealing butter and curdled milk +from the dairyman's wife. She did not know, for a long time, what became +of her butter and curdled milk; but at last she found out that Vrishnoo +was the thief. To punish him for his theft, she tied him to a rice +mortar. + +Siva's conduct was very bad. I will tell you but one thing about him. On +one occasion he was playing at cards with his wife Parvathe. Vrishnoo +was appointed to determine who was the best player. After playing for a +little season Parvathe won the game. Siva then beckoned to Vrishnoo to +declare that he, instead of Parvathe, had won it. This he did. In +consequence of this falsehood, he was cursed by Parvathe, and changed +into a snake. + +And now, my dear children, why do I tell you about these gods? I tell +you for the purpose of making you thankful that you were born in a +Christian land, where you have the Bible to teach you better things. Had +you not the Bible, you would worship just such wretched beings as these +poor Hindoos worship. Perhaps you know that our Saxon fathers, before +they had the Bible, were as great idolaters as are this people. They +worshipped Thor and Woden and other similar idols, and they were even in +the habit of offering up human sacrifices Surely, if there is any thing +which should make you give your hearts to your Saviour and love him +above all things, it is God's gift of the Bible to you. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY MILLIONS OF THE GODS OF THE HINDOOS--THE +CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE--THE TRANSMIGRATION OF SOULS--THE DIFFERENT +HELLS. + + +My dear children--I told you that in one of those seasons when Brahm was +awake, Brumha, Vrishnoo, and Siva were somehow drawn from Brahm's +essence. The three hundred and thirty millions of the gods of the +Hindoos were also drawn from this essence; as were all the atoms which +compose the earth, the sun, moon, and stars. At first, these atoms were +all in disorder. For the purpose of reducing them to order, Brahm +created what is called the great mundane egg. Into this egg he himself +entered, under the form, of Brumha, taking with him all these atoms. +After remaining in this egg four thousand three hundred millions of +years, to arrange these atoms, he burst its shell and came out, with a +thousand heads, a thousand eyes, and a thousand arms. With him, he +brought out all those harmonized atoms, which, when separated, produced +this beautiful universe that we see above and around us. + +The universe, as it came from the mundane egg, is generally divided into +fourteen worlds: seven inferior or lower worlds, and seven superior or +upper worlds. The seven lower worlds are filled with all kinds of wicked +and loathsome creatures. Our earth, which is the first of the upper +worlds, it is said, is flat. The following figure will give you some +idea of it. + +[Illustration: Concentric circles with labels on each from outermost to +innermost: Sea of Sweet Water. Sea of Milk. Sea of Sour Curds. Sea of +Clarified Butter. Sea of Spirituous Liquors. Sea of Sugar Cane Juice. +Sea of Salt Water. Earth.] + +That part of the earth which is inhabited consists of seven circular +islands, or continents each of which is surrounded by a different ocean. +The island in the centre, where we dwell, is surrounded by a sea of salt +water, the second island is surrounded by a sea of sugar-cane juice, the +third island is surrounded by a sea of spirituous liquors, the fourth is +surrounded by a sea of clarified butter, the fifth is surrounded by a +sea of sour curds, the sixth is surrounded by a sea of milk, the seventh +is surrounded by a sea of sweet water. + +In all the worlds above ours are mansions where the gods reside. In the +third is the heaven of Indra. This is the heaven to which it is said the +widow goes, after she has burned herself to death on the funeral pile of +her husband Its palaces are of the purest gold. And such are the +quantities of diamonds, and jasper, and sapphire, and emerald, and all +manner of precious stones there, that it shines with a brightness +superior to that of twelve thousand suns. Its streets are of the +clearest crystal, fringed with gold. In the seventh, or the highest of +the upper worlds, is the heaven where Brumha chiefly resides. This far +exceeds all the other heavens in point of beauty. + +In the inferior worlds it is stated that there are one hundred thousand +hells. These are provided for such as have been great criminals. The +Hindoos say, that those who have not been very wicked, can make an +atonement for their sins in this world. Should they neglect to do this, +they must suffer for it in another birth. They believe in what is called +the transmigration of souls, or the passing of the soul, after death, +into another body. The soul must suffer in the next birth, if not +purified in this. Hence it is asserted, that if a man is a stealer of +gold from a Brahmin, he is doomed to have whitlows on his nails; if a +drinker of spirits, black teeth; if a false detractor, fetid breath; if +a stealer of grain, the defect of some limb; if a stealer of clothes, +leprosy; if a horse-stealer, lameness; if a stealer of a lamp, total +blindness. If he steals grain in the husk, he will be born a rat; if +yellow mixed metal, a gander; if money, a great stinging gnat; if fruit, +an ape; if the property of a priest, a crocodile. + +Those persons whose sins are too great to be forgiven in this world, +must be sent to one of the hells to winch I have alluded. Weeping, +wailing, shrieking, they are dragged to the palace of _Yama_, the king +of those doleful regions. On arriving there, they behold him clothed +with terror, two hundred and forty miles in height, his eyes as large as +a lake of water, his voice as loud as thunder, the hairs of his body as +long as palm-trees, a flame of fire proceeding from his mouth, the noise +of his breath like the roaring of a tempest, and in his right hand a +terrific iron club. Sentence is passed, and the wretched beings are +doomed to receive punishment according to the nature of their crimes. +Some are made to tread on burning sands, or sharp-edged stones. Others +are rolled among thorns and spikes and putrefying flesh. Others are +dragged along the roughest places by cords passed through the tender +parts of the body. Some are attacked by jackals, tigers, and elephants. +Others are pierced with arrows, beaten with clubs, pricked with needles, +seared with hot irons, and tormented by flies and wasps. Some are +plunged into pans of liquid fire or boiling oil. Others are dashed from +lofty trees, many hundred miles high. + +The torment of these hells does not continue for ever. After criminals +have been punished for a longer or shorter time, their souls return to +the earth again in the bodies of men. Here they may perform such good +acts as may raise them to one of the heavens of the gods; or commit +crimes, which may be the means of their being sent again to the abodes +of misery. + +Things will go on in this way until the universe comes to an end, when +every thing is to disappear, and to be swallowed up in Brahm. + +The Hindoos say, that it is now more than one hundred and fifty billions +of years since the world was created. After it has continued about one +hundred and fifty billions of years more, it is to come to an end. Then +Brumha is to die, and to be swallowed up with the universe in the sole +existing Brahm. + +By what you have heard, you will learn that the Hindoos expect, by their +sufferings, to make an atonement for their sins. But there is no +atonement for sin, except through the blood of Jesus Christ. We must +come as lost sinners to our heavenly Father, confess our transgressions +to him, and plead for his forgiveness, only through the sufferings and +death which Christ endured. My dear children, have you done this? If +not, do it speedily, or the regions of the lost must soon be your +everlasting abode. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +HINDOO CASTES. + + +My dear Children--The people of India are divided into castes, as they +are called. Their sacred books declare, that after Brumha had peopled +the heavens above and the worlds below, he created the human race, +consisting of four classes or castes. From his mouth proceeded the +Brahmin caste. Those of this class are the highest and noblest beings on +earth, and hold the office of priests. At the same time there flowed +from his mouth the _Vedas_, or sacred books, of which the Brahmins are +the sole teachers To their fellow-men, they were to give such parts of +these books as they thought best. From Brumha's arm proceeded the +military caste. The business of this class is to defend their country +when attacked by enemies. From his breast proceeded the third caste, +consisting of farmers and merchants. From his feet, the member of +inferiority, proceeded the Sudras, or servile caste. Carpenters, +braziers, weavers, dyers, and the manual cultivators of the soil, are +included in this class. + +Caste is not a civil, but a sacred institution. You must get some one +older than yourself to explain what this means. Caste is a difference of +_kind_. Hence, a man of one caste can never be changed into a man of +another caste, any more than a lion can be changed into a mole, or a +mole into a lion. Each caste has its laws, the breaking of which is +attended with great disgrace, and even degradation below all the other +castes. For instance, if a Brahmin should, by eating any forbidden +thing, break his caste, he would sink below all the other castes. He +would become an outcast, or pariah. For beneath the fourth, or lowest +caste, there is a class of people belonging to no caste--a class of +outcasts, held in the utmost abhorrence. + +By the system of castes, the Hindoos have been divided into so many +selfish sections, each scowling on all the rest with feelings of hatred +and contempt. The spirit which upholds it, is similar to that spirit +which says, "Stand by thyself, for I am holier than thou," and, of +course, is nothing but pride. This is one of the greatest obstacles to +the spread of Christianity in this dark land, and for the exhibition of +which we were lately obliged to cut off many of the members of our +churches. + +The Brahmins, in consequence of their being of the highest caste, and of +their having been taught from their infancy to regard all other classes +of men with the utmost contempt, are very proud. They make great efforts +to keep themselves pure, in their sense of the word, both without and +within. They are exceedingly afraid of being defiled by persons of other +castes. They have the utmost dread even of being touched by a pariah. +For them to eat with any of these pariahs, or to go into their houses, +or to drink water which they have drawn, or from vessels which they have +handled, is attended with the loss of their caste. A Brahmin who should +enter their houses, or permit them to enter his, would be cut off from +his caste, and could not be restored without many troublesome ceremonies +and great expense. The pariahs are considered to be so low, that if a +Brahmin were to touch them, even with the end of a long pole, he would +be looked upon as polluted In some districts they are obliged to make a +long circuit, when they perceive Brahmins in the way, that their breath +may not infect them, or their shadow fall upon them as they pass. In +some places their very approach is sufficient to pollute a whole +neighborhood. + +The Brahmins carry their ideas of purity very far. Should a Sudra happen +to look upon the vessels in which they cook their food, they would be +considered as defiled. They can never touch any kind of leather or skin, +except the skin of the tiger and antelope. The most disagreeable of all +American fashions, in their eyes, is that of boots and gloves. They +rarely eat their food from plates; and when they do so, it is only at +home. They use the leaf of the plantain or other trees as a substitute. +To offer them any thing to eat on a metal or earthen plate which others +have used, would be considered a great affront. For the same reason, +they will neither use a spoon nor a fork when they eat; and they are +astonished that any one, after having applied them to their mouths, and +infected them with saliva, should repeat the act a second time. They +have a great abhorrence of the toothpick, if used a second time. When +they eat any thing dry, they throw it into their mouths, so that the +fingers may not approach the lips. + +They do not drink as we do, by applying the cup to the lips. This would +be considered a gross impropriety. They pour the water into their +months. The reason why they do these things is, because they consider +the saliva to be the most filthy secretion that comes from the body. It +is on this account that no one is ever permitted to spit within doors. + +The use of animal food they consider to be defiling. Not only will they +not eat animal food, but they will eat nothing that has the principle of +life in it. On this account, they cannot eat eggs of any kind. I was +once breaking an egg in my medicine-room at Panditeripo, while a Brahmin +was present. He told me that, under such circumstances, he could not +remain with me any longer. In his view, I was committing a great sin. To +kill an ox or a cow, is considered by them as a crime which can never be +atoned for, and to eat their flesh is a defilement which can never be +washed away. To kill a cow is, by _Hindoo_ law, punishable with death. + +The touch of most animals, particularly that of the dog, defiles a +Brahmin. Should a dog touch them, they would be obliged instantly to +plunge into water, and wash their clothes, in order to get rid of such a +stain. Notwithstanding this, the dog is one of the gods worshipped by +the Hindoos. + +The Hindoos consider themselves to be unclean if they have assisted at a +funeral. When the ceremony is over, they immediately plunge into water +for the sake of purification. Even the news of the death of a relative, +a hundred miles off, has the same effect. The person who hears such news +is considered unclean until he has bathed. In unison with this feeling, +a person is no sooner dead, than he is hastened away to be buried or +burned; for, until this is done, those in the house can neither eat nor +drink, nor go on with their occupations. + +A Brahmin who is particular in his delicacy, must be careful what he +treads upon. He is obliged to wash his body or bathe, if he happens to +tread on a bone, or a broken pot, a bit of rag, or a leaf from which one +has been eating. He must also be careful where he sits down. Some +devotees always carry their seats with them, that is, a tiger or +antelope's skin, which are always held pure. Some are contented with a +mat. They may sit down on the ground without defilement, provided it has +been newly rubbed over with cow-dung. This last specific is used daily +to purify their houses from the defilement occasioned by comers, and +goers. When thus applied, diluted with water, it has unquestionably one +good effect. It completely destroys the fleas and other insects, with +which they are very much annoyed. + +There is one thing more which I wish to mention. It is, that all the +high castes consider the use of intoxicating drinks to be defiling. I +hope that you, my dear children, will always have the same opinion, and +never touch them any sooner than you would touch arsenic or other +poisons. + +A person may be restored to his caste, provided he has not committed an +unpardonable offence. This is done as follows. After he has gained the +consent of his relations to be restored he prostrates himself very +humbly before them, they being assembled for that purpose, and submits +to the blows or other punishment which they may think proper to inflict, +or pays the fine which they may have laid upon him. Then, after +shedding tears of sorrow, and making promises that, by his future +conduct, he will wipe away the stain of his expulsion from caste, he +makes the shaashtaangkum before the assembly. This being done, he is +declared fit to be restored to his tribe. + +When a man has been expelled from his caste for some great offence, +those who restore him sometimes slightly burn his tongue with a piece of +gold made hot. They likewise apply to different parts of the body redhot +iron stamps, which leave marks that remain for ever. Sometimes they +compel the offender to walk on burning embers; and to complete the +purification, he must drink the punchakaryam, which literally means the +_five things_; these all come from the cow, and must be mixed together. +The first three of these I will mention, namely, the milk, butter, and +curds. The other two, for the sake of delicacy, I must not mention. +After the ceremony of punchakaryam is finished the person who has been +expelled from his caste must give a grand feast. This finishes all he +has to do, and he is then restored to favor. + +There are certain offences which, when committed cut off all hope that +the offender will ever be restored to his caste. For instance, should he +eat the flesh of the cow, no presents which he might make, nor any fines +which lie might be disposed to pay, no, not even the punchakaryam +itself, would be of any avail for his restoration or purification. + +I will make a remark here, which I might have made before. It is, that +in Christian countries, there is a spirit of pride which much resembles +the spirit of caste. Many are to be found who are very proud that they +have descended from rich and honorable _ancestors_, and who look down, +almost with disdain, upon those in other situations. I need hardly tell +you that this is a very wicked spirit, and entirely opposed to the +spirit of the Gospel. No matter what may be our high thoughts of +ourselves, we appear but very low in the sight of Him who created us. We +are all sinners, and, as such, are offensive in his sight. If we would +go to heaven, the first thing which we have to do, is to humble +ourselves for the pride of our hearts, and become as little children +before him. We must have that spirit of which the apostle speaks, when +he says, "Let each esteem others better than themselves." With a humble +spirit we may approach a holy God, with the assurance that he will, for +Christ's sake, forgive all our sins. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +HINDOO TEMPLES--CARS--PROCESSION OF IDOLS. + + +My dear Children--I will proceed to give you a description of the Hindoo +temples. These are very numerous. One is to be found in almost every +village. They are to be found, also, in out-of-the-way places, distant +from villages, in woods, on the banks and in the middle of rivers; but, +above all, on mountains and steep rocks. + +This latter practice, of building temples on mountains, is very ancient. +The Israelites were accustomed to choose a mountain when they offered up +their sacrifices to the Lord. Solomon, before the building of the +temple, chose Mount Gibeon on which to offer his burnt-offerings; and +when the ten tribes separated themselves, in the reign of Jeroboam, they +built their altars on the mountain of Samaria. This practice may have +come from the circumstance, that Noah offered to God a great sacrifice +of thanks on one of the highest mountains of Armenia. Probably Mount +Ararat continued long to be remembered, by him and his descendants, as +the scene of their deliverance. + +Besides the temples of the idols, there are various objects of worship, +made of earth and stone. Some of the idols are carved. Some consist +merely of the rough stone. These are to be seen on the high-roads, at +the entrance into villages, and, above all, under lofty trees. Some of +these are covered; but generally they are exposed in the open air. + +You will read in Genesis, 28th chap, and 18th verse, that Jacob, after +his dream, rose up early in the morning and took the stone that he had +put for his pillow, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the +top of it. Whether it has happened from this circumstance or not, that +the heathen universally pour oil over their idols, I cannot tell. All I +know is, that they do it. No idol can become an object of worship until +a Brahmin has said his muntrums, or prayers, for the purpose of bringing +down the god to live, as it is said be does, in the image, and until he +has drenched it with oil and liquid butter. + +The idols, in the great temples, are clothed with rich garments, and +adorned with jewels, which are enriched with precious stones of immense +value. Sacrifices are constantly made to these idols, consisting of +boiled rice, flowers, fruits, etc., but, above all, of lamps, of which +many thousands are sometimes seen burning. They feed them with butter, +in preference to oil. + +The priests of the temples offer up sacrifices twice every day, morning +and evening. They begin the ceremony by washing their idol. The water +which is used is brought from a river or tank. Every morning a +procession, with music, passes before our door, with this water. + +Every priest who offers up sacrifices, must have several lighted lamps +with a bell, which he holds in his left hand. With his right hand he +makes an offering to the idol, adorns it with flowers, and rubs its +forehead and various parts of its body with sandal-wood and holy ashes. +While all this is going on, he is alone in the temple, the door of which +is closed. The unholy multitude remain without, silently waiting till +he has done. What he does, they cannot know, only hearing the sound of +the bell. When he has done, he comes out and distributes among the +people a part of the things which have been offered to the idol. These +are considered as holy. If they consist of rice and fruit, they are +immediately eaten; if of flowers, the men put them in their turbans, and +the girls entwine them in their hair. + +Next to the priests, the most important persons about the temples are +the dancing girls. These are persons of the vilest character. They +perform their religious duties in the temple twice a day. They also +assist at the public ceremonies, and dance. At the same time they sing +the most abominable and filthy songs. Of these wicked creatures, +however, I must not tell you any thing further. + +The next order of persons employed in the temples, are players on +musical instruments. Every temple of note has a band of these musicians +who, as well as the dancers, are obliged to attend the temple twice a +day. They are also obliged to assist at all the public festivals. Their +band generally consists of wind, instruments, resembling clarionets and +hautboys, to which they add cymbals and drums. They have a bass, +produced by blowing into a kind of tube, widened below, and which gives +an uninterrupted sound. Part of the musicians sing hymns in honor of +their gods. + +The expenses of the temples are borne by the voluntary offerings of the +people, consisting of money, jewels, cattle, provisions, and other +articles. In order to induce them to make such offerings, the Brahmins +use all kinds of deception. Sometimes they will put their idols in +irons, chaining their hands and feet. They exhibit them in this sad +condition, declaring that they have been brought into it by creditors +from whom their gods had to borrow money, in times of trouble, to supply +their wants. They declare that their creditors refuse to set the gods at +liberty, until the money with the interest is paid. The people, seeing +the deplorable condition into which they have been brought, come forward +and pay off the debt; when the chains are taken off, and the god is set +at liberty. + +Another way in which the Brahmins sometimes deceive the people, is as +follows. They say that the god is afflicted with some dreadful disease, +brought on by the distress which he has had, because the people do not +worship him as much as they should. In such cases, the idol is sometimes +placed at the door of the temple where they rub his forehead and temples +with various kinds of medicine. They also set before him all sorts of +medicines, pretending in this way to do all they can to cure him. But as +all their efforts prove to be vain, and the disease becomes worse, the +Brahmins send out persons to tell the sad news. The people, believing +the report, hasten to bring in their gifts and offerings. The god, on +beholding such proofs of their attachment to him, feels himself cured of +his disease, and immediately returns to his throne within the temple. + +The Brahmins use another kind of deception, in order to procure +offerings for the temples. They declare that their gods are angry with +certain individuals who have offended them, and that they have sent some +evil spirit or devil to take possession of their bodies and torment +them. Accordingly, persons appear wandering about in different parts of +the country, showing, by their dreadful convulsions, their writhings +and twistings, every symptom of being possessed with the devil. The +people who see them are filled with dismay, fall down before them, and +offer gifts and sacrifices, for fear of being injured by them. Whatever +they ask is granted. The people give them to eat and drink abundantly; +and when they leave a place, accompany them with instruments of music, +till they arrive at some other place, where the same deception is +practised. + +There are various other ways in which the Brahmins deceive the people; +but I have told you enough. + +At every large temple, there is at least yearly one grand procession. +The idol is brought out from its inclosure, and placed in a great car or +chariot, prepared for this express purpose. This stands upon four wheels +of great strength, not made like ours, of spokes with a rim, but of +three or four pieces of thick, solid timber, rounded and fitted to each +other. The car is sometimes forty or fifty feet high, having upon it +carved images of a most abominable nature. I must not tell you any thing +about them. The car, when finished, presents somewhat the shape of a +pyramid. + +[Illustration] + +On the day of the procession, it is adorned with painted cloth, garlands +of flowers, green shrubbery, and precious stuffs. The idol is placed in +the centre, loaded with jewels, etc., to attract the attention of the +people. Having fastened ropes to this enormous car, eight or nine +hundred or a thousand people catch hold of the ropes and slowly drag it +along, accompanied with the awful roaring of their voices. At certain +periods they stop; when the immense crowds, collected from all parts of +the country, set up one universal shout, or rather yell. This, with the +sound of their instruments and numerous drums, produces much uproar and +confusion. Sometimes the weighty car comes to a stand, from the dampness +of the ground or from the narrowness of the streets, when the tumult and +noise are redoubled. + +[Illustration] + +Perhaps you know that on some occasions, when the cars are drawn, people +throw themselves under the wheels, and are crushed to death. This occurs +at the drawing of the car of Juggernaut, as you may learn if you will +read my Sermon to Children, on the Condition of the Heathen. Here is a +picture of Juggernaut, and on the last page you may see a picture of his +car, and two men crushed to death under the wheels. Not long since, five +persons were thus crushed to death. Many dreadful accidents also take +place at the drawing of these cars. A few years ago several persons in +this city had their limbs amputated, in consequence of injuries +received. + +[Illustration] + +When I was in America, I showed to many of the dear children an idol +called Pulliar, which was _formerly_ worshipped by Raamu, one of our +native helpers, when he was a heathen. I gave a particular description, +of the I manner in which he daily worshiped it, in the sermon above +mentioned Here is a picture, which will give you some idea of this god. + +You will see that it is partly in the shape of a man, and partly in the +shape of a beast. You, my dear children, would put no confidence in such +vain idols; but this people do, as you may know from what I am now going +to tell you. + +Some months ago, a woman was brought to me with a cancer in her breast. +It had made sad ravages. On the morning after her arrival I took it out. +Before she was brought to me, her brother went to the temple of the +goddess Meenaache, to ascertain what was her will respecting his +bringing her to me, or taking her to a native doctor. In order to +ascertain it, he had recourse to the following expedient. He prepared +several bundles of red and white flowers--the red to represent the red +or Tamil man, the white to represent the white man. These flowers were +carefully inclosed in leaves, so as to prevent their color being seen, +and then laid down on the ground, at the entrance of the temple. After +this, he called a little child to him, and then proceeded to entreat +Meenaache that, if it were her will that he should bring the sick woman +to me, she would direct the child to take up one of the parcels +containing the white flowers. It so happened that the child took up one +of these parcels. Of course, he brought her to me. Had it taken up a +parcel containing the red flowers, she would have been taken to a native +doctor. May we not hope that, not Meenaache, but Jehovah directed him +to bring her to me, that she might hear of a very different being from +her goddess, even of Jesus. Of him she has fully heard. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +FESTIVALS OF THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear Children--The Hindoos have many festivals. These are all +occasions of joy and gladness. On such days, the people quit their usual +employments. Friends and relations unite in family parties, and give +entertainments according to their means. Innocent pastimes and +amusements of various kinds are resorted too to add to their happiness. + +There are eighteen principal festivals yearly, and no month passes +without one or more of them. + +One of the most solemn of these ceremonies is held in the month of +September, and appears to be principally in honor of Parvathe, the wife +of Siva. At this time every laborer and every artisan offers sacrifices +and prayers to his tools. The laborer brings his plough, hoe, and other +farming utensils. He piles them together, and offers a sacrifice to +them, consisting of flowers, fruit, rice, and other articles. After +this, he prostrates himself before them at full length, and then returns +them to their places. + +The mason offers the same adoration and sacrifice to his trowel, rule, +and other instruments The carpenter adores his hatchet, adze, and plane. +The barber collects his razors together and worships them with similar +rites. + +The writing-master sacrifices to the iron pen or style, with which he +writes upon the palm-leaf the tailor to his needles, the weaver to his +loom, the butcher to his cleaver. + +The women, on this day, collect into a heap their baskets, rice-mill, +rice-pounder, and other household utensils, and, after having offered +sacrifices to them, fall down in adoration before them. Every person, in +short, in this solemnity sanctifies and adores the instrument or tool by +which he gains a living. The tools are considered as so many gods, to +whom they present their prayers that they will continue to furnish them +still with the means of getting a livelihood. + +This least is concluded by making an idol to represent Parvathe. It is +made of the paste of grain, and being placed under a sort of canopy, is +carried through the streets with great pomp, and receives the worship of +the people. + +Another festival of great celebrity is observed in October. At this +time, each person, for himself, makes offerings of boiled rice and other +food, to such of their relations as have died, that they may have a good +meal on that day. They afterwards offer sacrifices of burning lamps, of +fruit, and of flowers, and also new articles of dress, that their +ancestors may be freshly clothed. + +At this festival, soldiers offer sacrifices to their weapons, in order +to obtain success in war. On such occasions, a ram is offered in +sacrifice to their armor. + +In November, a festival is observed, which is called the feast of lamps. +At this season, the Hindoos light lamps, and place them around the doors +of their houses. This festival was established to commemorate the +deliverance of the earth from a giant, who had been a great scourge to +the people. He was slain by Vrishnoo, after a dreadful battle. In many +places, on this day, a sacrifice is offered to the _dunghill_ which is +afterwards to enrich the ground. In the villages, each one has his own +heap, to which he makes his offering of burning lamps, fruit, flowers, +etc. + +The most celebrated of all the festivals, is that which is held in the +end of December. It is called the feast of Pongul, and is a season of +rejoicing for two reasons: the first is, because the month of December, +every day of which is unlucky, is about to end; and the other is, +because it is to be followed by a month, every day of which is +fortunate. For the purpose of preventing the evil effects of this month, +the women every morning scour a place about two feet square before the +door of the house, upon which they draw white lines, with flour. Upon +these they place several little balls of cow-dung, sticking in each a +flower. Each day these little balls, with their flowers, are preserved, +and on the last day of the month, they are thrown into tanks or +waste-places. + +The first day of this festival is called the Pongul of rejoicing. Near +relatives are invited to a feast, which passes off with mirth and +gladness. + +The second day is called the Pongul of the sun, and is set apart to +worship that luminary. Married women, after bathing themselves, proceed +to boil rice with milk, in the open air. When the milk begins to +simmer, they make a loud cry, "Pongul, O Pongul." The vessel is then +taken from the fire, and set before an idol. Part of this rice is +offered to the image, and, after standing there for some time, it is +given to the cows. The remainder is given to the people. This is the +great day for visiting among friends. The salutation begins by the +question, "Has the milk boiled?" To which the answer is, "It has +boiled." From this, the festival takes the name of pongul, which +signifies to boil. + +The third day is called the _Pongul of cows._ In a great vessel, filled +with water, they put saffron and other things. These being well mixed, +they go around the cows and oxen belonging to the house several times, +sprinkling them with water. After this, the men prostrate themselves +before them four times. The cows are then dressed, their horns being +painted with various colors. Garlands of flowers are also put round +their necks, and over their backs. To these are added strings of +cocoa-nuts and other kinds of fruit, which, however, are soon shaken +off, when they are in motion, and are picked up by children and others, +who greedily eat what they gather, as something sacred. After being +driven through the streets, they are suffered, during the day, to feed +wherever they please, without a keeper. I have, however, told you +enough. Are you ready to exclaim, Is it possible that a people can be +guilty of such utter folly? But you, my dear children, would be guilty +of just such folly, if you had not the Bible. Should not the gratitude, +then, which you owe to your heavenly Father, for your distinguished +mercies, constrain you to do all that you can to send this blessed book +to this dark land? + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE WORSHIP OF THE SERPENT. + + +My dear Children--If you have never heard much about the Hindoos, you +will be astonished to learn how numerous are the objects of their +worship. They worship many living creatures, such as the ape, the tiger, +the elephant the horse, the ox, the stag, the sheep, the hog, the dog, +the cat, the rat, the peacock, the eagle, the cock, the hawk, the +serpent, the chameleon, the lizard, the tortoise, fishes, and even +insects. Of these, some receive much more worship than others, such as +the cow, the ox, and the serpent Cobra Capella. I will speak at present +only of the worship of the serpent. + +Of all the dangerous creatures found in India, there are none that +occasion so many deaths as serpents. The people are very much exposed to +their bite, especially at night, when they are walking. They tread upon +them, and, as they generally do not wear shoes, the snakes turn their +heads, and strike their fangs into those parts of the feet which are +nearest to the place where the pressure is made upon their bodies. +Sometimes the bite is followed with instant death. The Cobra Capella is +one of the most common snakes, and one of the most poisonous. It is +said, that it has a thousand heads, one of which holds up the earth. It +has a peculiar mark on its back, just behind the head. This mark very +much resembles a pair of spectacles, without the handles. If you should +go near it, it would raise the fore part of its body about six inches, +widen out its neck, so as to be about double its common width, and +prepare to strike you. The reason why the Hindoos offer sacrifices and +adoration to it above all the other serpents is, because it is so +frequently met with, and is so much dreaded. + +In order to induce the people to worship this dangerous enemy, the +Hindoos have filled their books with tales concerning it. Figures of it +are often to be seen in the temples, and on other buildings. They seek +out their holes, which are generally to be found in the hillocks of +earth which are thrown up by the white ants; and when they find one, +they go from time to time and offer milk, plantains, and other good +things to it. + +[Illustration] + +The Hindoos, as I before observed, have eighteen annual festivals. One +of these festivals is held for the purpose of worshipping this serpent. +Temples in many places are erected to it, of which there is one of great +celebrity in Mysore. When the festival occurs at this temple, great +crowds of people come together to offer sacrifices to this creeping god. +Many serpents besides the Cobra Capella live within it, in holes made +especially for them. All of these are kept and well fed by the Brahmins +with milk, butter, and plantains. By such means they become very +numerous, and may be seen swarming from every crevice in the temple. To +injure or to kill one would be considered a great crime. + +Many of the natives call the Cobra Capella nulla paampu, that is, good +snake. They are afraid to call it a bad snake, lest it should injure +them. The following is the prayer which is offered before the image of +this snake. O, divine Cobra, preserve and sustain us. O, Sheoh, partake +of these offerings, and be gracious unto us. + +Can you think of any thing, my dear children more dishonoring to a holy +God, than such worship? And what have you ever done to prevent it? Have +you, every morning and evening, prayed that the Gospel might be sent to +this people? Did you ever give any money to send it to them? Did you +ever think whether it may not be your duty, by and by, to come to them, +to tell them of this Gospel? + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE RIVER GANGES. + + +My dear Children--If you will look at the map of Asia, and find the +country of Hindostan, you will see running through it a very celebrated +river--the river Ganges. It is called the Ganges, after the goddess +Gunga. The Hindoos say that the goddess Gungu--who was produced from the +sweat of Vrishnoo's foot, which Brumha caught and preserved in his +alms-dish--came down from heaven, and divided herself into one hundred +streams, which are the mouths of the river Ganges. All classes and +castes worship her. The sight, the name, or the touch of the river +Ganges is said to take away all sin. To die on the edge of the river, or +to die partly buried in the stream, drinking its waters, while their +bodies are besmeared with mud, is supposed to render them very holy. On +this account, when it is expected that a person will die, he is hurried +down to the river, whether willing or unwilling. Sometimes the wood +which the people bring to burn their bodies after death, is piled up +before their eyes. O, how inhuman is this. After it is supposed that +they are dead, and they are placed on the pile of wood, if they should +revive and attempt to rise, it is thought that they are possessed with +the devil, and they are beaten down with a hatchet or bamboo. + +Were you standing on the banks of the Ganges you might, perhaps, in one +place see two or three young men carrying a sick female to the river. If +you should ask what they are going to do with her, perhaps they would +reply, We are going to give her up to Gunga, to purify her soul, that +she may go to heaven; for she is our mother. In another place you might +see a father and mother sprinkling a beloved child with muddy water, +endeavoring to soothe his dying agonies by saying, "It is blessed to die +by Gunga, my son; to die by Gunga is blessed, my son." In another place +you might see a man descending from a boat with empty water-pans tied +around his neck, which pans, when filled, will drag down the poor +creature to the bottom, to be seen no more. Here is murder in the name +of religion. He is a devotee, and has purchased heaven, as he supposes, +by this his last good deed. In another place you might see a person +seated in the water, accompanied by a priest, who pours down the throat +of the dying man mud and water, and cries out, "O mother Gunga, receive +his soul." The dying man may be roused to sensibility by the violence. +He may entreat his priest to desist; but his entreaties are drowned. He +persists in pouring the mud and water down his throat, until he is +gradually stifled, suffocated--suffocated in the name of +humanity--suffocated in the name of religion. + +It happens, sometimes, in cases of sudden and violent attacks of +disease, that they cannot be conveyed to the river before death. Under +such circumstances, a bone is preserved, and at a convenient season is +taken down and thrown into the river. This, it is believed, contributes +essentially to the salvation of the deceased. + +Sometimes strangers are left on the banks to die, without the ceremony +of drinking Ganges water. Of these, some have been seen creeping along +with the flesh half eaten off their bones by the birds; others with +their limbs torn by dogs and jackals, and others partly covered with +insects. + +After a person is taken down to the river, if he should recover, it is +looked upon by his friends as a great misfortune. He becomes an outcast. +Even his own children will not eat with him, nor offer him the least +attention. If they should happen to touch him, they must wash their +bodies, to cleanse them from the pollution which has been contracted. +About fifty miles north of Calcutta, are two villages inhabited entirely +by these poor creatures, who have become outcasts in consequence of +their recovery after having been taken down to the Ganges. + +At the mouth of the river Hoogly, which is one of the branches of the +Ganges, is the island Sauger, which I saw as we approached Calcutta +after having been at sea for one hundred and twenty-eight days. Now, my +dear children, if you come out to India as missionaries, you will have +to sail nearly one hundred and thirty days before you can reach it. +Sauger island is the island where, formerly, hundreds of mothers were in +the habit of throwing their children to the crocodiles, and where these +mothers were wont to weep and cry if the crocodiles did not devour their +children before their eyes. Think what a dreadful religion that must +be, which makes mothers so hard-hearted. Did you ever take any corn or +Indian meal and throw it to the chickens? And what did these chickens +do? Did they not come around you and eat it? Well, just in this way the +crocodiles would come near those mothers, and devour their children. +Here is a picture of a mother throwing her child to a crocodile. + +[Illustration] + +I am glad to tell you, that the British have put a stop to the sacrifice +of children at that place; but mothers continue to destroy their +children elsewhere, and will continue to destroy them until Christians +send the Gospel to them. It is not improbable that vast numbers of +children are annually destroyed in the Ganges. Mothers sacrifice them, +in consequence of vows which they have made. When the time to sacrifice +them has come, they take them down to the river, and encourage them to +go out so far that they are taken away by the stream, or they push them +off with their own hands. + +I just remarked, that mothers will continue to destroy their children +until the Gospel is sent to them. That the Gospel does prevent such +things, the following circumstance will show. Several years ago, a +missionary lady went from New England to India. As she was walking out +one morning, on the banks of the Ganges, she saw a heathen mother +weeping. She went up to her, sat down by her side, put her hand into +hers, and asked what was the matter with her. "I have just been making a +basket of flags," said she, "and putting my infant in it--pushing it off +into the river, and drowning it. And my gods are very much pleased with +me, because I have done it." After this missionary lady had heard all +she had to say, she told her that her gods were no gods; that the only +true God delights not in such sacrifices, but turns in horror from them; +and that, if she would be happy here and hereafter, she must forsake her +sins, and pray to Jesus Christ, who died to save sinners like herself. +This conversation was the means of the conversion of that mother, and +she never again destroyed any of her infants. + +Such is the power of the blessed Gospel. And what the Gospel has done +once, it can do again. If Christians will send it to them, with the +blessing of God, the time will soon come when heathen mothers will no +more destroy their children. And have you nothing to do in this great +work, my dear children? When you grow up, cannot you go and tell them of +the Saviour? Here is a very pretty hymn about a heathen mother throwing +her child to a crocodile. + + See that heathen mother stand + Where the sacred currents flow, + With her own maternal hand, + 'Mid the waves her infant throw. + + Hark, I hear the piteous scream-- + Frightful monsters seize their prey, + Or the dark and bloody stream + Bears the struggling child away. + + Fainter now, and fainter still, + Breaks the cry upon the ear; + But the mother's heart is steel, + She unmoved that cry can hear. + + Send, O send the Bible there, + Let its precepts reach the heart; + She may then her children spare, + Act the mother's tender part. + +I have heard of a little boy who learned this hymn. He was deeply +affected by it, and wanted very much to give something to send the +Gospel to India. But he had no money. He was, however, willing to labor +in order to earn some. Hearing that a gentleman wanted the chips removed +from the ground near his woodpile, he hired himself to him, removed the +chips, got his money, and, with glistening eyes, went and delivered it +up, to be sent to the heathen, repeating, as he went, + + Send, O send the Bible there, + Let its precepts reach the heart; + She may then her children spare, + Act the mother's tender part. + +About one hundred miles above the mouth of the Hoogly is the city of +Calcutta, and about five hundred miles above that city is the city of +Benares. In these cities, as well as in other places, we see how much +the heathen will contribute to support their wretched religion. A rich +native in Calcutta has been known to spend more than one hundred +thousand dollars on a single festival--the festival of the goddess +Karle--and more than thirty thousand dollars every year afterwards +during his life, for the same purpose. Not long since, a rich native +gave at one time to his idols more than one million two hundred thousand +dollars. And what have Christians ever done to honor their Saviour, +which will bear a comparison with what the heathen do for their idols? +Alas, alas, few Christian men or Christian women, in all the church, are +willing to give even one-tenth of their annual income to the Lord. Most +of those who are rich, hoard up their money, instead of spending it for +the purpose of saving souls. And there are many persons who have never +given a farthing to send the Gospel to the heathen. O, what will such +say, when they must meet the heathen at the bar of God? + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE GODDESS DURGA. + + +My dear Children--From what I said, in my last chapter, about the +goddess Gunga, you see that the Hindoos worship goddesses as well as +gods. There is another goddess much worshipped the wife of the god Siva. +She has appeared in a thousand forms, with a thousand different names. +Of all these thousand forms, Durga and Karle are the most regarded by +the people. I will speak of Durga first. Of all the festivals in Eastern +India, hers is the most celebrated. She has ten hands, in which she +holds an iron club, a trident, a battle-axe, spears, thunderbolts, etc. +Thus armed, she is ever ready to fight with her enemies. + +Were you to be present in the city of Calcutta in the month of +September, you might everywhere see the people busy in preparing for the +yearly festival of this goddess. Images representing her you would find +in great numbers for sale, as bread or meat is sold. In the houses of +the rich, images are to be found made of gold, silver, brass, copper, +crystal, stone, or mixed metal, which are daily worshipped. These are +called permanent images. Besides these, multitudes of what are called +temporary images are made--made merely for the occasion and then +destroyed. They may be made of hay, sticks, clay, wood, or other such +things. Their size varies from a few inches to twenty feet in height. If +any persons are too poor to buy one of these images, they can make them +for themselves. When the festival is near at hand, people are seen in +every direction taking the images to their houses. After they are thus +supplied, the festival commences. It lasts fifteen days. The greater +part of this time is spent in preparing for the three great days of +worship. Early on the morning of the first of the three great days, the +Brahmins proceed to consecrate the images, or to give them, as they +suppose, life and understanding. Until they are consecrated, they are +not thought to be of any value. They are looked upon as senseless. A +wealthy family can always receive the services of one or more Brahmins, +and a few of the poor may unite and secure the services of one of them. +At length the solemn hour arrives. The Brahmin, with the leaves of a +sacred tree, comes near the image. With the two forefingers of his +right hand he touches the breast, the two cheeks, the eyes, and the +forehead of the image, at each touch saying the prayer, "Let the spirit +of Durga descend and take possession of this image." By such ceremonies, +and by repeating various _muntrums_, it is supposed that the Brahmins +have the power to bring down the goddess to take possession of the +image. Having been thus consecrated, it is believed to be a proper +object of worship. Having eyes, it can now behold every act of worship +which is made; having ears, it can be delighted with music and with +songs; having a nose, it can smell the sweet perfumes which are offered; +having a mouth, it can be delighted with the rich food which is prepared +for it. + +After the image is consecrated, the worship begins. The devotee comes +near the image, and falls down before it. He then twists himself into a +great variety of shapes. Sometimes he sits on the floor, sometimes he +stands, sometimes he looks in one direction, sometimes in another. Then +he sprinkles the idol with holy water, rinses its mouth, washes its +feet, wipes it with a dry cloth, throws flowers over it, puts jewels on +it, offers perfumes to it, and finishes by performing shaashtaangkum. + +The worship of the idol is succeeded by a season of carousing, joy, and +festivity. On this occasion, large offerings are made to the idols. A +rich native has been known to offer eighty thousand pounds of +sweetmeats, eighty thousand pounds of sugar, a thousand suits of cloth +garments, a thousand suits of silk, a thousand offerings of rice, +plantains, and other fruits. + +Bloody sacrifices are offered up on such occasions. The king of Nudiya, +some time ago, offered a large number of sheep, goats, and buffaloes on +the first day of the feast, and vowed to double the offering every day; +so that the whole number sacrificed amounted to more than sixty-five +thousand. You may remember that king Solomon offered up on one occasion +twenty-two thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. If +all the animals slain throughout Hindostan, at the festival of the +goddess Durga, were collected together, they would amount to a much +larger number than Solomon offered. + +After the worship and offerings have been continued for three days, the +festival closes. As the morning of the first day was devoted to the +consecration of the images, the morning of the fourth is spent in +unconsecrating them. This work is done by the Brahmins. They profess, by +various ceremonies, to send back the goddess to her heaven, concluding +with a farewell address, in which they tell her that they expect her to +accept of all their services, and return and pay them a visit again in +the coming year. Then all unite in bidding her a sorrowful adieu, and +many seem affected even to the shedding of tears. + +Soon afterwards the images are carried forth into the streets, placed on +stages or platforms, and raised on men's shoulders. As the procession +moves onward through the streets, accompanied with music and songs, amid +clouds of dust, you might see them waving long hairy brushes to wipe off +the dust, and to keep off the flies and mosquitoes, which might trouble +the senseless images. But where are these processions going? To the +banks of the Ganges. And for what purpose? For the purpose of casting +the images into the river. When all the ceremonies connected with the +occasion are finished, those who carry the images suddenly fall upon +them, break them to pieces, and then throw them with violence into the +river. After this the people return to their homes. + +I have now given you a specimen of the image-worship of the Hindoos; and +how different is it from the worship which the Bible enjoins. "God is a +Spirit; and they who worship him, must worship him in spirit and in +truth." The very reverse of this, as you have seen, marks the worship of +the heathen. They are not satisfied, unless they can have some object +before them, to which they can make their offerings and their prayers. +Thus daily are they engaged in a service which, above all others, is the +most offensive and provoking to a holy God--a service which has caused +him to declare, that idolaters shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. +This, too, is the service in which every person, who has never given +himself to the Saviour, is engaged; and, of course, in which you are +engaged if you have not given your hearts to him. Those who think more +of their money than they think of Christ, just as certainly worship the +image which is stamped on a dollar or a cent, as the heathen worship +their idols. Those who love their fathers and mothers, and brothers and +sisters more than Christ, make these their idols. And are you, my dear +children, yet out of Christ? If so, you have your idols. And what are +these idols? Are they the world and its vanities? Then God is as angry +with you as he is with the heathen, and unless you give up these idols, +you too must be lost. + +In a tract of mine, published by the American Tract Society, entitled, +"Knocking at the Door"--a tract which I _most earnestly_ entreat you to +get and read--you will find an account of the death of a young lady, who +had chosen the world and its vanities as her idols. I was her physician. +After having attended her for about a month, I perceived, one morning, +that her disease must soon prove fatal. I told her that she could not +live. She then exclaimed, "Doctor, can I not live a month?" I informed +her that she could not. Again she exclaimed, "Can I not live two weeks?" +She was told that she could not live two weeks. And such a scene of +horror followed as I never before witnessed, and may God be pleased to +grant that I may never witness such another. Until laid upon a dying +bed, I fear that she had neglected to think about her soul's concerns. +Now she requested to be taken from it, and placed upon her knees, that +she might call upon God to have mercy upon her. As her case excited much +attention, some of the youth came to see her. These she warned, in the +most solemn manner, not to put off repentance, as she had done, to a +dying hour. Looking up at me, on one occasion, she exclaimed, "Doctor, +cannot you save me?" Alas, what could I do for the poor sufferer. +Witness, now, how anxious she was to obtain the favor of that God whom +she had hitherto neglected. Yes, so anxious that she requested her +friends not to allow her to sleep, that she might spend every remaining +breath in calling upon God to have mercy upon her. One very affecting +circumstance occurred. She requested her trunk either to be brought to +her bedside, or to be opened. From this a ring, which was set with red +garnets, was taken out by herself, or by another, and handed to her. She +then called a young friend to her bedside, put the ring upon her finger, +and said to her, "Don't you put off repentance, as I have done, until a +dying hour." That ring is now in my possession. In less than forty-eight +hours after I told her that she could not live, she passed into +eternity. Would that I could show you that mournful countenance, which +continued long after the last spark of life had become extinct; yes, +even up to the moment when the lid of her coffin for ever hid it from +our view. Never, never shall I forget it. It was a sad monument of the +wreck within. + +Now, my dear children, you would not like to die as, I fear, this young +lady died. Well, then, if you would die differently, you must live +differently. You must live for Christ, if you would die in Christ. And +are you Christ's, or are you yet gay and thoughtless--as gay and as +thoughtless as this young lady was, until laid upon her dying bed? If +you are so, and if you continue to remain in this sad condition, your +season of sorrow too will certainly come, and it will come when you +expect it not. As the little insect which flies round and round your +candle is dazzled with its brightness, and feels nothing but pleasure, +until it unconsciously strikes the blaze with its little wings, and is +swallowed up in the flame; so you are dazzled with the pleasures of the +world, thinking nothing of the flames which may swallow you up in a +moment, and put a stop to all your joys for ever. O, that the death-bed +scene of Miss Matthews might have a happy effect upon you. O, that the +solemn warning which she gave to her young friend, not to put off +repentance as she had done, until a dying hour, might continue to sound +in your ears, until you would no longer delay repentance. My dear +children, this young lady, though dead, yet speaketh. She speaks to you. +She calls upon you from her tomb--from the eternal world, to delay +repentance no longer. Will you, then, be so mad as to turn a deaf ear to +this call? Will you ever take another sip from the cup of unhallowed +pleasure? Will you ever direct your little feet to the ballroom, or +other places of sinful amusement? Will you hereafter prefer your worldly +joys to Christ? O, you must not, you must not. It will not do for you to +be lost. Who, O who can lie down in everlasting burnings? Who can dwell +for ever with devouring flames? + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE GODDESS KARLE. + + +My dear Children--In the preceding chapter I spoke of Karle. She, as I +there mentioned, is the wife of Siva, and, like her husband, has the +power of destruction. From the images made of her, it would appear that +she is a female, of a black or dark blue color. She has four arms. In +one hand she holds a sword, and in another a human head. Her hair is +dishevelled, reaching down to her feet. Her countenance is most +ferocious. Her tongue comes out of her mouth, and hangs over her chin. +She has three eyes, red and fiery. Her lips and eyebrows are streaked +with blood. She has two dead bodies for ear-rings, and wears a girdle +around her loins--a girdle made of bloody hands, which she cut off from +the bodies of her enemies. She has a necklace of skulls, which she took +from the bodies of the giants and others killed by her. + +[Illustration] + +Of all the Hindoo divinities, this goddess is the most cruel and +revengeful. Such is her thirst for blood, that being unable at one time +to procure any giants for her prey, in order to quench her thirst, she +cut her own throat, that the blood issuing thence might spout into her +mouth. Different acts of worship are performed to appease her. If, for +example, a devotee should burn his body, by applying a burning lamp to +it, it would be very pleasing to her. If he should draw some of his +blood and give it to her, or if he should cut off a piece of his flesh +and offer it as a burnt-offering, she would be still move pleased. If he +should present _whole_ burnt-offerings upon the altar, saying, "Hrang, +brang, Karle, Karle! O, horrid-toothed goddess, eat, eat; destroy all +the malignant: cut with this axe; bind, bind; seize, seize; drink this +blood; spheng, spheng; secure, secure; salutation to Karle," she would +be much delighted. It is said that she will be pleased for three months, +if the people offer her the blood of a crocodile--for a thousand years, +if they offer her the blood of one man, and a hundred thousand years, if +they offer her the blood of three. + +This goddess is the patroness of thieves. To her they pay their +devotions, to obtain help to carry on their wicked delights. Gangs meet +together, and, after having offered bloody sacrifices, and worshipped +their weapons, and having drunk some intoxicating liquor, and rubbed +their bodies with oil, they go forth to rob. They have a prayer, which +they offer when they worship their weapons. It is as follows: "O, +instrument formed by the goddess, Karle commands thee to cut a passage +into the house, to cut through stones, bones, bricks, wood, the earth, +and mountains, and cause the dust thereof to be carried away by the +wind." Scattered throughout India, there is a lawless set of men whose +profession it is to get their food by murder. They are called +Phansiagars, or Thugs. They owe their origin and laws to Karle. They say +that she told them to become murderers and plunderers. They are called +Phansiagars, from the name of the instrument which they use when they +murder people. Phansiagar means a strangler, and they use a phansi, or +noose, which they throw over the necks of those whom they intend to +plunder, and strangle them. These Phansiagars are composed of all +castes, Hindoos, Mahommedans, pariahs, and chandellars. This arises from +the circumstance that they never destroy the children of those whom they +rob and murder. These children they take care of, and bring up to their +own horrible mode of life. They always murder those whom they rob, +acting upon the maxim that "dead men tell no tales." A gang of these +robbers varies from a dozen to sixty or seventy persons. These divide +into small parties. Those whom they murder are travellers, whom they +happen to meet on the road. Sometimes two or three of a gang will take +up their station in a choultry, or place where the traveller stops, and +while he sleeps, they rouse him from his sleep, and cast the noose over +his head and kill him. It takes two persons to kill a man. One casts the +noose over his head, and immediately tightens it with all his strength; +the other strikes him on the joint of his knees as he rises, which +causes him to fall forwards. After he has fallen, they kick him on the +temples till he dies, which is usually in a minute. They never commit a +murder until they have taken every precaution not to be found out. They +will follow a traveller for weeks, if necessary, before they destroy +him. After they have murdered him, they gash the body all over and bury +it. They gash it, that it may not swell, and cause cracks to take place +in the ground, which might cause the jackals to dig down to the body, +and thus expose their guilt. If a dog accompanies the person, they +always kill it, lest the faithful creature should lead to the discovery +of his master. They think it to be a very good act to give a part of the +plunder, which they get when they murder a person, to their goddess. If +they fail to put him to death according to their rules, they suppose +that they have made her angry, and they make offerings to her, that she +may be appeased. Thus, you see that their religion teaches them to +commit the blackest of crimes. + +The reason why this people gash and bury the bodies of those whom they +murder, is as follows. They say that the goddess used to save them the +trouble of burying the corpses of their victims by eating them, thus +screening the murderers from all chance of being found out. Once, after +the murder of a traveller, the body was, as usual, left unburied. One of +the Phansiagars employed, unguardedly looking behind him, saw the +goddess in the act of feasting upon it. This made her so angry, that she +vowed never again to devour a body slaughtered by them; they having, by +this one act of curiosity, forfeited her favor. However, as an +equivalent for withdrawing her patronage, she plucked one of the fangs +from her jaw, and gave it to them, saying that they might use it as a +pickaxe, which would never wear out. She then opened her side and pulled +out one of her ribs, which she gave them for a knife, whose edge nothing +could blunt. Having done this, she stooped down and tore off the hem of +her garment, which she gave to them for a noose, declaring that it +would never fail to strangle any person about whose throat it might be +cast. She moreover commanded them to gash and bury the bodies of those +whom they destroyed. + +The Phansiagars bring up their children to their own profession. To +learn this, the boy is placed under the care of a tutor. Sometimes his +father is his teacher. By him he is taught that it is just as proper to +murder a man, as it is to kill a snake which lies in his path and would +bite him as he passes. He is not permitted at first to see the murders, +but merely a dead body; his mind being gradually prepared for the sight. +After this, the dreadful secret of his trade is, by degrees, told him. +When he expresses a wish to be engaged in this horrid business, they +tell him all about it. In the meantime he is allowed a small part of the +plunder, in order that his desire to commit these murders may be +increased; since it is only by murder that the plunder is obtained. He +is from time to time allowed to assist in some things, while the murder +is taking place, or allowed to be present to see how the business is +managed. It is not, however, until he becomes a man, that he is +permitted to apply the noose. To attain this privilege, he usually +devotes eight or ten years. Before he can commit a murder, his tutor +must present him with a noose. This sets him loose upon the world, as a +licensed murderer. When the tutor is about to give him the noose, he +takes him apart, and solemnly enjoins it upon him to use it with skill, +as it is to be the means of his earning his food, and as his safety will +depend upon the skill with which it is used. After he receives it, he +tries his skill in strangling a person the first opportunity that +offers. + +By the course of education which the Phansiagars undergo, they become so +fond of their dreadful occupation, that nothing can induce them to quit +it. Some who have been employed in the East India Company's service, +have always returned to their business when an opportunity offered of a +successful enterprise. + +When the Phansiagars become old, they do not quit the service, but act +as watchers, and decoy the traveller, by some false tale of distress, +into some distant place, where he is murdered. + +Women are sometimes admitted to the society of these plunderers, and, +on some occasions, are allowed to apply the noose. They select a +handsome girl, and place her in a convenient spot, where, by her beauty, +or by a false story of distress, she may decoy some unsuspecting +traveller, and be the means of his destruction. Should he be on +horseback, she will induce him to take her up behind him; after which, +when an opportunity offers, she throws the noose over his head, leaps +from the horse, drags him to the ground, and strangles him. I will +mention an instance. It happened that a horseman of Coorg, in the Madras +presidency, was passing by a spot where one of these interesting-looking +girls was stationed. She told him a piteous story of having been robbed +and badly treated, and begged him to assist her. Feeling sorry for her, +he offered to take her behind him, on his horse, and thus assist her a +few miles on her journey. She expressed much gratitude for his kindness, +and mounted. Soon afterwards she suddenly passed a noose over his head, +and, drawing it with all her might, endeavored to pull him from his +saddle. At this moment, a number of Phansiagars started from the +neighboring thicket and surrounded him. The murderess then slipped from +the horse; but the Coorg striking his heels into the horse's sides, it +threw out its hind legs with great violence, and struck to the ground +the girl, who immediately let go the cord. He then drew his sword, and, +cutting his way through the robbers, effected his escape. He wounded two +of them severely. These men were shortly afterwards taken, and, through +their means, twelve others fell into the hands of the judicial officers +of the king of Coorg, including the girl who attempted the murder. They +were all put to death. + +And is it possible that such persons can go to heaven? How could such +ever relish its pure joys? What would they do, could they be admitted +there? My dear children, it is a charity which has no foundation, to +suppose that the heathen can go to heaven. I have preached the Gospel to +tens of thousands of them, but I never saw one who had the least atom of +a qualification for that holy place. "They have all gone out of the +way." Every crime which the apostle Paul speaks of in the latter part of +the first chapter of his epistle to the Romans, they commit, and crimes +of so dreadful a nature that I cannot mention them--crimes which, should +they be written in the Bible, would cause the Bible to be a sealed book +for ever. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +SELF-TORTURES OF THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear Children--As the heathen have no Bible to direct them, they have +devised various means by which they expect to obtain the favor of their +gods, and get to heaven. I will mention some of these. + +Some burn a lamp in a temple. They think that this is a very meritorious +act. Some roll on the ground after the god, as he is carried in a great +car or chariot around the temple. It is customary for the people to +build very high cars or chariots, and cover them with very beautiful +cloths. They also tie the cocoa-nut blossom and plantain-tree within +them, and attach great ropes to them. When they are ready to drag these +cars, or chariots, they bring their gods of gold or of brass from the +temples, and place them on them. Then one, two, three, six, nine +hundred, and even a thousand persons, when the cars are very large, +catch hold of these ropes and drag them around the temple. While they +are doing this, many of the heathen, to fulfil vows which they made when +in sickness, and at other times of distress, throw themselves on the +ground, and roll over from side to side, and frequently much injure +themselves. + +Some swing on great hooks, which are passed through the tender parts of +their backs. Sometimes they swing for half an hour; sometimes an hour. +The longer they can bear the torture of the swinging, the more +acceptable they suppose it will be to their goddess. It occasionally +happens, that the flesh in which the hooks are fastened gives way, in +which case the poor creature is dashed to the ground. When this occurs, +the people hold him in the greatest abhorrence. They judge him to be a +great criminal, and suppose that he has met a violent death in +consequence of sins which he committed in a former birth. + +Not long since, I attended one of these hook-swingings, not far from the +city of Madura. It took place on the morning of June 8th, 1848, just +twenty-nine years after I first left America for India. It should have +taken place on the preceding afternoon; but one of the axle-trees of the +car, which was to support the machine on which the man was to be +elevated in the air, was broken. Nothing, of course, could be done until +it was repaired. The carpenters and others worked with great diligence +until about eleven o'clock at night, when every thing was prepared for +the swinging. I expected immediately after this to witness the ceremony. +It however did not take place until the morning. While waiting for the +man who was to be swung to make his appearance, I took a pencil and made +a drawing of the machine to which he was to be fastened. The picture on +the first page of the book will give you some idea of it. + +Yon have, perhaps, often seen a well-sweep. The long beam in the picture +is swung in the same manner as is the well-sweep, with a single +exception. In addition to its usual motion, it is made to turn +horizontally. The cuts which you may have seen, in two or three of my +little books, differ much from the above; of course different machines +are used at different times. There are stationary swingings, as well as +swingings of the kind to which I just alluded. + +Between six and seven o'clock in the morning, the man who was to be +swung made his appearance for a few moments, and then disappeared. The +hooks by which he was to be swung, as well as the iron rods with which a +number of devotees were immediately to pierce their sides, were carried +through the streets, and held up that they might be seen by the people. +Soon afterwards the man again appeared with the hooks in his back, and +went up to the end of the beam to which he was to be fastened. This, of +course, was lowered. Notwithstanding the dense multitudes of people, I +made my way to the same spot, determined to be satisfied whether or not +there was any deception in the application of the hooks. There was no +deception. They passed through the skin, on the sides of the backbone. +To these hooks were attached yellow ropes, by which he was fastened to +the beam, as you will perceive in the picture. This being done, the men, +five or six in number, who had hold of the ropes fastened to the end of +the beam which you see resting on the ground, and which was then, of +course, high in the air, drew him up until the beam lay horizontally. +Then, after making him perform one circular motion around the car, they +elevated him, as you see in the picture. When thus elevated, it was +thought that he was forty feet from the ground. All being ready, the +people seized the ropes which you see in front of the car, and began to +draw it. Mr. Chandler and myself accompanied it through the streets, +until it came to the place from which it set out. The distance of ground +passed over was at least half a mile, and the time in which the journey +was accomplished exceeded an hour. Of course he was swinging more than +an hour. As the car passed through the streets, the people threw +plantains from the tops of the houses to the crowds below. + +The man who was swung was adorned with flowers and other ornaments. He +had a tinselled turban on his head. His body was rubbed over with a +yellow paste, made, most probably, from the sandal-wood. Around his +ankles were rings, hung with little bells, which he made to tinkle, as +he was swinging, by striking his legs together. He wore a dark or black +pair of pantaloons, which came a little below the knees, and which had +a border of gold around them. He held a handkerchief in one hand, and a +knife somewhat resembling a dagger, in the other. These he kept in +constant motion, by moving his arms. On one occasion, a bunch of +plantains was tied to one of the long ropes which you see hanging down +by the side of the swinger. These he drew up, and afterwards scattered +over the people on a house opposite to him. [Illustration.] + +After following the car for a quarter of a mile or more, we went before +it, and there witnessed another appalling sight. There were five or six +men, who had the rods of iron which I just mentioned passed through the +skin of their sides. They were dancing along, and, as they danced, they +made these rods go backward and forward through the skin. + +After the car had reached the place from which it set out, the end of +the beam from which the man was swinging was then lowered and he was +untied. Again I looked very carefully at the hooks in the back. The +people say that no blood is shed by their introduction, and consider +this to be a miracle. The falsity of this assertion was shown by the +blood which I saw on the side of one of the wounds. + +I have been long in this country, and consequently have become so +familiarized with heathenism, that my feelings, though deeply wounded at +this sight, were not so keenly affected as were those of my new +associate, Mr. Chandler. He has been on heathen ground but a short time. +When they tied the man to the beam, he was unnerved and wellnigh +overcome; and he told me, that during all the time he was following the +car, he felt like shedding tears. + +While following the car, the young men of America came into my mind. +They refuse to come, said I, to help these miserable creatures. O, they +will not come--they will not come. I thought, that if many of the dear +children of that land--children to whom I lately preached, as well as +others, could witness this poor creature swinging from the end of a long +beam, far above the tops of the trees, and that, too, by hooks passing +through the tender parts of his back, they would say, we will, by and +by, become missionaries, and, by the help of God, proclaim to the +heathen that there is a Saviour. + +On the evening of the day on which the swinging takes place, another act +of great cruelty is practised. Devotees throw themselves from, the top +of a high wall, or a scaffold of twenty or thirty feet in height, upon a +bed of iron spikes, or on bags of straw with knives in them. Many are +often mangled and torn. Others are quickly killed. + +At night, many of the devotees sit down in the open air, and pierce the +skin of their foreheads, by inserting a small rod of iron. To this is +suspended a lamp, which is kept burning till daylight. + +Sometimes bundles of thorns are collected before the temple, among which +the devotees roll themselves without any covering. These thorns are then +set on fire, when they briskly dance over the flames. + +Other devotees swing before a slow fire; some stand between two fires, +as you see in this picture. + +[Illustration:] + +Some have their breasts, arms, and other parts stuck entirely full of +pins, about the thickness of small nails, or packing needles. + +Another very cruel torture is practised. Some of the devotees make a +vow. With one hand they cover their under lip with wet earth or mud. On +this, with the other hand, they place some small grains, usually of +mustard-seed They then stretch themselves flat on their backs, exposed +to the dews of night, and the blazing and scorching sun by day. Their +vow is, that from this position they will not stir, that they will not +move nor turn, nor eat nor drink, till the seeds planted on their lips +begin to sprout. This usually takes place on the third or fourth day. +After this they arise, and then think that they are very holy. + +There is a class of devotees in this country called Yogis, whose object +it is to root out every human feeling. Some live in holes and caves. +Some drag around a heavy chain attached to them. Some make the circuit +of an empire, creeping on their hands and knees. Some roll their bodies +from the shores of the Indus to the Ganges. + +The Rev. Mr. Heyer, in one of his letters from India, says, that an +Indian devotee has spent more than nine years on a journey from Benares +to Cape Comorin, that is, from the 27th to the 7th degree of north +latitude. The whole journey is made by rolling on the bare ground, from +side to side. When he comes to a river, of course he cannot roll over +it. He therefore fords it, or passes over it in a boat, and then rolls +on the banks of the river just as far as the river is wide. By doing +this, he supposes that his determination to roll all the way is fully +carried out. + +[Illustration] + +Some devotees hold up one or both arms, until the muscles become rigid, +and their limbs become shrivelled into stumps. In the above cut, you +have a representation of a man with one of these shrivelled arms. See +how long his finger-nails have grown. One has run through his hand and +back through his arm. Some stretch themselves on beds of iron spikes. +Some wear great square irons on their necks. I have seen not only a man, +but a woman, with these great square irons around their necks, each +nearly two feet in length and two feet in breadth. These they put on for +the purpose of fulfilling some vow which they have made. For instance, +if a mother has a very sick little boy, she will say, "Now, Swammie, if +you will cure my little boy, I will have a square iron put on my neck, +and wear it all my life." After this vow is made, if the little boy gets +well, the mother thinks that her Swammie has cured him, and to fulfil +her engagement she will have one of these irons put on her neck. + +[Illustration:] + +[Illustration:] + +Other devotees throw themselves from the tops of precipices, and are +dashed to pieces; some bury themselves alive in holes, which their own +relatives have dug; some bind themselves with ropes or chains to trees, +until they die; some keep gazing so long and so constantly at the +heavens, that the muscles of their neck become contracted, and no +aliment but liquids can pass into the stomach. + +But I will not continue this subject. You perceive, my dear children, +what a wretched religion that must be which encourages its followers to +perform such acts. And how vain are all these acts--how utterly +destitute are they of any merit. Those who practise them are not made +better by them, and they are just as far from the kingdom of heaven +after having performed them, as they were before. The Christian religion +encourages no such things. It tells us to perform no pilgrimages to holy +places, to inflict no self-tortures. But it has its requirements, and +these are very simple, and may easily be performed by all who are +willing to do their duty. These requirements are, repentance, forsaking +sin, faith in Christ, and a supreme devotedness to his service. Have +you, my dear children, attended to these requirements? If not, you are +in a much worse condition than these poor heathen of whom you have been +reading. They are not as guilty before God as you are. They know not +their Master's will. Still, they must perish, unless the Gospel is sent +to them. But though they perish, their punishment will be lighter than +the punishment of those who refuse to love and obey the Saviour. That +servant who knows his Lord's will, and prepares not himself, neither +does according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he +that knows not, and does commit things worthy of stripes, shall be +beaten with few stripes. Should it be your sad lot to perish at last, it +would be far better for you to go down to hell enveloped in all the +darkness of a heathen land, than to go down to hell from a land of such +gospel light and privileges as you enjoy. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE SUTTEE, OR BURNING OF WIDOWS. + + +My dear children--From what I have already told you, you know that the +Hindoos are a cruel people. But I have not told you of the extent to +which they carry their cruelty. Perhaps it is shown to the highest +degree in their practice of the suttee, or burning of widows. The +British have abolished this rite throughout their dominions in India. +They have also made great exertions to have it abolished in the +territories of the native princes, but I am sorry to say, that in some +of these territories it is still practised. Within the last three years, +twenty-three of the princes just alluded to, have issued orders for its +abolishment throughout their dominions. These orders have probably been +issued solely in consequence of their fear of the British power, for it +is a practice which is riveted in the affections of the people. This +power they know that it will be dangerous to resist. + +In my "Sermon to Children, on the Condition of the Heathen," I +mentioned, that the sacred books of the heathen encourage the suttee. I +also mentioned several instances, in which widows had been burned to +death with the corpses of their husbands. Even though you may have seen +that book, it will be well for me to give you two or three other cases, +to impress your minds more fully with the horrors of the Hindoo +religion. The first took place in a village of Tanjore. A merchant +having died, his wife, who was about thirty years old, determined to +burn herself with his corpse. The news of what she was going to do, +quickly spread in every direction, and large numbers of people collected +to witness the burning. After she was adorned with jewels and dressed in +her best clothing, and after her body was tinged with the yellow +infusion of sandal-wood and saffron, bearers arrived to take away the +corpse with the wretched woman. The body of the man was placed on a car, +ornamented with costly stuffs, flowers, etc. There he was seated like a +living man, elegantly decorated with all his jewels, and clothed in rich +attire. + +The corpse being carried first, the wife followed in a rich palanquin. +As she went along, the surrounding multitudes of people stretched out +their hands towards her to show how much they admired her conduct. The +women in particular went up to her to wish her joy, apparently desiring +to receive her blessing, or at least, that she would pronounce over them +some pleasing word. She tried to satisfy them all, saying to one, that +she would long continue to enjoy her worldly happiness, and to another, +that she would be the mother of many beautiful children. Another was +informed, that she would soon arrive at great honor in the world. These, +and similar expressions, she made to all who came near her, and they +departed with the full belief that they would enjoy all the blessings of +which she had spoken. She also distributed among them some betel-leaves, +which they gladly received as relics, or something of blessed influence. + +During the whole procession, which was very long, her countenance was +serene and even cheerful, until they came to the pile upon which she was +to die. Then she suddenly became pensive. She no longer attended to what +was passing around her. Her looks were wildly fixed upon the pile. Her +face grew pale. She trembled with fear, and seemed ready to faint away. + +The Brahmins, who took the lead in this ceremony, with her relations, +seeing her sad condition, ran to her, and endeavored to restore her +spirits, but she seemed not to know what they said, and answered not a +word. + +They made her quit the palanquin, and her nearest relatives took her to +a pond of water which was near the pile, where they washed her. They +then attended her to the pile, on which the corpse of her husband had +already been laid. It was surrounded with Brahmins, each with a lighted +torch in one hand, and a bowl of melted butter in the other, all ready, +as soon as the poor victim was placed on the pile, to envelope her in +fire. + +The relatives armed with muskets, sabres, and other weapons, stood +closely around in a double line, for the purpose, it was said, of making +her afraid, if she might wish to draw back, or of frightening any body +who might pity her, and endeavor to rescue her. + +At length the time for firing the pile being proclaimed, the young widow +was stripped of her jewels, and led on towards the pile. She was then +commanded to walk three times around it, two of her nearest relations +supporting her by the arms. The first round she accomplished with +tottering steps; but in the second, her strength forsook her, and she +fainted away in the arms of those who were holding her. They were +obliged to drag her between them for the third round. Then senseless, +she was thrown upon the corpse of her husband. At that instant, the +multitude made the air to ring with their shouts of gladness, while the +Brahmins poured the butter on the dry wood, and applied the torches. +Instantly the whole pile was in a blaze. + +As soon as the flames began to rage, the poor woman, now in the midst of +them, was called upon by name, from all sides; but as insensible as the +corpse on which she lay, she made no answer. She entered eternity, +suffocated at once, most probably, by the flames. + +The second case of suttee which I shall mention took place at the death +of the rajah, or king of Tanjore. He left behind him four wives. + +The Brahmins having determined that two of these four should be burned +with the corpse of their husband, and having selected the two whom they +thought best to sacrifice, they told them of what awaited them. They +received the information with apparent joy. A refusal would have been +attended with their utter disgrace. + +One day only was necessary to get ready for the funeral ceremonies. They +were conducted as follows: In a field somewhat distant from the palace, +the people made a hollow, not very deep, but about twelve or fifteen +feet square. Within it they made a pyramid of the sweet-smelling +sandal-wood. On the middle of the pyramid, a scaffold was built in such +a manner that the posts could easily be taken away, by which means the +scaffold would fall at once. On the four corners of the platform, large +jars were placed, filled with melted butter, to besmear the pyramid, +that it might be the more easily set on fire. + +The following was the order of the procession. It was headed by a great +number of soldiers under arms. They were followed by a multitude of +musicians, chiefly trumpeters, who made the air reëcho with their +melancholy sounds. Next came the body of the king upon a splendid +palanquin, richly adorned. This was surrounded by the nearest relations +and by the priest of the king. They were all on foot, and without their +turbans in token of mourning. A large party of Brahmins formed around +them as an immediate escort. The two wives who were to be burned with +the corpse came next, each borne on a palanquin. During the journey they +appeared calm and cheerful. The troops kept off the immense crowds who +were assembled from every direction. + +The two queens, loaded with jewels, were attended by their favorite +women, with whom they occasionally conversed, and by their relations of +both sexes. To many of these they had made presents before leaving the +palace. They were also accompanied by thousands of Brahmins, collected +from different quarters. These were followed by an innumerable multitude +of persons of both sexes. When they arrived at the ground where they +were to be burned, the two victims were made to descend from their +palanquins, for the purpose of performing the preparatory ceremonies. +They went through the whole without showing any fear until towards the +close, when their countenances began to change, and their three circuits +around the pile were not performed without considerable effort to +maintain calmness. + +In the meantime, the body of the king had been placed on the scaffold +over the platform. The two queens were also laid down beside the corpse, +one on the right hand, and the other on the left, and they joined hands +by stretching them over the body. The astrologer having then declared +that the happy moment was come for firing the pile, the Brahmins +repeated several prayers in a loud voice, and sprinkled the pile with +holy water. When these ceremonies were finished, a signal was given, and +the pillars which supported the pyramid and the scaffold were suddenly +taken away. Immediately the women were covered with the falling mass of +timber, which tumbled over them with a crash. At the same instant the +pile was fired in all its parts. On one side, the nearest relative of +the king applied his torch, and on the other side, the priest; while the +Brahmins, in every quarter, were pouring jars of melted butter on the +flames, creating so intense a heat as must instantly have consumed the +victims. Then the multitude shouted for joy, and the relations +approaching the pile also set up a loud cry, calling them by their +names. They supposed that they heard a voice in answer pronouncing +_Enna?_ that is, _What_? but the fall of the platform, and the immediate +bursting out of the flames, must have stifled them at once. + +Such was the miserable cud of these poor unhappy queens--unhappy victims +of the most cruel religion that ever disgraced the earth. + +Not unfrequently the sons take a prominent part in destroying their +mothers. This will appear from the following case. A Brahmin died, and +was brought to the place of burning. His wife was fastened to the pile, +and the fire was kindled, but the night was dark and rainy. When the +fire began to scorch the poor woman, she contrived to disentangle +herself from the dead body, and creeping from under the pile, hid +herself among some brushwood. In a little time it was discovered that +there was but one body on the pile. The relations immediately took the +alarm, and searched for the poor creature. The son soon dragged her +forth, and insisted that she should throw herself on the pile again, or +drown or hang herself. She pleaded for her life at the hands of her own +son, and declared that she could not embrace so horrid a death; but she +pleaded in vain. He urged, that he should lose his caste if she were +spared, and added, that either he or she must die. Unable to persuade +her to hang or drown herself, the son and the others present tied her +hands and feet, and threw her on the funeral pile, where she quickly +perished. + +[Illustration: BURNING OF WIDOWS] + +I observed that the rite of suttee is riveted in the affections of this +people. The following communications from two of the native princes who +lately consented to put a stop to this rite, will show you that this is +the case. The rajah of Oorcha declares, that "no subject of his state +shall in future be permitted to become a suttee, though according to the +Shasters, it is no doubt very meritorious for a widow to die of grief +for the death of her husband." The rajah of Sumpthem says, "The practice +of suttee is so very old, and has been countenanced and encouraged by +the wise men of so many generations that I have never thought myself +justified in interposing to prevent it; but my anxiety to meet the +wishes of the governor-general in this and in all things, is so great, +that I have waived all other considerations, and forbidden suttee." + +If the British were to lose their power in India, the suttee would +immediately be rëestablished. Power has put it down, but power alone +will never root it out of the affections of the people. Nothing but the +Gospel can do this. O that Christians would think of this, and hasten, +yea, with great haste, to send this blessed Gospel to them. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE REVENGEFUL NATURE OF THE HINDOO RELIGION. + + +My dear Children--The sacred books of the Hindoos encourage revenge. In +the Vedas, which are the most sacred books, are laid down forms of +religious service, or acts of worship, which are designed to injure or +destroy their enemies. When a person wishes to have his enemy +destroyed, he goes to a Brahmin or priest, and secures his supposed aid. +The Brahmin, before he proceeds to his work, clothes himself with a +black garment. He also makes four images of the foe, and clothes these +with black garments. He then kindles a sacrificial fire, and after the +performance of various ceremonies, he takes pieces of some animal which +has been consecrated for the purpose, and throws them into this fire. On +every occasion when he makes this burnt-offering, he touches the mouth +of the image of this enemy, uttering one or other of the forms of prayer +which are written in the sacred books. Of these, the following are a +few: "O Agni," god of fire, "thou who art the mouth of all gods, do +thou destroy the wisdom of my enemy." "O Agni, fill with distraction the +mind of this my enemy." "O Agni, destroy the senses of this my enemy." +"O Agni, make dumb the mouth of this my enemy." "O Agni, fasten with a +peg the tongue of this my enemy." "O Agni, reduce to ashes this my +enemy." + +How different, my dear children, is the religion of Jesus from the +religion of which I have been giving you a description. No precepts +teach us that we may injure or destroy our enemies. On the contrary, +they teach us to love them, and do them good. Let me repeat to you some +of the words which our Saviour spoke on this point. "Ye have heard that +it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy; +but I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do +good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you +and persecute you, that ye may be the children of your Father which is +in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, +and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." + +One of the young Hindoos in Dr. Duff's school in Calcutta, when reading +the above and similar passages, was so struck with the difference +between these precepts and the precepts of his Shasters, that he could +not but exclaim "O, how beautiful, how divine. Surely this is the +truth--this is the truth--this is the truth." The consequence was, that +he never could rest until he had thrown aside his sacred books and his +idols, and embraced that Saviour whose precepts appeared to him to be so +beautiful. And was this heathen so struck with the beauty of the +precepts of the Bible--so struck, that he had no peace until he gave +himself to his Saviour? And have you ever, my dear children, been struck +with the precepts of your Saviour--so struck with them, that you could +never rest until you had given up your hearts to him? If not, how great +is the contrast between you and that young Hindoo. He gave his heart to +the Saviour. You withhold yours. He, through grace, will dwell for ever +with Christ in heaven. You, if you continue in your present awful +condition, must be banished from his presence, and cast into hell, where +you shall be tormented day and night for ever, with the devil and his +angels. Flee, my dear children, flee to the Saviour now, if you have +never yet done so. Flee to him, and then you also shall dwell for ever +with him. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +THE DECEPTION OF THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear Children--From what I have previously stated, you are aware that +the Hindoos are a very deceitful people. Let me give you another +instance of their deception. A late head catechist of one of my +missionary brethren was, before his conversion, the priest of a temple. +A man from whom about one thousand rupees' worth of jewels and similar +things had been stolen, came to this priest, and promised to reward him +well, if he would detect the thief, and secure to him the restoration of +his property. The priest promised to comply with his wishes; and in +order to effect his purpose, he had drums beaten through the village, +and proclaimed, that at a certain time he would hold a meeting and +detect the thief. At the appointed time, a large concourse of people +assembled, the priest appearing in the midst of them with a cocoa-nut +bound around with saffron-cords. He then told them, that if, after +putting down the cocoa-nut, it should move of its own accord towards +him, they might know that he would be able certainly to detect the +thief; and added, that after it had thus moved, it would pursue the +offender, and follow him until it would break his head. He then +performed certain ceremonies calculated to awaken superstitious feelings +in the minds of the people, and laid the cocoa-nut down at a little +distance from him. To the great amazement of all present, it began to +move towards the priest, and continued to move until it reached his +feet. This being done, he told the people, that they might conclude from +what they had seen, that the cocoa-nut would follow the thief until it +would break his head. He consented, however, to give him a little +grace--to spare his life until the next day; adding his advice, that the +thief, whoever he might be, had better come to him privately, and tell +him where the property was. In the dead of the night, a tap was heard at +the door of the priest; the thief presented himself, and delivered up +the property. The priest received a present from the owner of the +property, and rewarded the thief for his promptness. After this man was +converted, he was asked how he contrived to make the cocoa-nut move +towards him. "Why, sir," he answered, "if you will carefully divide a +cocoa-nut, scoop out the kernel from one-half of it, enclose a strong, +lively rat, put the parts of the cocoa-nut together, and bind the whole +with saffron-cords, to prevent the crack being seen, and then place it +on a declivity previously prepared, it is clear, that if you place +yourself at the foot of this declivity the rat will twirl the cocoa-nut, +and cause it to descend until it reaches your feet." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +SUPERSTITION OF THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear Children--In my Sermon to Children, before alluded to, I +mentioned a few particulars to prove that the people of India are very +superstitious. Let me mention a few more. It is said that no act, +however good it may be, if performed on Sunday, will succeed. Some will +not eat at all on Sunday, until they have seen a certain bird--the bird +on which the god Vrishnoo rides. If a man rubs oil on his head on +Monday, and bathes, he will commit a sin equal to the sin of destroying +a temple of Siva. If he has his hair out on Tuesday, he will become +poor. Even to worship the gods on Wednesday, is bad. If a person takes +medicine on Thursday, his sickness will be increased. Should he lend any +thing on Friday, he will lose his property. If he should buy a new cloth +on Saturday, take it home, and keep it there, death may be the +consequence. Should he die on this day, some other member of the family +will die on the following week. + +If the foundation of a house is laid in June, the destruction of that +house will follow. Should a family enter a new house in March, some +member of the family will die. If a marriage is celebrated in September, +the husband and wife will fight with each other. + +Should a thunderbolt fall on a house, or a vulture alight on it, some +evil will befall the people living in it. If a crow should strike any +person on the head with its wings, some of his relations will die. +Should a cat or a snake cross his path, it would be an indication of +evil. In the latter case, one of his relations will die. If, when +returning home, a person should meet him bearing a light, a quarrel will +be the result. + +After a person has left his house, should he meet a single Brahmin, or a +woman who has had her head shaved, or a dumb or a blind man, or a +washerman or a barber, the object for which he left would not succeed. +Or, when going out, should he hit his head against the top of the +door-frame, or should any one ask him where he was going, or should he +happen to sneeze, he would consider these things as hinderances to his +going, and reënter the house. + +Should a son or a daughter be born on the new moon in April, they will +become thieves. If a person is born under the planet Saturn, he will be +slandered, his riches will be dissipated, and his wife, son, and friends +will be destroyed. He will also be at variance with others, and endure +many sufferings. Should he be born under the planet Mars, he will be +full of anxious thoughts, be imprisoned, and oppressed with fear from +robbers, fire, etc. He also will lose his lands, trees, and good name. + +If a person dreams that a monkey has bitten him, he will die in six +months; or if he dreams that bedbugs, in large numbers, are creeping +over his body to bite him, he will die in eight days. Should he dream +that a dog has bitten him, he will die in three years; or should he +dream that a dead person has appeared to him and spoken to him, he will +die immediately. + +If a man has a little head, he will become rich. If he has a large head, +he will be poor. If his forehead is wide, he will live a hundred years. +If he has a small neck, he will be a murderer. If the second toe is +long, he will be a bad man. If a woman has curly hair, she will not +prosper. If her nose is long, she will have a good disposition. If her +ear is wide, she will tell falsehoods. If she has a mole on her nose, +she will be subject to anger; if on her lips, she will be learned; if on +the eyebrows she will be cunning. + +I could continue to fill a number of pages with things of the same +description, but it will be unnecessary. I will merely mention one +instance more. On a certain night in the month of November, the people +will not look at the moon. The reason assigned for this, is as follows. +Once, when the elephant-faced god Pulliar was dancing before the gods, +the moon happening to see him, laughed at him, and told him that he had +a large stomach, an ear like a winnowing-fan, etc. This so enraged him, +that he cursed her. This curse was inflicted on the night above +mentioned. + +How does the wretchedness of a people, both in reference to the things +of this world and of the world to come, show itself where the Bible is +unknown. If this blessed book was not an inspired book--if it did no +more than remove the temporal miseries of men, how invaluable would it +be! Of how much more value then, is it, in reference to the removal of +their spiritual miseries? + +O, why is it that Christians have not long since sent this Bible to +them? Why is it that they do not send it to them _now_? This is a +mystery, which we must leave to be unravelled at the judgment-seat of +the last day. My dear children, you are to stand before that +judgment-seat. Shall any of these heathen among whom I dwell, rise up at +that awful season--stretch out their hands towards you, and say, There +stand the children who might have sent us the Bible, but they did not +send it; and now we must be lost--_lost for ever!_ + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +BURMAH, CHINA, ETC., ETC. + + +My dear children--If you will look on your map of Asia, you will see, +adjoining Hindostan, at the east, a country called Burmah. This is +another land of idols. Here the "Baptist General Convention for Foreign +Missions" have one of the most interesting and flourishing missions in +the world. The people of Burmah are, if possible, still further removed +from divine knowledge than the people of India. They are in reality +atheists, or, in other words, people who do not believe in a creator or +preserver of the world. But still they worship gods, who, they say, have +become so by acts of religious merit. He whom they now worship is called +Gaudama, or Boodh. He is reputed to be the son of the king of Benares, +and, if their history be correct, was born six hundred years before +Christ. The Boodhists are all idolaters. They have many temples erected +to the honor of Boodh and his image. Before this image they present +flowers, incense, rice, betel-nuts etc. Like all other idolatrous +nations, the Burmese are very wicked. They do not respect their females +as they should do. They treat them as an inferior order of beings. They +often sell them. + +A very singular custom prevails in that country. It consists in paying a +kind of homage to a white elephant. This elephant is sumptuously dressed +and fed. It is provided with officers, like a second sovereign, and is +made to receive presents from foreign ambassadors. It is next in rank to +the king, and _superior_ to the queen. + +Burmah is the country in which Drs. Judson and Price, and Messrs. Hough +and Wade suffered so much, during the war with England several years +ago. Messrs. Hough and Wade were the first to suffer. As the ships which +were to make the attack upon Rangoon approached the city, they were +seized and cast into prison. Their legs were bound together with ropes, +and eight or ten Burmans, armed with spears and battle-axes, were +placed over them, as a guard. They were afterwards put in irons. The +next morning, as the fleet approached still nearer the city, orders were +sent to the guard, through the grates of their prison, that the instant +the shipping should fire upon the town, they were to kill them, together +with the other prisoners confined with them. The guard, on receiving +these orders, began to sharpen the instruments with which they intended +to kill them, and moved them about their heads to show with how much +skill and pleasure they would attend to their orders. Upon the floor +where they intended to butcher them, a large quantity of sand was spread +to receive the blood. The gloom and silence of death reigned among the +prisoners; the vast ocean of eternity seemed but a step before them. At +length the fleet arrived, and the firing commenced The first ball which +was thrown into the town passed, with a tremendous noise, directly over +their heads. This so frightened the guard, that they seemed unable to +execute their murderous orders. They shrunk away into one corner of the +prison, where they remained quiet, until a broadside from one of the +ships made the prison shake and tremble to its very foundation. This so +alarmed them, that they burst open the doors of the prison and fled. The +missionaries, with the other prisoners, were then left alone. Their +danger, however, was not at an end; but as God had protected them thus +far, he continued to protect them until they were set at liberty, and +allowed to preach the Gospel again to those perishing heathen. Drs. +Judson and Price were also imprisoned, and suffered much; but they, too, +were preserved and delivered. The accounts of their sufferings are so +long, that I cannot now relate them all to you. You will find them in +the life of Mrs. Judson. + +After the war was over, the missionaries were permitted to go everywhere +to proclaim the name of the Saviour; and their efforts have been very +much blessed, especially among the Karens. It will be impossible for me +to give you an account of their many labors, and of the many tokens +which they have received of God's favor towards multitudes who have +become followers of the Redeemer. Suffice it to say, that more than six +thousand have been received into the Christian church. One of the native +teachers not long since baptized, on one occasion, three hundred and +seventy-two persons. + +Adjoining Burmah, is China, a country containing more than three hundred +millions of people, about twenty times as many as there are in the +United States of America. It is a country filled with idols. Many of the +people earn their living by making and selling these idols. There are +many shops where they are sold, or repaired when they become broken or +defaced. + +The females in that country are in a very degraded state. They are the +slaves of their husbands, and live and die in the greatest ignorance. +Any attempt to raise themselves to the level of females in Christian +lands, is considered as very wicked. The little female child is tortured +from her birth. You have, perhaps, heard that the women of China have +small feet. These are made small by a very cruel practice--by putting +bandages of cloth so tightly around them, that they cannot grow. Many +women have feet not larger than those of an American infant of one year +old. Mr. Doty, missionary to China, says, that he was acquainted with a +little girl whose mother had bound up her feet so tightly, that she +cried two or three hours every day, on account of the great pain which +she suffered. + +With such little feet, you may well suppose that it would be very +difficult for the women to walk. It is so. They limp and hobble along, +just as if their feet had been cut off, and they had to walk on stumps. + +The Chinese do not count their daughters among their children. Mr. Doty +says, he one day asked his Chinese teacher how many children he had. He +replied, that he had several. "How many of these," he then inquired, +"are daughters?" "We do not count our daughters among our children," he +answered. "I have three daughters, but we Chinese count our sons only as +children." + +When this missionary was in a Chinese village where he had never been +before, a man called to see him, bringing with him two pretty little +girls, neatly dressed, about six and seven years old. He said that they +were his daughters and that he wished to sell them. Mr. Doty refused to +buy them, as it was wicked to buy and sell children; but he told him, +that if he would commit them to him, he would take them home with him, +and educate them, and that they might return home after they had grown. +To this proposal he would not consent but said, that if he would buy +them, they should be his for ever. He could have bought them both for +about twenty-six dollars. + +The Chinese have many schools, but none for their daughters, as they do +not teach them, to read. When they are about thirteen years old, they +shut them up in what are called "women's apartments," where they remain +until the time of their marriage. Then the parents sell them to those +who wish to have wives for their sons. In this way, they are frequently +married to persons whom they never before saw. + +Many parents in China destroy their little girls soon after they are +born, or while they are very small. This they frequently do by throwing +them into rivers, or into the sea, after they have wrapped them up in +coarse mats. There is a little Chinese girl, named Ellen, now living in +Newark, New Jersey, whose father was about to kill her when she was +three weeks old. An English lady heard of his intentions, and sent a +person with ten dollars to see if she could not be bought. He was +offered the ten dollars, but refused to take them. She sent ten dollars +more. He consented to take the twenty dollars. This little girl was +brought by this English lady to America, when she was about six years +old. The friends who have her under their care, are educating her with +the hope that she may go back to China, to tell its females of the +Saviour. + +Did you ever, my dear girls, think why it is that your parents love you, +and educate you--why it is that they try to make you happy, instead of +cramping your feet, shutting you up, and, perhaps, at last selling you? +It is because they have the Bible. Then, how anxious should you be to +save what money you can, to buy Bibles to send to those poor heathen. + +As I am now speaking of the destruction of infants, I would observe, +that this crime is common in other heathen countries. It was quite +common, until lately, in the island of Tahiti, and other places in the +South Pacific Ocean. When the missionaries of the London Missionary +Society went there, many years ago, they found the females in a very +degraded situation. Mr. Nott, one of these missionaries, declared that +three out of four of the children were murdered as soon as they were +born. He met a woman soon after this dreadful crime had been abolished +to whom he said, "How many children have you?" "This one in my arms," +was her answer. "And how many did you kill?" She replied, "Eight." +Another woman, who was asked the same question, said that she had +destroyed _seventeen_. Infanticide, or, in other words, the destruction +of infants, says the Rev. Mr. Williams, was carried to an almost +incredible extent in Tahiti, and some other islands. He writes, "During +the visit of the deputation, G. Bennet, Esq., was our guest for three or +four days; and on one occasion, while conversing on this subject, he +expressed a wish to obtain accurate knowledge of the extent to which +this cruel practice had prevailed. Three women were sitting in the room +at the time, making European garments, under Mrs. Williams direction; +and, after replying to Mr. Bennet's inquiries, I said, 'I have no doubt +but that each of these women has destroyed some of her children.' Mr. +Bennet exclaimed, 'Impossible; such motherly, respectable women could +never have been guilty of so great an atrocity.' 'Well,' I added, 'we +will ask them.' Addressing the first, I said to her, 'Friend, how many +children have you destroyed?' She was startled at my question, and at +first charged me with unkindness, in harrowing up her feelings, by +bringing the destruction of her babes to her remembrance; but upon +learning the object of my inquiry, she replied, with a faltering voice, +'I have destroyed _nine_.' The second, with eyes suffused with tears, +said, 'I have destroyed _seven_;' and the third informed us that she had +destroyed _five_. Had the missionaries gone there but a few years +before, with the blessing of God, they would have prevented all this. +These mothers were all Christians at the time this conversation was +held." + +"On another occasion," says Mr. Williams, "I was called to visit the +wife of a chief in dying circumstances. She had professed Christianity +for many years, had learned to read when about sixty, and was a very +active teacher in our adult school. In the prospect of death, she sent a +pressing request that I would visit her immediately; and on my entering +her apartment she exclaimed, 'O, servant of God, come and tell me what I +must do.' Perceiving that she suffered great mental distress, I +inquired the cause of it, when she replied, 'I am about to die.' 'Well,' +I rejoined, 'if it be so, what creates this agony of mind?' 'O, my sins, +my sins,' she cried; 'I am about to die.' I then inquired what the +particular sins were which so greatly distressed her, when she +exclaimed, 'O, my children, my murdered children! I am about to die, and +shall meet them all at the judgment-seat of Christ.' Upon this I +inquired how many children she had destroyed, and to my astonishment she +replied, 'I have destroyed _sixteen_, and now I am about to die.'" After +this Mr. Williams tried to comfort her, by telling her that she had done +this when a heathen, and during the times of ignorance, which God winked +at. But she received no consolation from this thought, and exclaimed +again, "O, my children, my children." He then directed her to the +"faithful saying, which is worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ +came into the world to save sinners." This gave her a little comfort; +and after visiting her frequently, and directing her to that blood which +cleanseth from all sin, he succeeded, with the blessing of God, in +bringing peace to her mind. She died soon after, rejoicing in the hope +that her sins, though many, would be forgiven her. Well may you exclaim, +my dear children, + + "Holy Bible, book divine, + Precious treasure, thou art mine." + +Infanticide still prevails in India, but as I have given a particular +description of this crime in my Sermon to Children, on the Condition of +the Heathen, I will here say nothing farther on the subject. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +THE DUTY OF PRAYING AND CONTRIBUTING FOR THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL. + + +My dear children--There is another story connected with India, which I +might have mentioned in my last chapter while writing about the +destruction of infants. I will relate it now, in order that you may be +constrained to pray more frequently for the heathen. Some time ago, the +wife of a native prince had a little daughter. The father ordered it to +be put to death, immediately after it was born. Had it been a son, an +heir to the throne, he would have taken great care of it. A second, a +third, a fourth, a fifth little daughter was born. All these were also +put to death by the command of the father. When a sixth little daughter +was born, the mother's heart yearned over it. "I cannot part with it," +said she; "I will have it taken away and hid, so that the king may know +nothing about it." This was done, but the poor mother never dared to +send for her little girl. She never saw her again, but died sometime +after. + +Many of the little girls in India are very pretty. They have dark eyes, +and sweet, expressive countenances. This little child grew to be a very +beautiful girl; and when she was eleven years old, some of her relations +ventured to bring her to her father. They thought that he would be +struck with the sight of his sweet child, and that he would love her for +the sake of her mother who had died. The little girl fell at his feet +and clasped his knees, and looked up in his face and said, "My father." +And what do you think that father did? Do you think that he took her up +in his arms, and kissed her? No. He seized her by the hair of her head, +drew his sword from his belt, and with a single blow took off her head. + +Now, my dear children, do you not think that you ought to pray for the +poor heathen--to pray that God will send the Gospel to them? I want to +tell you of a little boy who heard me preach some time ago about the +heathen. One night he said his prayers, and went to bed. After he got +into bed, he said to the nurse, "I have forgotten to pray for the +heathen, and I must get out of bed and pray for them." The nurse then +told him that it would not be necessary for him to get up, as he could +pray for them while in bed. "No," said he, "I must get out of bed and +pray for them." And the dear little boy would not rest until he got out +of bed and prayed for them. Now I want all of you, my dear children, +every morning and evening, to kneel down and pray for the heathen, as +this little boy did. And I want you to do something more. I want you +always to be punctual in attending _the usual monthly concerts of +prayer,_ provided there are no juvenile monthly concerts to which you +can go. I have long wished to see juvenile monthly concerts of prayer +established. They would be very interesting if I am to judge from the +account of one which I some time ago received from a friend of mine, the +Rev. Mr. V----. I will give you some extracts from his letter. He +writes, "According to promise, I send you an account of the first +children's monthly concert, so far as I can learn, held on Long Island. +As notice was not given either in the church or Sabbath-school, the +attendance was smaller than it otherwise would have been. Still, about +sixty interesting children attended. After a few remarks concerning the +object of the meeting by the superintendent of the Sabbath-school they +sung with melting eyes the hymn that describes the wretched heathen +mother casting her lovely babe into the jaws of the monster of the +Granges. Prayer then was made, of about two or three minutes in length. +Then I gave some of the most affecting accounts of the cruelties and +ignorance of the heathen, as related by the devoted Williams, that +martyr missionary. Their silent attention and subdued countenances told +that their hearts were with the wretched idolaters. After having thus +spent about ten minutes, the children sung in a sweet manner, a hymn--a +prayer for those laboring amid the heathen: + + "When worn by toil, their spirits fail, + Bid them the glorious future hail; + Bid them the crown of life survey, + And onward urge their conquering way." + +"After which, two resolutions were passed, unanimously, by the children. +First, that they will each one attend the monthly concert of prayer +regularly, when able, and bring with them all their companions whom they +can persuade to come. + +"Secondly, that they, with the children of the various schools of W----, +will constitute ---- a life member of the W---- Bible Society. Some of +the smaller children had brought their little Bibles to give them to +----, that he might carry them to the poor children of the heathen. But +when informed that the heathen could not understand English, they +determined to raise money, and send it out to purchase Bibles for the +children. This interesting meeting was closed by prayer, the doxology, +and benediction." + +But not only can you pray for the heathen, you can give _something_ to +send the Gospel to them. Do you say that you have no money to give? But +cannot you earn some? Many young persons have done so. One of whom I +have read, says, "Besides supporting a school in Ceylon, we are going to +support five Chinese boys. I earn six cents a week for not using tea, +one for not using sugar, and three for not using coffee." + +Another says, "I, with three others, have been making matches to the +amount of ten dollars, and should have made more, but the people are +pretty well supplied. I am going to dig my father's garden, and my +mother is going to give me a quarter of a dollar for digging it, which I +shall give to the missionaries. I am going to do all I can, and to earn +all I can, and save all that I have, to support the missionaries." + +Another says, "I am going to leave off buying candy." What is that? Can +little girls and boys do without sugar-candy? I am afraid that many of +you, my dear children, would find it difficult to go without it. But let +me quote all that this child wrote. "I am going to leave off buying +candy and such little notions, unless it is necessary, and save every +cent that I can get and give it to the missionaries." + +Now, my dear children, I do think that if you would save some of those +cents which you spend in buying candy, fire-crackers, and similar +things, and buy Bibles and tracts for the poor heathen, you would do +much more good with them. + +I want to tell you about a little boy who belonged to one of my schools +in Ceylon, who has, as I hope, gone to heaven through the means of a +tract which cost only two or three cents, and which was the cause of his +coming under my care. After he had attended preaching for some time, he +begged me to admit him to the church. As he was quite young, not eleven +years old, I was afraid to receive him. This feeling, perhaps, was +wrong. He never joined the church on earth. He has, however, I hope, +gone to join the church in heaven. When he was about eleven years of +age, he was attacked with the cholera and died. In this country, when +children are very ill, the father or mother will catch up a cocoa-nut or +a few plantains, and run off to the temple, and say, "Now, Swammie, if +you will cure my little boy or little girl, I will give you this +cocoa-nut, or these plantains." The mother of this boy saw that he was +very ill, and she told him that she wished to go to make offerings to +one of her idols, in order that he might get well. But he requested her +not to do so. "I do not worship idols," said he; "I worship Christ, my +Saviour. If he is pleased to spare me a little longer in the world, it +will be well; if not, I shall go to him." The last words he uttered +were, "I am going to Christ the Lord." + +Now when you think about this little boy, I want you to ask yourselves, +whether it is not better to give two or three cents to try and save the +soul of some poor little heathen boy or girl, than to spend them in +buying candy, and other useless things. + +But I must tell you about a little girl whom I saw some time ago, who +refused to buy candy while there are so many heathen without the Bible. +Her father is a sea-captain. Being absent from home, he sent her five +dollars to buy candy, or any thing else which she wished. As this little +girl had heard about the heathen, she determined to throw all her money +into the missionary-box, instead of spending it for her own pleasure. +The mother, on learning her intentions, asked her if she would not like +to spend a part of it for candy, and similar things. She replied, that +she would not, and in due time she put her five dollars into the +missionary-box. Not long after this, she was attacked with a severe +toothache. The mother proposed that the defective tooth should be +extracted. The little creature, for she was only about eight years old, +dreaded the operation, and seemed at first to be backward about having +it performed. To encourage her to submit to it, her mother offered her +twenty-five cents. This little girl did not then begin to reason, Now, +if I can only get those twenty-five cents, I can buy a doll, or I can +buy some sugar-candy; but she reasoned thus, Now, if I can get those +twenty-five cents, I can go and put them into the missionary-box. So she +said to her mother, I will go and have the tooth taken out. The tooth, +however, ceased to ache, but still she wished to have it extracted. Her +mother then interfered, and told her that, as it had ceased to ache, it +might be well for her not to have it drawn until it ached again. The +little girl, however, persisted, saying, that if it were not taken out, +she could not get the twenty-five cents to devote to the missionary +cause. She therefore went to the dentist's, submitted to the operation, +received her twenty-five cents, and went and threw them into the Lord's +treasury. Was not that a noble little girl? Doubtless you will all say +she was. + +I must tell you about a noble little boy also. Some time ago, I was +preaching to the children of Canandaigua, in the western part of New +York. After I had preached there, I went on to Rochester. Returning from +that place, I met with a lady in the cars, who told me as follows: +"After you had preached in Canandaigua," said she, "a young lady there, +who had lost her mother, and who had six or seven or eight of her +brothers and sisters under her care, formed them into a missionary +society." Oh, I wish that all the dear children in America were formed +into missionary societies. After she had done this, she asked her little +brother how he was going to get money to put into the missionary-box. +"By catching mice," said he. His sister gave him two or three cents for +every mouse he caught. Thus it appears, that this dear little boy was +going to throw all his earnings into the Lord's treasury. + +But let me tell you a little more about the children to whom I before +alluded. Another says, "In some of the day-schools of this city, the +girls have formed sewing societies, and make pin-cushions, needle-books, +emery-bags, and the like, and send the money that is raised from the +sale of them to the missionaries, to be used for the heathen. There are +seven Sabbath-schools in this town, and in each of them there is a +missionary association; so that in all about five hundred dollars are +sent from the Sabbath-schools every year." + +Now, my dear girls, I want you to think of what has now been said about +the formation of sewing societies; and I want you to ask your mothers +whether they will not allow you to form such societies, to meet once a +week, or once in two weeks, or once a month to sew, to get some money to +send the Gospel to the heathen. Many societies of this kind have been +formed. After I had preached to the children in one of the churches in +Third-street, New York, the little girls who attend that church formed +such a society. The account which I received of it is as follows. "You +may remember, that in your address to our Sabbath-school, you related +instances of little girls knitting, sewing, etc., to earn something for +the missionary-box The examples which you related were not lost to the +girls of the Sabbath-school. Immediately they began to talk about +forming themselves into a sewing society, and making small articles, and +giving the proceeds to the missionary society. They did not stop here, +but went right to work, and soon formed their society, which they styled +the Juvenile Sewing Society. They are in a very prosperous and +flourishing condition at present. I know not the amount of funds they +possess--they pay a cent a week into their treasury--but they have a +large assortment of articles already made. I understand, also, they meet +once a week to sew." + +After I had preached at a place called Little Falls, New York, the girls +formed a sewing society there. The following account of this society I +received from one of its little members. "When you were here last fall, +and told us how much good little girls had done in having sewing +societies, we thought we would see if _we_ could not do some good in the +world, as well as they; and, since October, we have met weekly, and by +holding a fair, we have succeeded in raising sixty-two dollars. We +hope it will be the means of saving some poor heathen children." + +Now, as I said before, I want you, my dear girls, to ask your mothers if +you may not form such societies also. Will you think of it? I hope you +will. + +Another of the children to whom I have twice referred, says, "I can try +and save their souls, if I am not there. I can work for them, and send +some money to you to buy them Bibles, and I can pray for them; and if I +should save some souls, O how would they thank me. But if I did not send +my money, nor care any thing about them, and I should not go to heaven, +and they should not, how would they rise up in judgment against me, and +say, If we had had the privileges that you had, we should not be here. +O, how thankful we ought to be, that we were not born in heathen lands. +O, if the poor heathen could only have such privileges as we have, how +thankful would they be; and if we were born in heathen lands, I have no +doubt that they would come and tell us about a Saviour." + +I have received many letters from children, breathing the same spirit +which is manifested in the notes I have copied. + +One writes, "Last winter I brought in the wood for mother, and she gave +me fifty cents. I now am very glad that I have not spent it, as I can +give it to you to buy tracts for the little heathen children of India." + +A second writes, "The enclosed fifty cents my grandmother gave me when I +was a very little boy, for sitting still one hour. Will you please to +use it to furnish the Bible and missionary to the heathen." + +A third writes, "I have always spent my money for candy and other +trifles, but since I have heard about the darkness and misery of the +heathen, I intend to save it all, and put it into the missionary-box." + +A fourth writes, "The enclosed I earned by knitting. I intended to save +it, till I had sufficient to carry me a short journey to see some of my +friends; but when I heard you tell about the little heathen girls, I +thought I would give it to you, for the poor heathen children." + +A fifth writes, "I have enclosed twelve and a half cents, which my +father gave me to go and see General Tom Thumb. When I heard you +lecture last evening, I came home and concluded to give it to you, and +let you buy Bibles for the poor heathen." + +A sixth writes, "I remember, before my mother died, she used to tell me +a great deal about the children of India, and now she is in heaven. I +think she would like to have me give my heart to the Saviour, and go and +teach those poor children. I give you some money that was given to me to +see an exhibition, which I saved to give for such things, rather than +go." + +A seventh writes, "You told us that two cents were the means of +converting a young man. I would give two cents every week, if it would +convert souls to Christ." + +An eighth writes, "My mother told me, some time ago, that every day I +recited my lessons without missing a word, she would give me a penny; +and not being desirous to spend it, I do wish you would take it--fifty +cents--to the heathen. It may buy some tracts at the bazaar or market." + +A ninth writes, "We feel sorry for those poor heathen children. We will +try to earn some money to buy Bibles for the heathen. Father has +promised us some land to work next summer, and we think we can raise +something and sell it to get the money." + +A tenth writes, "Since you were here last spring, I have saved what I +could--one dollar--for the heathen children, and should be glad if I +could do more." + +An eleventh writes, "The money which you will find enclosed, I earned by +working for my mother on Saturday, which I intended to keep to buy a +microscope; but when I heard you preach on Sabbath, I concluded to give +it to buy Bibles for the poor heathen children." + +A twelfth writes, "The enclosed, five dollars, was a birthday present +from my father, but I want to give it to Dr. Scudder, for the poor +little boys in Ceylon." + +A thirteenth writes, "Please accept my mite, by the hand of my brother. +I have been keeping it for the purpose of buying a geography; but when I +heard you preach yesterday, I thought I had better send it to you, for +the poor heathen." + +A fourteenth writes, "I would like much to become a missionary, as I am +named after one; I hope I shall be one. I have been saving a dollar to +buy myself some books, but concluded to give it to buy some books for +the heathen." + +The last two children, whose letters you have been reading, gave to the +missionary cause the money which they had been earning to buy books. +When you have been earning money for the express purpose of giving it to +the missionary cause, then you should devote it all to that cause; but I +would advise you not to do as did the two children last mentioned. Had +my opinion been asked, relative to the disposal of their money, I would +have recommended them to give _one-tenth,_ or perhaps a little more, of +the sums they had been earning, to their Saviour, and to keep the rest +to buy their books. The giving of not less than one-tenth of all you +earn, for charitable purposes, is the principle which I wish to have +impressed fully on your minds, and I hope you will grow up under the +influence of this principle, and _never, never_ depart from it. But +while I thus speak, you must not suppose that I wish you to confine +yourselves to the giving of one-tenth, when you can give more; I hope +you will not give merely this, but one-half, or more, if you can afford +it. Indeed, if you do not go as missionaries to the heathen, I want you +to make it your great object _to make money for Christ, and to spend it +for Christ_. O, if the generation which is grown, were as anxious to +make money for Christ, and to spend it for Christ, as they are to make +it for themselves, and to spend it for themselves, or to hoard it up--it +may be for the everlasting destruction of the souls of their +heirs--there would be no complaints that money could not be had to send +the Gospel to the destitute, both at home and abroad. + +In my twelfth chapter, I spoke of the liberal donations which the +heathen of India make for the support of their religion. In the city of +Calcutta alone, it is supposed that two millions of dollars are spent +every year on the festival of a single goddess--a festival which lasts +only a few days. A single native has been known to give, as I before +said, more than one hundred thousand dollars at one time to this +festival, and afterwards thirty thousand dollars yearly. How vast, then, +must be the sums which are spent upon all the different festivals of +their gods. Would that we could see such liberality among Christians. +Would that we could see the generality of them willing to give even +one-tenth of their annual income to the Lord. Alas, what would the +heathen say, if they were to learn how much greater are the sums of +money which they give to their idols, than Christians give to honor +their Saviour? Would they not exclaim, It is because Christianity is +false, and heathenism is true, that Christians give so little for +Christ, while we give so much for our gods? My dear children, I hope +that you will never allow the heathen to say that the Christian religion +is false, because you do not give your money for the spread of the +Gospel. Will you not resolve now, that you will, so long as God prospers +you in worldly goods, give _at least_ one-tenth of all you earn to the +Lord? Do, my dear children, do make the resolution now. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +PERSONAL LABORS AMONG THE HEATHEN. + + +My dear children--You have, perhaps, often seen Campbell's missionary +map of the world. If not, I want you very carefully to look at it. I +want you to look at the red spots on it, and think how many millions of +people embrace the religion both of the Greek and Roman Catholic +churches--a religion which is nothing more nor less than paganism, with +a few Christian doctrines added to it. After this, I want you to look at +the green spots, and think of the hundred and twenty millions of +Mohammedans, who spurn the name of Jesus as a Saviour, and who have set +up Mahomet as their prophet. I want you also to look at all the dark +spots, where, with comparatively a few exceptions, the people are in +pagan darkness, without any knowledge of God and the only Saviour of +sinners Jesus Christ. And in view of all this darkness--in view of the +need of more than half a million of ministers of the Gospel to preach +the news of salvation to them, I want you, my dear boys, to ask +yourselves whether it may not be your duty, after you grow up, to +become ministers, and go and preach the Gospel to them. You know that +you are bound to do all the good to others which you can; and even if +you do not love the Saviour, you are not released from your obligations +to do good. I would by no means have you become ministers without giving +your hearts to Christ; but this you are as much bound to do, as you are +bound to do all the good you can to others. If you are not Christians, I +want you, through grace, to become such, and I want many of you to +become ministers and missionaries. Two of my sons are now missionaries +in India, and four others, I hope, are preparing to come. And why should +not you also come here, or go to other heathen lands? If you can be +excused from coming or going, why may not all who are now little boys +also be excused? In such a case, there will be no missionaries at all. +And you know that this would be very wrong. But I do not merely want +many of you, my dear boys, to become missionaries, I want many of you, +my dear girls, to become missionaries also. Many little girls and boys +have expressed a desire to become missionaries. Several little boys who +wrote to Mr. Hutchings, one of my missionary brethren, and several +little boys and girls who have written to me, have said that they would +like to be missionaries. + +One writes, "I should like to go and be a missionary, and instruct the +poor heathen children to love God." + +A second says, "I have been selling matches that I made. I got five +dollars--just as many dollars as I am years old. I think I shall become +a missionary, and come and help you. I hope I shall see you again when I +come to Ceylon. Tell the heathen children they must love God, and be +good children. They must not give the children to the crocodiles, nor +throw them into the water; and they must not worship wooden and brass +gods. They must worship the true God, and keep his commandments." + +A third says, "I like to send money to help the poor heathen to learn to +read the Bible, and other good books. I think it will be pleasant to +sail across the ocean, and teach them to turn from their idols. I would +teach them not to lay themselves down before the car of Juggernaut, and +be crushed to death; and I would teach them not to burn themselves to +death on the funeral pile." + +A fourth says, "I mean to save something to send to you, to help support +one school. Should my life be spared, and the way be opened at some +future day, I think I should be willing to leave my native home, to go to +some distant land to tell the heathen of a Saviour, whom I hope I have +found." + +A fifth says, "If you are ever in want of money, just please to send on +to me, and I will endeavor to raise all that you want. If I live to be a +man, I hope be a missionary to Ceylon or China." + +One little boy wrote to me as follows: "I have for a long time been +saving three shillings, for the purpose of buying a little racoon, which +I intended to do on Monday. On Sunday I heard you preach, and thought I +would give it to you to save some poor heathen soul; and I hope you will +pray for me, that I may become a minister, and go to India, and preach +to the heathen." + +Another writes, "This is to certify that I, Charles D.H. Frederick, +pledge myself, if God spares my life, when I get to be a man, and he +pardons me through Christ Jesus, I will go and preach to the heathen." + +A little girl wrote me as follows: "According to my present feelings, I +should like to engage in so glorious a cause," as the missionary cause, +"and I hope, when I arrive at an age to be of use to God, and the poor +heathen, to embrace so glorious a cause." + +Another little girl writes, "I felt very bad when I heard you tell about +the poor heathen who worship the idols. I could not keep from weeping, +when you told us about the man who came so far to get a teacher to come +and tell the Gospel to his friends, and was disappointed. I felt very +bad Sunday evening; and on Monday evening I felt that the Lord had given +me a new heart. I felt happy, and sang some beautiful verses that I +learned in one of mother's little books. I have read the Day-springs, +and thought a great deal about the heathen for two years. + +"I used to think a great deal about having nice clothes, before I +thought so much about the heathen. My mother told me some time ago, that +she thought she would get me a white dress when I was ten years old. I +am now ten years old, and this evening mother gave me two dollars to +get the dress, or dispose of it in any way I thought best; and I wish +you would take it to have the poor heathen taught about the Saviour. If +I live, and it is the Lord's will, I hope I shall come and help you +teach the poor heathen about the Saviour." + +There is a little boy in the city of New York, who formerly used to tell +his mother, that he meant to be a cab-driver, and all she could say to +him was of no avail in making him think differently. This little boy +came with his mother to hear me preach about the heathen. + +After he had left the church, as he was going home, he burst into tears, +and exclaimed, "Mother, I mean to be a missionary to the heathen;" and +so far as I know, he has never talked about being any thing else since. +And I hope that many of you will never talk about being any thing else +than missionaries to the heathen. + +I am acquainted with a little girl in Ohio, who has resolved to become a +missionary. She is a niece of Mr. Campbell, late missionary to Africa. +She was not quite four years old when I saw her. When she was eighteen +months of age, she saw the picture of a heathen mother throwing her +child into the mouth of a crocodile She was deeply impressed with the +sight. When she was two and a half years old, she resolved to be a +missionary, and follow her uncle to Africa. From this resolution she has +never drawn hack. When I was at her father's house, she was asked if she +would not go to India. She replied, that she would not go to India, but +to Africa. She was asked why she wished to go to Africa. "To teach the +heathen," was her answer. "Why should you teach the heathen?" "Because +they worship idols." Her mother told me, that ever since she began to +get money, she has contributed to the missionary cause; and this money +has generally, if not always, been earned by some act of self-denial on +her part. I hope that many of you will feel just as this little girl +felt, and do just as she did. + +When I was in America, I used continually, when preaching, to ask the +dear children whether they would not become missionaries. I used also to +beg them to write down what I had asked them. Many complied with my +request. While I was at the Avon Springs, one of the daughters of a +physician there, not only wrote it down, but gave me what she had +written. The following is a copy of what she wrote, + + _August 18, 1844._ + + _Dr. Scudder requested me to come to India to help him when I am + grown._ + + S. P. S. + + _Avon Springs_ + +Could I raise my voice loud enough to reach America, I would beg of +_you_ to write down the following sentence: Dr. Scudder asks me, to-day, +whether I will not hereafter become a missionary to the heathen. Perhaps +you will write it down _immediately_. + +Now, my dear boys, if you will come out to India, or go to Burmah or +China, to tell the heathen of the Saviour, you may, with the blessing of +God, do as much good as Swartz and Carey, and others have done. And if +you, my dear girls, will do the same, you also may do much good. This +will appear from what I am going to tell you about a little girl in +Ceylon. This little girl belonged to the boarding-school at Oodooville. +She early gave her heart to the Saviour, and joined the church when she +was thirteen years old. I should like to know if there are any of you +who have not followed her example. If so, this is not right. My dear +children, it is not right. Shall this little girl, in a heathen land, a +land filled with idols, give her heart to Christ; and you, in a +Christian land, a land of Sabbaths, and Sabbath-schools, and Bibles, not +give your hearts to him? This is not right. You know that it is not +right. + +But let me go on with my account of the little girl. After she had +joined the church, she wanted to go and see her mother, who was a +heathen, for the purpose of conversing with her about her soul's +concerns. Now, in this country, when children who have been absent from +their parents for any length of time go home, the mother spreads a mat +down on the floor, and tells them to sit down upon it, adding that she +will go and cook rice for them. They have no seats to sit on, as you +have in America. Well, this little girl went home. When her mother saw +her, she was very glad; and after she had spread a mat for her, and told +her to sit down, she said that she would go and cook rice for her. The +little girl told her that she was not hungry, and did not wish to eat, +but wanted to talk with her. "You cannot talk with me," said her mother, +"until I have cooked rice for you." "Mother," said the little girl, "you +worship idols, and I am afraid that you will lose your soul, and I want +to talk with you about Jesus Christ." The mother became quite angry with +her, and rebuked her. But still the little girl continued to talk with +her about her soul. The mother then became so angry, that she told her +to be silent, or she would punish her. The little girl replied, "Mother, +though you do whip me, I must talk to you about Jesus Christ," and she +burst into tears. The mother's heart was broken. She sat down on the +mat, and her little daughter talked with her, and prayed with her. After +this the little girl was so troubled, fearing that her mother's soul +might be lost, that she was heard praying for her during all parts of +the night. And God heard her prayers. Her mother forsook her idols, and +became a Christian, and her conversion was followed by the conversion of +one or two others. Now, my dear little girls, if you will give your +hearts to the Saviour, and in due time come here, or go to other heathen +lands, and tell the people of a Saviour, you may, with the help of the +Holy Spirit, be as useful as this little girl was. + +Female missionaries have done much good among the heathen. I mentioned +an instance on page 88, to prove this. Let me mention another instance +more. + +In the year 1838, an English lady, Miss Aldersey, went to the East, at +her own expense to promote female education among the Chinese. At that +time, she could not go to China, as that country was not open to +missionaries She therefore went to Java, where there was a colony of +Chinese. Here she hired a house, and collected about twenty-five girls, +whom she clothed, and boarded, and taught. The Lord blessed her labors, +and several of these girls were hopefully converted. When their parents +saw that they would no longer worship idols, they became much opposed to +the school, and some of them took their daughters from it. In the year +1842, God opened the door for the entrance of the Gospel into China. +This missionary then broke up her school in Java, went to that country, +and resided in the city of Ningpo. Of the girls who had become +Christians while under her care, two were much persecuted by their +parents. They were whipped and beaten, with the hope that they would +again return to their idols; but all the efforts which were made to +induce them to forsake the Saviour were in vain. They declared that they +would sooner die than forsake him. When their parents saw that stripes +and blows were of no avail, they determined to marry them to men who +were much devoted to their idols. This stratagem, they thought, might +succeed in destroying all their interest in their new religion. Here, +however, they were again foiled. The girls became alarmed, and fled from +their parents. An English gentleman, but who was not a professor of +religion, felt deeply interested for them, and assisted them to get on +board a ship going to Batavia. Here they were pursued but escaped from +the pursuers by going on board of a ship which sailed for Singapore. +From Singapore they sailed for China, where they were permitted to join +the old friend who had been the means of their conversion. This lady +collected a school at Ningpo of more than thirty girls. Thus you see how +much good female missionaries have done by going to heathen lands. And +are none of you willing to follow their example? Are none of you willing +to say, Here am I, Lord, send me? + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +SUCCESS OF THE GOSPEL IN INDIA AND CEYLON. + + +My dear Children--I have told you that India is a very dark land, but +there are a few bright spots in it. Through the blessing of God upon the +prayers of his people in Christian lands, and upon the prayers and +labors of his missionary servants, many of the heathen of India and +Ceylon have forsaken their idols, and are now enlisted under the banner +of Jehovah Jesus. In the Travancore and Tinnivelly districts to say +nothing of the success of the Gospel in other places, thousands and tens +of thousands of the people have embraced Christianity. In hundreds of +villages where but a few years ago the name of Jesus had never been +heard, it is now known and adored. + +You have often heard of Ceylon. If you will look at the map of +Hindostan, you will find it close to that country. Here Christianity has +begun to prevail. This island is two hundred miles long, and in some +places quite wide. A large part of it is covered with what is called +jungle. Jungle and wilderness mean the same thing. In this jungle there +are many wild beasts, such as elephants, bears, wild hogs, and +buffaloes. In it also, there are men, women, and children, running wild, +just like the wild beasts. This people are called Verders, or wild +people. They wear scarcely any clothing. They have no houses. When it +rains, they creep into holes, or go under overhanging rocks. Their beds +consist of a few leaves. Sunk almost to the level of the brute, they +live and die like their shaggy companions of the forest. Even upon these +the Gospel has tried its power. More than fifty families have settled +down, forming two pleasant, and now Christian villages. They have +schoolmasters and Christian teachers. + +I must give you a description of two revivals of religion which +occurred while I was in the island of Ceylon, in the year 1833. Before +those revivals took place, there was no particular manifestation of much +seriousness at any of our stations. It was in the month of October of +that year, that we began to feel that we must labor more, and pray more +for the conversion of perishing souls. A protracted meeting was spoken +of, and it was determined that one should be held at our seminary in +Batticotta--a seminary which was established for the purpose of raising +up a native ministry. On the morning of the day in which the meeting was +commenced, Mr. Spaulding and myself went to that station to assist Mr. +Poor, the principal of the seminary, in laboring with the students. In +these labors we spent five days. It was good to be there. No sooner had +we begun our exercises, than a blessing from on high was experienced. +The windows of heaven were opened, and the Holy Ghost descended. This +was evident from the spirit of prayer which was poured out upon the +pious students of the seminary. They were heard "a great while before +day" pleading, in their social circles, that God would have mercy upon +their impenitent companions, and bring them into the kingdom of his +grace. We trust, also, that a spirit of prayer was given to those of us +who took a prominent part in the meeting. At the termination of our +exercises, with the exception of a few lads belonging to a Tamul class, +who had lately been admitted to the seminary, there was not, so far as I +know, an individual connected with it, who was not humbled at the foot +of the cross, either to lie there until healed of his wounds, or to +show, if he perished, that he must perish under circumstances of a very +aggravated nature. + +After we had finished our meeting at Batticotta we went to the female +seminary at Oodooville, to hold similar meetings. Before we reached that +station, the church-members there, after having heard what God was doing +at Batticotta, became very much aroused to pray for the influences of +the Holy Spirit to descend upon the impenitent in their seminary also. +Soon after we reached the station, we held a meeting with the girls. +Some of them were then deeply concerned for the salvation of their +souls; but it was not until Wednesday afternoon, that we knew how +powerfully the Spirit of God had been at work. The meeting which we held +with the seminarists at that time was one of the most solemn meetings +which I ever attended. One of them, a girl of high caste, and of a very +good family, said to her companions in that meeting, "My sisters, I have +been a proud one among you. I hope that if you ever see me proud again, +you will tell me of it. I used to tell the missionaries, that I had +given myself to the Saviour, but I had not done it." Another of the +girls burst into tears, and cried out aloud. As she could not restrain +her feelings, and did not wish to disturb the assembly, she arose and +left it. She retired to one of the prayer-rooms adjoining the seminary, +there to weep alone. She, however, was not left alone. Mr. Poor, one of +my missionary associates, followed her, and endeavored to administer the +consolations of the Gospel to her; but she refused to be comforted. All +her distress seemed to arise from a single source. "I told you a +falsehood," said she, "last Monday, in saying that I had dedicated +myself to the Saviour, when I had not." Perhaps she thought at that +time, that she had thus dedicated herself to the Saviour, but +afterwards found that she had deceived herself. In this wretched state +of mind, she continued until half-past ten o'clock that night, when she +came into Mr. Spaulding's house, where I then was, and wished to know +what she must do to be saved. She was told, as she had often been told +before, that she must dedicate herself entirely to her Saviour. She went +away, and returned the same night at about half-past eleven o'clock, +saying, that she had found HIM. + + "Friends, is not my case amazing? + What a Saviour I have found." + +My dear young friends, are there any of you who have never given your +hearts to Christ? If so, let me entreat you to follow the example of +that dear little girl of whom I have now been speaking. She found it to +be necessary to give her heart to the Saviour, and I hope that she did +give it to him. O that you too might give up your hearts to him. Alas, +if you do not, you must soon go down to eternal burnings where you will +be constrained to cry out, Lost, lost, lost for ever! Be careful, my +dear children, O be careful that this young girl does not rise up +against you in the last day, and condemn you. She must do so--she will +do so, if you do not, like her, choose Christ as your portion. But I am +digressing, and must go back to the point I left. + +The next day, one of our missionary sisters, who had lately reached +Ceylon from America, came to Oodooville, to witness the nature of the +work which she heard was in progress at that place. As she was entering +Mr. Spaulding's house, she was met by one of the most consistent +church-members of the seminary, who declared that she had lost her hope +of being a Christian. Perhaps this church-member was disposed to write +bitter things against herself because she did not feel all that warmth +in religion which marked the conduct of those who, at that time, were +indulging the hope that they had passed from death to life. After the +sister to whom I alluded had been in the house a little while, she +requested Mrs. Spaulding to allow her to have an interview with such of +the girls as were entertaining a hope of their interest in the Saviour. +These were twenty-two in number. This interview was granted. As she +knew nothing about the Tamul language, I acted as her interpreter. +Through me, she requested the girls to give a statement of their +feelings. One of them arose, and said, "I feel as happy as an angel. I +feel joys that I can express to no one but my Saviour; and I am just as +certain that my sins are forgiven, as if I had sent up a karduthaase," +that is, a letter to heaven, "and received an answer to it." Another of +the girls said, that the missionaries had often talked with her about +her dedicating herself to the Saviour, but that she did not then know +what it meant. "I now know," added she, "what it means, for God has +taught it to me." Another of the girls said, "Though they put me in the +fire, I will never forsake the Saviour." + +Now, my dear children, I must bid you farewell Probably I shall never +see you, unless you come to this heathen land, until I meet you at the +judgment-seat of Christ. If you do not become missionaries, most of you +will probably die, and be buried where you now are. Probably I shall die +in this heathen land. But we shall not always sleep in our graves. After +a little season, the archangel's trumpet will sound, and you in +America, and I in India, shall hear his voice proclaiming, "Awake, ye +dead, and come to judgment." And we shall all at once rise from our +graves, and stand before our Judge. And where shall I then see you? +Shall I see any of you on the left hand of Christ, and hear him say, +"Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and +his angels?" O, if I should hear that dreadful sentence pronounced +against you, how would my heart die within me. How could I bear to hear +it. Oh, I could not--I could not bear to hear it. My dear children, if +you are yet out of Christ, I entreat you, _at this very moment_, to lay +down this book, and throw yourselves at the feet of your Saviour. Tell +him, that you are lost sinners, deserving to be cast into everlasting +burnings. Tell him, that though you have been wicked children, you will +leave off your wickedness, and be his for ever. Plead with him, with as +much earnestness as a _drowning_ man would plead with you to save him, +to give you the influences of his Holy Spirit, to create within you a +clean heart, and renew within you a right spirit, without which you are +eternally undone; and continue to plead, until he pardons you, and +receives you as his children. By all the sufferings of the Son of God, +by all the joys of heaven, by all the torments of hell, by the +solemnities of your dying bed, by the value of your immortal souls +_which, if once lost, must be lost for ever_, I beseech you thus +_immediately_ to throw yourselves at his feet, and plead with him to +make you his. Neglect this duty--neglect giving yourselves to Christ, +even for one minute, and it may be, that you will be lost, yea, LOST FOR +EVER. + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Dr. Scudder's Tales for Little +Readers, About the Heathen., by Dr. John Scudder + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DR. SCUDDER'S TALES *** + +***** This file should be named 13539-8.txt or 13539-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/5/3/13539/ + +Produced by Stephen Schulze and the PG Online Distributed Proofreaders +Team + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/old/13539-8.zip b/old/13539-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0836434 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13539-8.zip diff --git a/old/13539-h.zip b/old/13539-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b43e4d8 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13539-h.zip diff --git a/old/13539-h/13539-h.htm b/old/13539-h/13539-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a15723a --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13539-h/13539-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4182 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content= + "text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Dr. Scudder's Tales for Little Readers, About the Heathen., by Dr. John Scudder. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + } + HR { width: 33%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + .linenum {position: absolute; top: auto; left: 4%;} /* poetry number */ + .note {margin-left: 2em; margin-right: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;} /* footnote */ + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + .pagenum {position: absolute; left: 92%; font-size: smaller; text-align: right;} /* page numbers */ + .sidenote {width: 20%; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding-left: 1em; font-size: smaller; float: right; clear: right;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span {display: block; margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em;} + .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 4em;} + .poem span.i1 {display: block; margin-left: 1em;} + .poem .caesura {vertical-align: -200%;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Dr. Scudder's Tales for Little Readers, +About the Heathen., by Dr. John Scudder + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Dr. Scudder's Tales for Little Readers, About the Heathen. + +Author: Dr. John Scudder + +Release Date: September 27, 2004 [EBook #13539] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DR. SCUDDER'S TALES *** + + + + +Produced by Stephen Schulze and the PG Online Distributed Proofreaders +Team + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + + +<h1>DR. SCUDDER'S</h1> + +<h1>TALES FOR LITTLE READERS,</h1> + +<h1>ABOUT THE HEATHEN.</h1> + +<h3>by</h3> + +<h2>Dr. John Scudder</h2> + +<p style='text-align: center;'>1849 +</p> + +<p>The following work, so far as the Hindoos are concerned, is principally +a compilation from the writings of Duff, Dubois, and others.</p> + +<p>Should the eyes of any Christian father or mother rest upon it, I would +ask them if they have not a son or a daughter to dedicate to the +<i>missionary</i> work. The duty of devoting themselves to this work of +Christ, or at least, of consecrating to it their money, their efforts, +and their prayers, is the great duty to be perseveringly and prayerfully +impressed on the minds of our children. A generation thus trained would, +with aid from on high, soon effect the moral revolution of the world. +Blessed will be that father, blessed will be that mother, who shall take +any part in such a training. And I would add, too, blessed will be that +pastor, and blessed will be that Sabbath-school teacher, who shall come +up to their help.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CONTENTS'></a><h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + + +<div style="margin-left: 25%; margin-right: 25%;"> +<a href='#CHAPTER_I'><b>CHAPTER I.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_I'>General Remarks</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_II'><b>CHAPTER II.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_II'>The Color and Ornaments of the Hindoos</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_III'><b>CHAPTER III.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_III'>Dress, Houses, Eating, and Salutation of the Hindoos</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_IV'><b>CHAPTER IV.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_IV'>Marriage among the Hindoos</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_V'><b>CHAPTER V.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_V'>Death and Funerals among the Hindoos</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_VI'><b>CHAPTER VI.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_VI'>The Gods of the Hindoos</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_VII'><b>CHAPTER VII.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_VII'>The Three Hundred and Thirty Millions of the Gods of the Hindoos—The +Creation of the Universe—The Transmigration of Souls—The different +Hells</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_VIII'><b>CHAPTER VIII.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_VIII'>Hindoo Castes</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_IX'><b>CHAPTER IX.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_IX'>Hindoo Temples—Cars—Procession of Idols</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_X'><b>CHAPTER X.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_X'>Festivals of the Hindoos</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XI'><b>CHAPTER XI.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XI'>The worship of the Serpent</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XII'><b>CHAPTER XII.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XII'>The River Ganges</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XIII'><b>CHAPTER XIII.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XIII'>The Goddess Durga</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XIV'><b>CHAPTER XIV.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XIV'>The Goddess Karle</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XV'><b>CHAPTER XV.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XV'>Self-tortures of the Hindoos</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XVI'><b>CHAPTER XVI.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XVI'>The Suttee, or Burning of Widows</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XVII'><b>CHAPTER XVII.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XVII'>The revengeful Nature of the Hindoo Religion</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XVIII'><b>CHAPTER XVIII.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XVIII'>The Deception of the Hindoos</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XIX'><b>CHAPTER XIX.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XIX'>Superstition of the Hindoos</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XX'><b>CHAPTER XX.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XX'>Burmah, China, etc., etc.</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XXI'><b>CHAPTER XXI.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XXI'>The duty of Praying and Contributing for the Spread of the Gospel</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XXII'><b>CHAPTER XXII.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XXII'>Personal Labors among the Heathen</a></div><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_XXIII'><b>CHAPTER XXIII.</b></a><br /> +<div style="margin-left: 4em;"><a href='#CHAPTER_XXIII'>Success of the Gospel in India and Ceylon</a></div><br /> +</div> + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='DR_SCUDDERS'></a><h1>DR. SCUDDER'S</h1> + +<h1>TALES FOR LITTLE READERS,</h1> + +<h1>ABOUT THE HEATHEN.</h1> + + + + +<a name='CHAPTER_I'></a><h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<h3>GENERAL REMARKS</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear children—When I was a little boy, my dear mother taught me, +with the exception of the last line, the following prayer:</p> + +<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'> +<span>"Now I lay me down to sleep,<br /></span> +<span>I pray the Lord my soul to keep;<br /></span> +<span>If I should die before I wake,<br /></span> +<span>I pray the Lord my soul to take;<br /></span> +<span>And this I ask for Jesus' sake."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Though I am now more than fifty years old, I often like to say this +prayer before I go to sleep. Have you ever learned it, my dear +children? If you have not, I hope that you will learn it <i>now</i>; and I +hope, too, that when you say your other prayers at night, you will also +say this. I think that you would be glad to see how this prayer looks in +the Tamul language—the language in which I am now preaching the Gospel, +and in which I hope that some of you will hereafter tell the heathen of +the Saviour. The following is a translation of it:</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/002.gif' width='574' height='181' alt='The Lord's Prayer in Tamul' title='The Lord's Prayer in Tamul'> +</center> + +<p>I wish that all the little heathen children knew this prayer; but their +fathers and mothers do not teach it to them. Their fathers and mothers +teach them to pray to gods of gold, or brass, or stone. They take them, +while they are very young, to their temples, and teach them to put up +their hands before an idol, and say, "Swammie." Swammie means Lord. As +idolatry is the root of all sin, these children, as you may suppose, in +early life become very wicked. They disobey their parents, speak bad +words, call ill names, swear, steal, and tell lies. They also throw +themselves on the ground in anger, and in their rage they tear their +hair, or throw dirt over their heads, and do many other wicked things.</p> + +<p>Let me give you an instance, to show you how they will speak bad words. +A few months ago, a little girl about twelve years of age was brought to +me, with two tumors in her back. To cut them out, I had to make an +incision about eight inches in length; and as one of these tumors had +extended under the shoulder-blade she suffered much before the operation +was finished. While I was operating she cried out, "I will pull out my +eyes." "I will pull out my tongue." "Kurn kertta tayvun." The +translation of this is, "The blind-eyed god." By this expression, she +meant to say, "What kind of a god are you, not to look upon me, and help +me in my distress?" If this little girl had had a Christian father to +teach her to love the Saviour, she would not have used such bad +language. But this father was even more wicked than his daughter, +inasmuch as those who grow old in sin, are worse than those who have not +sinned so long. I never saw a more hard-hearted parent. That he was so, +will appear from his conduct after the operation was finished. He left +his daughter, and went off to his home, about forty miles distant. +Before going, he said to his wife, or to one who came with her, "If the +child gets well, bring her home; if she dies, take her away and bury +her."</p> + +<p>I hope, my dear children, that when you think of the wicked little girl +just mentioned, you will be warned never to speak bad words. God will be +very angry with you, if you do. Did you never read what is said in 2 +Kings, 2d chapter and 23d verse, about the little children who mocked +the prophet Elijah, and spoke bad words to him. O, how sorry must they +have felt for their conduct, when they saw the paws of those great bears +lifted up to tear them in pieces, and which did tear them in pieces. +Besides all this, little children who speak bad words can never go to +heaven. God will cast them into the great fire. Have you ever spoken bad +words? If so, God is angry with you, and he will not forgive you unless +you are sorry that you have done so, and seek his forgiveness through +the blood of his dear Son.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_II'></a><h2>CHAPTER II.</H2> + +<h3>THE COLOR AND ORNAMENTS OF THE HINDOOS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear children—If you will take a piece of mahogany in your hands, +and view its different shades, you will have a pretty good +representation of the color of a large class of this heathen people—I +say, of a large class, for there is a great variety of colors. Some +appear to be almost of a bronze color. Some are quite black. It is +difficult to account for the different colors which we often see in the +same family. For instance, one child will be of the reddish hue to which +I just referred; another will be quite dark. When I was in Ceylon, two +sisters of this description joined my church. One was called Sevappe, or +the red one; the other was called Karappe, or the black one.</p> + +<p>This people very much resemble the English and Americans in their +features. Many of them are very beautiful. This remark will apply +particularly to children, and more especially to the children of +Brahmins and others, who are delicately brought up. But however +beautiful any of this people may be, they try to make themselves appear +more so, by the ornaments which they wear. These ornaments are of very +different kinds, and are made of gold, silver, brass, precious stones, +or glass. All are fond of ear-rings. Sometimes four or five are worn in +each ear, consisting of solid gold, the lower one being the largest, and +the upper one the smallest. Some men wear a gold ornament attached to +the middle of the ear, in which a precious stone is inserted. Sometimes +they wear very large circular ear-rings, made of the wire of copper, +around which gold is twisted so as to cover every part of it. These are +frequently ornamented with precious stones. The females, in addition to +ear-rings, have an ornament which passes through the rim of the ear, +near the head, half of it being seen above the rim, and half of it below +it. An ornamental chain is sometimes attached to this, which goes some +distance back, when it is lost in the hair. They sometimes also wear a +jewel in the middle of the rim of the ear, and another on that little +forward point which strikes your finger when you attempt to put it into +the ear. Nose jewels also are worn. Sometimes three are worn at the +same time. Holes are made through each side of the lower part of the +nose, and through the cartilage, or that substance which divides the +nostrils, through which they are suspended. The higher and wealthier +females wear a profusion of ornaments of gold and pearls around the +neck.</p> + +<p>A very pretty ornament, about three inches in diameter, having the +appearance of gold, is also frequently worn by them on that part of the +head where the females in America put up their hair in a knot. In +addition to this, the little girls sometimes wear one or two similar but +smaller ornaments below this, as well as an ornament at the end of the +long braid of hair which hangs down over the middle of their backs. +Occasionally the whole, or the greater part of this braid is covered +with an ornament of the same materials with those just described. They +also wear an ornament extending from the crown of the head to the +forehead, just in that spot where the little girls to whom I am writing +part their hair. Attached to this, I have seen a circular piece of gold +filled with rubies. Rings are worn on the toes as well as on the +fingers, and bracelets of gold or silver on the wrists. Anklets similar +to bracelets, and tinkling ornaments are worn on the ankles. The poor, +who cannot afford to wear gold or silver bracelets, have them made of +glass stained with different colors. I have seen nearly a dozen on each +wrist.</p> + +<p>The little boys wear gold or silver bracelets; also gold or silver +anklets. I just alluded to finger-rings. I have seen a dozen on the same +hand. In this part of the country, the little opening which is made in +the ears of the children is gradually distended until it becomes very +large. At first, the opening is only large enough to admit a wire. After +this has been worn for a short time, a knife is introduced into the ear +in the direction of the opening, and an incision made large enough to +admit a little cotton. This is succeeded by a roll of oiled cloth, and +by a peculiar shrub, the English name of which, if it has any, I do not +know. When the hole becomes sufficiently large, a heavy ring of lead, +about an inch in diameter, is introduced. This soon increases the size +of the opening to such an extent, that a second, and afterwards a third, +a fourth, and a fifth ring are added. By these weights, the lower parts +of the ear are drawn down sometimes very nearly, or quite to the +shoulders. Not unfrequently the little girls, when they run, are obliged +to catch hold of these rings to prevent the injury which they would +receive by their striking against their necks. I need hardly say, that +in due time, these rings are removed, and ornamented rings are +substituted.</p> + +<p>A different plan is pursued with the Mohammedan little girls. They have +their ears bored from the top to the bottom of the ear. The openings +which are at first made are small, and are never enlarged. A ring is +inserted in each of these openings. I have seen a little girl to-day in +whose ears I counted twenty-four rings.</p> + +<p>Flowers in great profusion are sometimes used to add to the adornment of +the jewels.</p> + +<p>I cannot conclude my account of the jewels of the little girls, without +giving you a description of the appearance of a little patient of mine +who came here a few days ago, loaded with trinkets. I will give it in +the words of my daughter, which she wrote in part while the girl was +here. "On the 17th, a little dancing-girl came to see us. She was +adorned with many jewels, some of which were very beautiful. The jewel +in the top of the ear was a circle, nearly the size of a dollar. It was +set with rubies. Nine pearls were suspended from it. In the middle of +the ear was a jewel of a diamond shape, set with rubies and pearls. The +lowest jewel in the ear was shaped like a bell. It was set with rubies, +and from it hung a row of pearls. Close by the ear, suspended from the +hair, was a jewel which reached below her ear. It consisted of six bells +of gold, one above the other. Around each was a small row of pearls, +which reached nearly to the bell below, thus forming a jewel resembling +very many drops of pearls. It is the most beautiful jewel that I ever +saw. In the right side of her nose was a white stone, set with gold, in +the shape of a star. From it hung a large pearl. There was a hole bored +in the partition between the nostrils. This hole had a jewel in it, +about an inch in length, in the middle of which was a white stone with a +ruby on each side. It also had a ruby on the top. From the white stone +hung another, of a similar color, attached to it by a piece of gold. In +the left side of the nose was a jewel about an inch in diameter. It was +somewhat in the shape of a half-moon, and was set with rubies, pearls, +emeralds, etc. etc. This jewel hung below her mouth. On the back of her +head was a large, round gold piece, three inches in diameter. Another +piece about two inches in diameter, hung below this. Her hair was +braided in one braid, and hung down her back. At the bottom of this were +three large tassels of silk, mounted with gold. Her eyebrows and +eyelashes were painted with black. Her neck was covered with jewels of +such beauty, and of such a variety, that it is impossible for me to +describe them. Around her ankles were large rings which looked like +braided silver. To these were attached very many little bells, which +rung as she walked. I believe all dancing-girls wear these rings. We +felt very sad when we thought that she was dedicated to a life of infamy +and shame."</p> + +<p>There is an ornament worn by the followers of the god Siva, on their +arms, or necks, or in their hair. It is called the <i>lingum</i>. The nature +of this is so utterly abominable, that I cannot tell you a word about +it.</p> + +<p>Married women wear an ornament peculiar to themselves. It is called the +tahly. It is a piece of gold, on which is engraven the image of some one +of their gods. This is fastened around the neck by a short yellow +string, containing one hundred and eight threads of great fineness. +Various ceremonies are performed before it is applied, and the gods, of +whom I will tell you something by and by, with their wives, are called +upon to give their blessing. When these ceremonies are finished, the +tahly is brought on a waiter, ornamented with sweet-smelling flowers, +and is tied by the bridegroom to the neck of the bride. This ornament is +never taken off, unless her husband dies. In such a case she is deprived +of it, to wear it no more for ever—deprived of it, after various +ceremonies, by her nearest female relative, who cuts the thread by which +it is suspended, and removes it. After this a barber is called, who +shaves her head, and she becomes, in the eyes of the people, a +<i>despised</i> widow—no more to wear any ornament about her neck but a +plain one—no more to stain her face with yellow water, nor to wear on +her forehead those marks which are considered by the natives as among +their chief ornaments.</p> + +<p>I have now told you something about the jewels of this people. I hope +that you will never be disposed to imitate them, and load your bodies +with such useless things. They are not only useless, but tend to +encourage pride and vanity. All that you need is, the "Pearl of great +price," even Jesus. Adorn yourself with this Pearl, and you will be +beautiful indeed—beautiful even in the sight of your heavenly Father. +Have you this Pearl of great price, my dear children? Tell me, have you +this Pearl of great price? If you have not, what have you?</p> + +<p>I just now alluded to those marks which the natives consider among their +chief ornaments. These are different among different sects. The +followers of Siva rub ashes on their foreheads. These ashes are +generally prepared by burning what in the Tamul language is called +<i>chaarne.</i> They also apply these ashes in streaks, generally +three together, on their breasts, and on their arms. Some besmear their +whole bodies with them.</p> + +<p>The followers of Vrishnoo wear a very different ornament from that just +described. It consists of a perpendicular line drawn on the forehead, +generally of a red or yellow color, and a white line on each side of it, +which unite at the bottom with the middle line, and form a trident.</p> + +<p>Another ornament consists of a small circle, which is called pottu. This +is stamped in the middle of the forehead. Sometimes it is red, sometimes +yellow or black. Large numbers of women, in this part of the country, +wash their faces with a yellow water, made so by dissolving in it a +paste made of a yellow root and common shell-lime. The Brahmins +frequently instead of rubbing ashes, draw a horizontal line over the +middle of their foreheads, to show that they have bathed and are pure. +Sometimes the people ornament themselves with a paste of sandal-wood. +They rub themselves from head to foot with it. This has a very +odoriferous smell.</p> + +<p>When the people are loaded with jewels, and covered with the marks which +I have just described they think themselves to be highly ornamented But +after all, "they are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear +beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all +uncleanness." The "Pearl of great price," to which I before alluded, +the only Pearl which is of any value in the sight of Him who looketh at +the heart, and not at the outward appearance, they possess not. Millions +in this Eastern world have never even heard of it. O how incessantly +ought you to pray that they may come into possession of it. How gladly +should you give your money to send it to them. I wish, in this place, to +ask you one question. Who of you expect, by and by, to become +missionaries to this land, to tell this people of the Pearl of great +price?</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_III'></a><h2>CHAPTER III.</H2> + +<h3>DRESS, HOUSES, EATING, AND SALUTATION OF THE HINDOOS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—The dress of the Hindoos is very simple. A single +piece of cloth uncut, about three yards in length and one in width, +wrapped round the loins, with a shawl thrown over the shoulders, +constitutes the usual apparel of the people of respectability. These +garments are often fringed with red silk or gold. The native ladies +frequently almost encase themselves in cloth or silk. Under such +circumstances, their cloths are perhaps twenty yards in length. Most of +the native gentlemen now wear turbans, an ornament which they have +borrowed from the Mohammedans This consists of a long piece of very fine +stuff, sometimes twenty yards in length and one in breadth. With this +they encircle the head in many folds.</p> + +<p>Those who are employed by European or Mohammedan princes, wear a long +robe of muslin, or very fine cloth. This also, is in imitation of the +Mohammedans, and was formerly unknown in the country.</p> + +<p>The houses of the Hindoos are generally very plainly built. In the +country, they are commonly made of earth, and thatched with straw. In +the cities, they are covered with tiles. The kitchen is situated in the +most retired part of the house. In the houses of the Brahmins, the +kitchen-door is always barred, to prevent strangers from looking upon +their earthen vessels; for if they should happen to see them, their look +would pollute them to such a degree that they must be broken to pieces. +The hearth is generally placed on the south-west side, which is said to +be the side of the <i>god of fire</i>, because they say that this god +actually dwells there.</p> + +<p>The domestic customs of this people are very different from ours. The +men and women do not eat together. The husband first eats, then the +wife. The wife waits upon the husband After she has cooked the rice, she +brings a brass plate, if they are possessors of one; or if not, a piece +of a plantain-leaf, and puts it down on the mat before him. She then +bails out the rice, places it upon the leaf, and afterwards pours the +currie over it. This being done, the husband proceeds to mix up the +currie and the rice with his hands, and puts it into his mouth. He never +uses a knife and fork, as is customary with us. The currie of which I +have spoken is a sauce of a yellow color, owing to the <i>munchel</i>, a +yellow root which they put in it. This and onions, kottamaly-seeds +mustard, serakum, pepper, etc., constitute the ingredients of the +currie. Some add to these ghea, or melted butter, and cocoa-nut milk. By +the cocoa-nut milk, I do not mean the water of the cocoa-nut. +This—except in the very young cocoa-nut, when it is a most delicious +beverage—is never used. The milk is squeezed from the <i>meat</i> of the +cocoa-nut, after it has been reduced to a pulp by means of an indented +circular iron which they use for this purpose.</p> + +<p>After the husband has eaten, the wife brings water for him to wash his +hands. This being done, she supplies him with vettalay, paakku, +shell-lime, and tobacco, which he puts into his mouth as his dessert. +The vettalay is a very spicy leaf. Why they use paakku, I do not know. +It is a nut, which they cut into small pieces, but it has not much +taste. Sometimes the wife brings her husband a segar. This people, I am +sorry to say, are great smokers and chewers, practices of which I hope +that you, my dear children, will never be guilty. In Ceylon, it is +customary for females to smoke. Frequently, after the husband has smoked +for a while, he hands the segar to his wife. She then puts it into her +mouth, and smokes.</p> + +<p>Several years ago, one of the schoolmasters in that island became a +Christian. After he had partaken of the Lord's supper, his wife +considered him so defiled, that she would not put his segar into her +mouth for a month afterwards. She, however, has since become a +Christian.</p> + +<p>I spoke just now of the plantain-leaf. This leaf is sometimes six feet +long, and in some places a foot and a half wide. It is an unbroken leaf, +with a large stem running through the middle of it. It is one of the +handsomest of leaves. Pieces enough can be torn from a single leaf, to +take the place of a dozen plates. When quite young, it is an excellent +application to surfaces which have been blistered.</p> + +<p>When this people eat, they do not use tables and chairs. They sit down +on mats, and double their legs under them, after the manner of our +friends the tailors in America, when they sew. This is the way in which +the natives as a general thing, sit in our churches. It is not common to +have benches or pews for them. Carpenters and other tradesmen also sit +down either on a board, or on the ground, or on their legs, when they +work. It would divert you much to see their manoeuvring. If a carpenter, +for instance, wants to make a little peg, he will take a small piece of +board, and place it in an erect position between his feet, the soles of +which are turned inward so as to press upon the board. He then takes +his chisel in one hand, and his mallet in the other, and cuts off a +small piece. Afterwards he holds the piece in one hand, and while he +shapes it with his chisel with the other, he steadies it by pressing it +against his great toe.</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/020.gif' width='570' height='409' alt='' title=''> +</center> + +<p>The blacksmiths, with the exception of those who use the sledge-hammer, +sit as do the carpenters while they hammer the iron. I wish you could +see them at work with their simple apparatus. They have small anvils, +which they place in a hole made in a log of wood which is buried in the +ground. They do not use such bellows as you see in America.</p> + +<p>Theirs consist of two leather bags, about a foot wide and a foot and a +half long, each having a nozzle at one end. The other end is left open +to admit the air. When they wish to blow the fire, they extend these +bags to let in the air. They then close them by means of the thumb on +one side, and the fingers on the other, and press them down towards the +nozzle of the bellows, which forces the air through them into the fire. +I should have said before, that the nozzle of the bellows passes through +a small semicircular mound of dried mud.</p> + +<p>I mentioned that the natives do not use tables and chairs in their +houses. Neither do they, as a general thing, use bedsteads. They have no +beds. They sleep on mats, which are spread down on the floor. Sometimes +they use a cotton bolster for their heads. More generally their pillows +are hard boards, which they put under the mat. In addition to cooking, +the females have to prepare the rice for this purpose, by taking it out +of the husk. This they do by beating it in a mortar about two feet high. +The pestle with which they pound it, is about five feet long, made of +wood, with an iron rim around the lower part of it. Three women can +work at these mortars at the same time. Of course they have to be very +skilful in the use of the pestle, so as not to interfere with each +others' operations. Sometimes, while thus engaged, the children, who are +generally at play near their mothers, put their hands on the edge of the +mortars. In such cases, when the pestle happens to strike the edge, +their fingers are taken off in a moment.</p> + +<p>The Hindoos have many modes of salutation. In some places they raise +their right hand to the heart. In others, they simply stretch it out +towards the person who is passing, if they know him, for they never +salute persons with whom they are not acquainted.</p> + +<p>In many places there is no show of salutation. When they meet their +acquaintances they content themselves by saying a friendly word or two +in passing, and then pursue their way. They have borrowed the word +<i>salam</i> from the Mohammedans. They salute both Mohammedans and Europeans +with this word, at the same time raising their hand to the forehead. +When they address persons of high rank, they give them their <i>salam</i> +thrice, touching the ground as often with both hands, and then lifting +them up to their foreheads.</p> + +<p>The other castes salute the Brahmins by joining the hands and elevating +them to the forehead, or sometimes over the head. It is accompanied with +<i>andamayya</i>, which means, Hail, respected lord. The Brahmins stretch out +their hands and say, <i>aaseervaathum</i>—benediction.</p> + +<p>Another very respectful kind of salutation consists in lowering both +hands to the feet of the person to be honored, or even in falling-down +and embracing them.</p> + +<p>Of all the forms of salutation, the most respectful is the +<i>shaashtaangkum</i>, or prostration, in which the feet, the knees, the +stomach, the head, and the arms, all touch the ground. In doing this, +they throw themselves at their whole length on the ground, and stretch +out both arms above their heads. This is practised before priests, and +in the presence of an assembly, when they appear before it to beg pardon +for a crime.</p> + +<p>Relations, who have long been separated, testify their joy when they +meet by chucking each other under the chin, and shedding tears of joy. +I am not aware that grown persons ever kiss each other. Sometimes +mothers, or other individuals, will put their noses to the cheeks of +little children, and draw the air through them, just as we do when we +smell any thing which is agreeable. At other times they will apply the +thumb and first finger to the cheek of the child, and then apply them to +their own noses, and, as it were, smell them.</p> + +<p>The women, as a mark of respect, turn their backs, or at least their +faces aside, when they are in the presence of those whom they highly +esteem. They are never permitted to sit in the presence of men. A +married woman cannot do this, even in the presence of her husband.</p> + +<p>If a person meets another of high rank, he must leave the path, if on +foot, or alight, if on horseback, and remain standing until he has +passed. He must at the same time take off his slippers. He also must +take off his slippers when he enters a house. Should he fail to do this, +it would be considered a great impropriety.</p> + +<p>In addressing a person of note, they mast keep at a certain distance +from him, and cover their mouths with their hands while they are +speaking, lest their breath, or a particle of moisture, should escape +to trouble him.</p> + +<p>When the Hindoos visit a person of distinction for the first time, +civility requires them to take some present as a mark of respect, or to +show that they come with a friendly intention; especially if they wish +to ask some favor in return. When they have not the means of making +large presents, they carry with them sugar, plantains, milk, and other +things of this kind.</p> + +<p>In case of mourning, visits must always be made, though at a distance of +a hundred miles. Letters of condolence would by no means be received as +a substitute.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_IV'></a><h2>CHAPTER IV.</H2> + +<h3>MARRIAGE AMONG THE HINDOOS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—Marriage, to the Hindoos is the greatest event of +their lives. In the celebration of it, many ceremonies are performed Of +these I will mention some of the most important. If the father of the +young girl is a Brahmin, and if he is rich and liberal, he will +frequently bear all the expenses of the marriage of his daughter. To +give a daughter in marriage and to sell her, are about the same thing. +Almost every parent makes his daughter an article of traffic, refusing +to give her up until the sum of money for which he consented to let her +go, is paid. Men of distinction generally lay out this money for jewels, +which they present to their daughters on their wedding-day. You will +infer from what I have just said, that the parties to be married have +nothing to do in the choice of each other.</p> + +<p>There are properly but four months in the year in which marriages can +take place, namely March, April, May, and June. This probably arises +from the circumstance that these are the hottest seasons of the +year—the seasons when the people have more leisure to attend to them. +From the harvest, also, which has just been gathered in, they are +provided with means to perform the various ceremonies.</p> + +<p>The marriage ceremony lasts five days. The bride and bridegroom are +first placed under a puntel, a kind of bower, covered with leaves, in +front of the house. This is superbly adorned. The married women then +come forward, and perform the ceremony called <i>arati</i>, which is as +follows. Upon a plate of copper, they place a lamp made of a paste from +rice flour. It is supplied with oil, and lighted. They then take hold of +the plate with both hands, and raise it as high as the heads of the +couple to be married, and describe a number of circles with the plate +and lamp. This is to prevent the evil of any jealous looks, which +certain persons might make. The Hindoos believe that great evils arise +from wicked looks. They consider that even the gods themselves are not +out of the reach of malicious eyes; and therefore after they have been +carried through the streets, the ceremony of arati is always performed, +to efface the evil which they may have suffered from these looks.</p> + +<p>It ought to have been mentioned, that before any thing is done, they +place an image of Pullian under the puntel. This god is much honored +because he is much feared. And although the great ugliness of his +appearance has hitherto kept him without a wife, they never fail to pay +him the greatest attention, lest he should in some way or other injure +them.</p> + +<p>After arati and many other ceremonies are performed, the kankanan, which +is merely a bit of saffron, is tied to the right wrist of the young +man, and to the left wrist of the girl. This is done with great +solemnity. Another remarkable ceremony succeeds this. The young man +being seated with his face towards the east, his future father-in-law +supposes that he beholds in him the great Vrishnoo. With this +impression, he offers him a sacrifice, and then, making him put both of +his feet in a new dish filled with cow-dung, he first washes them with +water, then with milk, and again with water, accompanying the whole with +suitable muntrums or prayers.</p> + +<p>After many other ceremonies, he takes the hand of his daughter and puts +it into that of his son-in-law. He then pours water over them in honor +of Vrishnoo. This is the most solemn of all the ceremonies, being the +token of his resigning his daughter to the authority of the young man. +She must be accompanied with three gifts, namely, one or more cows, some +property in land, and a <i>salagrama</i>, which consists of some little +amulet stones in high esteem among the Brahmins. This ceremony being +finished, the tahly is brought to be fastened to the neck of the bride. +This, as I before said, is presented on a salver, decked and garnished +with sweet-smelling flowers. Incense is offered to it, and it is +presented to the assistants each of whom touches it and invokes +blessings upon it. The bride then turning towards the East, the +bridegroom takes the tahly, repeats a muntrum or prayer aloud, and ties +it around her neck.</p> + +<p>Fire is then brought in, upon which the bridegroom offers up the +sacrifice of <i>homam</i>, which consists of throwing boiled rice with melted +butter upon the fire. He then takes his bride by the hand, and they walk +three times around it, while the incense is blazing.</p> + +<p>There is another ceremony, which, perhaps, ought to be mentioned, as it +is considered by some to be one of much importance. Two baskets of +bamboo are placed close together, one for the bride, the other for the +bridegroom. They step into them, and two other baskets being brought, +filled with ground rice, the husband takes up one with both hands and +pours the contents over the head of the bride. She does the same to him. +In the marriage of great princes pearls are sometimes used instead of +rice.</p> + +<p>On the evening of the third day, when the constellations appear, the +astrologer points out to the married pair a very small star, close to +the middle or in the tail of <i>Ursa Major</i>, which he directs them to +worship, and which he says is the wife of Vasestha.</p> + +<p>While the assembled guests, are dining, the bridegroom and the bride +also partake, and eat together from the same plate. This is a token of +the closest union. This is the only instance in which they ever eat +together.</p> + +<p>After all the ceremonies are finished, a procession is made through the +streets of the village It commonly takes place in the night, by +torchlight, accompanied with fire-works. The newly married pair are +seated in one palanquin with their faces towards each other, both richly +dressed. The bride, in particular, is generally covered with jewels and +precious stones.</p> + +<p>The procession moves slowly; and their friends and relations come out of +their houses, as they pass; the women hailing the married couple with +the ceremony of <i>arati</i>, and the men with presents of silver, fruits, +sugar, and betel. I once witnessed one of these marriage processions in +the streets of Madras at night, but can give you but little idea of its +magnificence. The lamps used on the occasion could not be numbered. The +shrubbery, which was drawn on carts or other vehicles, appeared +exceedingly beautiful, in consequence of the light reflected from the +lamps. Intermingled with this shrubbery, were to be seen little girls +elegantly dressed, and adorned with flowers on their heads. Many +elephants, with their trappings of gold and silver and red, formed a +part of the procession. Fire-works were also added to make the scene +more brilliant.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_V'></a><h2>CHAPTER V.</H2> + +<h3>DEATH AND FUNERALS OF THE HINDOOS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—The death of a Hindoo is followed by many ridiculous +ceremonies. I will give you a description of a few, connected with the +death of one who has moved in one of the higher ranks—of a Brahmin.</p> + +<p>When it is evident that a Brahmin has but a little time to live, a space +is prepared with earth, well spread with cow-dung, over which a cloth, +that has never been worn, is spread. The dying man is placed upon this +at full length. Another cloth is wrapped around his loins. This being +done, the ceremony of expiating his sins is performed as follows. The +chief of the funeral brings on one plate some small pieces of silver or +copper coin, and on another the punchakaryam, etc. A little of this +punchakaryam is then put into his mouth, and, by virtue of this nauseous +draught, the body is perfectly purified. Besides this, there is a +general cleansing, which is accomplished by making the dying man recite +within himself, if he cannot speak, the proper muntrums, by which he is +delivered from all his sins. After this, a cow is introduced with her +calf. Her horns are decorated with rings of gold or brass, and her neck +with garlands of flowers. A pure cloth is laid over her body. Thus +decked, she is led up to the sick man, who takes hold of her tail. +Prayers are now offered up that the cow may conduct him, by a blessed +path, to the next world. He then makes a gift of a cow to a Brahmin. +This gift is considered indispensable to enable the soul to go over the +river of fire, which it is said all must pass after death. Those who +have made this gift, are met by one of these favored creatures the +moment they arrive at the bank of the stream, and by her help, they are +enabled to pass without injury from the flames.</p> + +<p>As soon as the breath has left his body, all who are present must weep +for a reasonable time, and join in lamentations together.</p> + +<p>After various ceremonies, the body is washed, and a barber is called to +shave his head. He is then clad with his finest clothes and adorned with +jewels. He is rubbed with sandal-wood where the body is uncovered, and +the accustomed mark is put upon his forehead. Thus dressed he is placed +on a kind of state bed, where he remains until he is carried to the +pile.</p> + +<p>After every preparation is made to bear away the corpse, the person who +is to conduct the funeral, with the assistance of some relative or +friend, strips it of its clothing and jewels, and covers it with a +handkerchief provided for the occasion. The corpse is then placed on a +litter. Those who die in a state of marriage, have their faces left +uncovered. The litter, adorned with flowers and foliage, and sometimes +decked with valuable stuffs, is borne by four Brahmins. The procession +is arranged as follows.</p> + +<p>The chief of the funeral marches foremost, carrying fire in a vessel. +The body follows, attended by the relations and friends, without their +turbans, and with nothing on their heads but a bit of cloth, in token of +mourning. The women never attend the funeral, but remain in the house, +where they set up a hideous cry when the corpse is taken out. While +advancing on the road, the custom is to stop three times on the way, +and, at each pause, to put into the mouth of the dead a morsel of +unboiled rice, moistened. The object of stopping is considered to be +very important. It is not without reason; for they say that persons +supposed to be dead have been alive, or even when lifeless have been +restored; and sometimes, also, it has happened that the gods of the +infernal regions have mistaken their aim, and seized one person instead +of another. In any view, it is right to afford the opportunity for +correcting these mistakes, so as not to expose to the flames a person +who is still alive. Hence the propriety of these pauses, each of which +continues half of the quarter of an hour.</p> + +<p>Having arrived at the place for burning the dead, they dig a trench +about six or seven feet in length. This is consecrated by the muntrums. +It is slightly sprinkled with water to lay the dust, and a few pieces of +money in gold are scattered upon it. Here the pile is erected of dried +wood, on which the body is laid out at full length. Over the body a +quantity of twigs are laid, which are sprinkled with punchakaryam The +chief of the funeral then takes on his shoulders a pitcher of water, and +goes around the pile three times, letting the water run through a hole +made in it. After this he breaks the pitcher in pieces near the head of +the corpse.</p> + +<p>At last the torch is brought for setting fire to the pile, and is handed +to the chief of the funeral. Before he receives it, however, he is +obliged to make some grimaces to prove his sorrow. He rolls about on the +ground, beats his breast, and makes the air resound with his cries. The +assistants also cry, or appear to cry. Fire being applied to the four +corners of the pile, the crowd retire, except the four Brahmins who +carried the body; they remain until the whole is consumed.</p> + +<p>The funerals of the Sudras differ in some particulars from those of the +Brahmins. Deafening sounds of drums, trumpets, and other instruments of +music, not in use among the Brahmins, accompany their funerals. To +increase the noise, they sometimes shoot off an instrument which +somewhat resembles a small cannon. I do not now think of any other +particular worthy of mention.</p> + +<p>By the ceremonies which are performed at their funerals, this wretched +people expect to secure the pardon of all the sins of those who have +died. Alas, what a delusion! O, that Christians had sent the Gospel to +this dark land in the days when they sent it to our heathen fathers. +Then might the Hindoos now be seeking the expiation of their sins, +through the blood of the ever-blessed Redeemer. Of this Redeemer, +however, they know nothing. They enter eternity, not that their souls +may be consumed as their bodies have been, but to endure the flames of +divine wrath for ever and ever. Alas, alas, that it should be so! O, +that the generation of Christians now living would lay these things to +heart, and do what they can, through grace, to rescue those who are yet +within the reach of hope from so tremendous a doom. What, my dear +children, will you do for this purpose?</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_VI'></a><h2>CHAPTER VI.</H2> + +<h3>THE GODS OF THE HINDOOS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—The word heathen is applied to those who worship +idols, or who do not know any thing about the true God. This is the case +with this people. They say that there is one supreme being, whom they +call BRAHM; but he is very different from Jehovah, and is never +worshipped. Generally, he is fast asleep. In the place of Brahm, they +worship many gods—gods of all colors: some black, some white, some +blue, some red—gods of all shapes and sizes: some in the shape of +beasts, some in the shape of men; some partly in the shape of beasts, +and partly in the shape of men, having four, or ten, or a hundred, or a +thousand eyes, heads, and hands. They ride through the air on elephants, +buffaloes, lions, sheep, deer, goats, peacocks, vultures, geese, +serpents, and rats. They hold in their hands all kinds of weapons, +offensive and defensive, thunderbolts javelins, spears, clubs, bows, +arrows, shields, flags, and shells. They are of all employments. There +are gods of the heavens above and of the earth below, gods of wisdom and +of folly, gods of war and of peace, gods of good and of evil, gods of +pleasure, gods of cruelty and wrath, whose thirst must be satiated with +torrents of blood. These gods fight and quarrel with one another. They +lie, steal, commit adultery, murder, and other crimes. They pour out +their curses when they cannot succeed in their wicked plots, and invent +all kinds of lying tales to hide their wickedness.</p> + +<p>There are three principal gods, who compose what is called the Hindoo +triad. Their names are Brumha, Vrishnoo, and Siva. They were somehow +drawn from Brahm's essence, on one occasion when he was awake. Brumha, +they say, is the creator of the world, Vrishnoo the preserver, and Siva +the destroyer. Brumha has no temple erected for his worship, on account +of a great falsehood which he told. I will tell you what it was. Once, +as it is said, there was a dispute between him and Vrishnoo, as to who +is the greatest. While thus disputing, Siva appeared between the two as +a fire-post and told them that he who would find the bottom or the top +of the post first, would show that he is the greatest. Vrishnoo +immediately changed himself into a hog, and began to root up the earth +with the hope of finding the bottom of the post. Brumha changed himself +into a swan, flew up towards the top of the post, and cried out, I have +found it, when he had not. This, you know, my dear children, was a +falsehood. For this falsehood, it is said, no temple is erected for his +worship.</p> + +<p>Vrishnoo was a thief and a liar. He was once dwelling in the house of a +dairyman, and he used constantly to be stealing butter and curdled milk +from the dairyman's wife. She did not know, for a long time, what became +of her butter and curdled milk; but at last she found out that Vrishnoo +was the thief. To punish him for his theft, she tied him to a rice +mortar.</p> + +<p>Siva's conduct was very bad. I will tell you but one thing about him. On +one occasion he was playing at cards with his wife Parvathe. Vrishnoo +was appointed to determine who was the best player. After playing for a +little season Parvathe won the game. Siva then beckoned to Vrishnoo to +declare that he, instead of Parvathe, had won it. This he did. In +consequence of this falsehood, he was cursed by Parvathe, and changed +into a snake.</p> + +<p>And now, my dear children, why do I tell you about these gods? I tell +you for the purpose of making you thankful that you were born in a +Christian land, where you have the Bible to teach you better things. Had +you not the Bible, you would worship just such wretched beings as these +poor Hindoos worship. Perhaps you know that our Saxon fathers, before +they had the Bible, were as great idolaters as are this people. They +worshipped Thor and Woden and other similar idols, and they were even in +the habit of offering up human sacrifices Surely, if there is any thing +which should make you give your hearts to your Saviour and love him +above all things, it is God's gift of the Bible to you.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_VII'></a><h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<h3>THE THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY MILLIONS OF THE GODS OF THE HINDOOS—THE +CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE—THE TRANSMIGRATION OF SOULS—THE DIFFERENT +HELLS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear children—I told you that in one of those seasons when Brahm was +awake, Brumha, Vrishnoo, and Siva were somehow drawn from Brahm's +essence. The three hundred and thirty millions of the gods of the +Hindoos were also drawn from this essence; as were all the atoms which +compose the earth, the sun, moon, and stars. At first, these atoms were +all in disorder. For the purpose of reducing them to order, Brahm +created what is called the great mundane egg. Into this egg he himself +entered, under the form, of Brumha, taking with him all these atoms. +After remaining in this egg four thousand three hundred millions of +years, to arrange these atoms, he burst its shell and came out, with a +thousand heads, a thousand eyes, and a thousand arms. With him, he +brought out all those harmonized atoms, which, when separated, produced +this beautiful universe that we see above and around us.</p> + +<p>The universe, as it came from the mundane egg, is generally divided into +fourteen worlds: seven inferior or lower worlds, and seven superior or +upper worlds. The seven lower worlds are filled with all kinds of wicked +and loathsome creatures. Our earth, which is the first of the upper +worlds, it is said, is flat. The following figure will give you some +idea of it.</p> +<br /> +<center> +<img src='images/048.gif' width='587' height='584' alt='Concentric circles with labels on each from outermost to +innermost: Sea of Sweet Water. Sea of Milk. Sea of Sour Curds. Sea of +Clarified Butter. Sea of Spirituous Liquors. Sea of Sugar Cane Juice. +Sea of Salt Water. Earth.' title='Concentric circles with labels on each from outermost to +innermost: Sea of Sweet Water. Sea of Milk. Sea of Sour Curds. Sea of +Clarified Butter. Sea of Spirituous Liquors. Sea of Sugar Cane Juice. +Sea of Salt Water. Earth.'> +</center> +<br /> + +<p>That part of the earth which is inhabited consists of seven circular +islands, or continents each of which is surrounded by a different ocean. +The island in the centre, where we dwell, is surrounded by a sea of salt +water, the second island is surrounded by a sea of sugar-cane juice, the +third island is surrounded by a sea of spirituous liquors, the fourth is +surrounded by a sea of clarified butter, the fifth is surrounded by a +sea of sour curds, the sixth is surrounded by a sea of milk, the seventh +is surrounded by a sea of sweet water.</p> + +<p>In all the worlds above ours are mansions where the gods reside. In the +third is the heaven of Indra. This is the heaven to which it is said the +widow goes, after she has burned herself to death on the funeral pile of +her husband Its palaces are of the purest gold. And such are the +quantities of diamonds, and jasper, and sapphire, and emerald, and all +manner of precious stones there, that it shines with a brightness +superior to that of twelve thousand suns. Its streets are of the +clearest crystal, fringed with gold. In the seventh, or the highest of +the upper worlds, is the heaven where Brumha chiefly resides. This far +exceeds all the other heavens in point of beauty.</p> + +<p>In the inferior worlds it is stated that there are one hundred thousand +hells. These are provided for such as have been great criminals. The +Hindoos say, that those who have not been very wicked, can make an +atonement for their sins in this world. Should they neglect to do this, +they must suffer for it in another birth. They believe in what is called +the transmigration of souls, or the passing of the soul, after death, +into another body. The soul must suffer in the next birth, if not +purified in this. Hence it is asserted, that if a man is a stealer of +gold from a Brahmin, he is doomed to have whitlows on his nails; if a +drinker of spirits, black teeth; if a false detractor, fetid breath; if +a stealer of grain, the defect of some limb; if a stealer of clothes, +leprosy; if a horse-stealer, lameness; if a stealer of a lamp, total +blindness. If he steals grain in the husk, he will be born a rat; if +yellow mixed metal, a gander; if money, a great stinging gnat; if fruit, +an ape; if the property of a priest, a crocodile.</p> + +<p>Those persons whose sins are too great to be forgiven in this world, +must be sent to one of the hells to winch I have alluded. Weeping, +wailing, shrieking, they are dragged to the palace of <i>Yama</i>, the king +of those doleful regions. On arriving there, they behold him clothed +with terror, two hundred and forty miles in height, his eyes as large as +a lake of water, his voice as loud as thunder, the hairs of his body as +long as palm-trees, a flame of fire proceeding from his mouth, the noise +of his breath like the roaring of a tempest, and in his right hand a +terrific iron club. Sentence is passed, and the wretched beings are +doomed to receive punishment according to the nature of their crimes. +Some are made to tread on burning sands, or sharp-edged stones. Others +are rolled among thorns and spikes and putrefying flesh. Others are +dragged along the roughest places by cords passed through the tender +parts of the body. Some are attacked by jackals, tigers, and elephants. +Others are pierced with arrows, beaten with clubs, pricked with needles, +seared with hot irons, and tormented by flies and wasps. Some are +plunged into pans of liquid fire or boiling oil. Others are dashed from +lofty trees, many hundred miles high.</p> + +<p>The torment of these hells does not continue for ever. After criminals +have been punished for a longer or shorter time, their souls return to +the earth again in the bodies of men. Here they may perform such good +acts as may raise them to one of the heavens of the gods; or commit +crimes, which may be the means of their being sent again to the abodes +of misery.</p> + +<p>Things will go on in this way until the universe comes to an end, when +every thing is to disappear, and to be swallowed up in Brahm.</p> + +<p>The Hindoos say, that it is now more than one hundred and fifty billions +of years since the world was created. After it has continued about one +hundred and fifty billions of years more, it is to come to an end. Then +Brumha is to die, and to be swallowed up with the universe in the sole +existing Brahm.</p> + +<p>By what you have heard, you will learn that the Hindoos expect, by their +sufferings, to make an atonement for their sins. But there is no +atonement for sin, except through the blood of Jesus Christ. We must +come as lost sinners to our heavenly Father, confess our transgressions +to him, and plead for his forgiveness, only through the sufferings and +death which Christ endured. My dear children, have you done this? If +not, do it speedily, or the regions of the lost must soon be your +everlasting abode.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_VIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER VIII.</H2> + +<h3>HINDOO CASTES.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—The people of India are divided into castes, as they +are called. Their sacred books declare, that after Brumha had peopled +the heavens above and the worlds below, he created the human race, +consisting of four classes or castes. From his mouth proceeded the +Brahmin caste. Those of this class are the highest and noblest beings on +earth, and hold the office of priests. At the same time there flowed +from his mouth the <i>Vedas</i>, or sacred books, of which the Brahmins are +the sole teachers To their fellow-men, they were to give such parts of +these books as they thought best. From Brumha's arm proceeded the +military caste. The business of this class is to defend their country +when attacked by enemies. From his breast proceeded the third caste, +consisting of farmers and merchants. From his feet, the member of +inferiority, proceeded the Sudras, or servile caste. Carpenters, +braziers, weavers, dyers, and the manual cultivators of the soil, are +included in this class.</p> + +<p>Caste is not a civil, but a sacred institution. You must get some one +older than yourself to explain what this means. Caste is a difference of +<i>kind</i>. Hence, a man of one caste can never be changed into a man of +another caste, any more than a lion can be changed into a mole, or a +mole into a lion. Each caste has its laws, the breaking of which is +attended with great disgrace, and even degradation below all the other +castes. For instance, if a Brahmin should, by eating any forbidden +thing, break his caste, he would sink below all the other castes. He +would become an outcast, or pariah. For beneath the fourth, or lowest +caste, there is a class of people belonging to no caste—a class of +outcasts, held in the utmost abhorrence.</p> + +<p>By the system of castes, the Hindoos have been divided into so many +selfish sections, each scowling on all the rest with feelings of hatred +and contempt. The spirit which upholds it, is similar to that spirit +which says, "Stand by thyself, for I am holier than thou," and, of +course, is nothing but pride. This is one of the greatest obstacles to +the spread of Christianity in this dark land, and for the exhibition of +which we were lately obliged to cut off many of the members of our +churches.</p> + +<p>The Brahmins, in consequence of their being of the highest caste, and of +their having been taught from their infancy to regard all other classes +of men with the utmost contempt, are very proud. They make great efforts +to keep themselves pure, in their sense of the word, both without and +within. They are exceedingly afraid of being defiled by persons of other +castes. They have the utmost dread even of being touched by a pariah. +For them to eat with any of these pariahs, or to go into their houses, +or to drink water which they have drawn, or from vessels which they have +handled, is attended with the loss of their caste. A Brahmin who should +enter their houses, or permit them to enter his, would be cut off from +his caste, and could not be restored without many troublesome ceremonies +and great expense. The pariahs are considered to be so low, that if a +Brahmin were to touch them, even with the end of a long pole, he would +be looked upon as polluted In some districts they are obliged to make a +long circuit, when they perceive Brahmins in the way, that their breath +may not infect them, or their shadow fall upon them as they pass. In +some places their very approach is sufficient to pollute a whole +neighborhood.</p> + +<p>The Brahmins carry their ideas of purity very far. Should a Sudra happen +to look upon the vessels in which they cook their food, they would be +considered as defiled. They can never touch any kind of leather or skin, +except the skin of the tiger and antelope. The most disagreeable of all +American fashions, in their eyes, is that of boots and gloves. They +rarely eat their food from plates; and when they do so, it is only at +home. They use the leaf of the plantain or other trees as a substitute. +To offer them any thing to eat on a metal or earthen plate which others +have used, would be considered a great affront. For the same reason, +they will neither use a spoon nor a fork when they eat; and they are +astonished that any one, after having applied them to their mouths, and +infected them with saliva, should repeat the act a second time. They +have a great abhorrence of the toothpick, if used a second time. When +they eat any thing dry, they throw it into their mouths, so that the +fingers may not approach the lips.</p> + +<p>They do not drink as we do, by applying the cup to the lips. This would +be considered a gross impropriety. They pour the water into their +months. The reason why they do these things is, because they consider +the saliva to be the most filthy secretion that comes from the body. It +is on this account that no one is ever permitted to spit within doors.</p> + +<p>The use of animal food they consider to be defiling. Not only will they +not eat animal food, but they will eat nothing that has the principle of +life in it. On this account, they cannot eat eggs of any kind. I was +once breaking an egg in my medicine-room at Panditeripo, while a Brahmin +was present. He told me that, under such circumstances, he could not +remain with me any longer. In his view, I was committing a great sin. To +kill an ox or a cow, is considered by them as a crime which can never be +atoned for, and to eat their flesh is a defilement which can never be +washed away. To kill a cow is, by <i>Hindoo</i> law, punishable with death.</p> + +<p>The touch of most animals, particularly that of the dog, defiles a +Brahmin. Should a dog touch them, they would be obliged instantly to +plunge into water, and wash their clothes, in order to get rid of such a +stain. Notwithstanding this, the dog is one of the gods worshipped by +the Hindoos.</p> + +<p>The Hindoos consider themselves to be unclean if they have assisted at a +funeral. When the ceremony is over, they immediately plunge into water +for the sake of purification. Even the news of the death of a relative, +a hundred miles off, has the same effect. The person who hears such news +is considered unclean until he has bathed. In unison with this feeling, +a person is no sooner dead, than he is hastened away to be buried or +burned; for, until this is done, those in the house can neither eat nor +drink, nor go on with their occupations.</p> + +<p>A Brahmin who is particular in his delicacy, must be careful what he +treads upon. He is obliged to wash his body or bathe, if he happens to +tread on a bone, or a broken pot, a bit of rag, or a leaf from which one +has been eating. He must also be careful where he sits down. Some +devotees always carry their seats with them, that is, a tiger or +antelope's skin, which are always held pure. Some are contented with a +mat. They may sit down on the ground without defilement, provided it has +been newly rubbed over with cow-dung. This last specific is used daily +to purify their houses from the defilement occasioned by comers, and +goers. When thus applied, diluted with water, it has unquestionably one +good effect. It completely destroys the fleas and other insects, with +which they are very much annoyed.</p> + +<p>There is one thing more which I wish to mention. It is, that all the +high castes consider the use of intoxicating drinks to be defiling. I +hope that you, my dear children, will always have the same opinion, and +never touch them any sooner than you would touch arsenic or other +poisons.</p> + +<p>A person may be restored to his caste, provided he has not committed an +unpardonable offence. This is done as follows. After he has gained the +consent of his relations to be restored he prostrates himself very +humbly before them, they being assembled for that purpose, and submits +to the blows or other punishment which they may think proper to inflict, +or pays the fine which they may have laid upon him. Then, after +shedding tears of sorrow, and making promises that, by his future +conduct, he will wipe away the stain of his expulsion from caste, he +makes the shaashtaangkum before the assembly. This being done, he is +declared fit to be restored to his tribe.</p> + +<p>When a man has been expelled from his caste for some great offence, +those who restore him sometimes slightly burn his tongue with a piece of +gold made hot. They likewise apply to different parts of the body redhot +iron stamps, which leave marks that remain for ever. Sometimes they +compel the offender to walk on burning embers; and to complete the +purification, he must drink the punchakaryam, which literally means the +<i>five things</i>; these all come from the cow, and must be mixed together. +The first three of these I will mention, namely, the milk, butter, and +curds. The other two, for the sake of delicacy, I must not mention. +After the ceremony of punchakaryam is finished the person who has been +expelled from his caste must give a grand feast. This finishes all he +has to do, and he is then restored to favor.</p> + +<p>There are certain offences which, when committed cut off all hope that +the offender will ever be restored to his caste. For instance, should he +eat the flesh of the cow, no presents which he might make, nor any fines +which lie might be disposed to pay, no, not even the punchakaryam +itself, would be of any avail for his restoration or purification.</p> + +<p>I will make a remark here, which I might have made before. It is, that +in Christian countries, there is a spirit of pride which much resembles +the spirit of caste. Many are to be found who are very proud that they +have descended from rich and honorable <i>ancestors</i>, and who look down, +almost with disdain, upon those in other situations. I need hardly tell +you that this is a very wicked spirit, and entirely opposed to the +spirit of the Gospel. No matter what may be our high thoughts of +ourselves, we appear but very low in the sight of Him who created us. We +are all sinners, and, as such, are offensive in his sight. If we would +go to heaven, the first thing which we have to do, is to humble +ourselves for the pride of our hearts, and become as little children +before him. We must have that spirit of which the apostle speaks, when +he says, "Let each esteem others better than themselves." With a humble +spirit we may approach a holy God, with the assurance that he will, for +Christ's sake, forgive all our sins.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_IX'></a><h2>CHAPTER IX.</H2> + +<h3>HINDOO TEMPLES—CARS—PROCESSION OF IDOLS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—I will proceed to give you a description of the Hindoo +temples. These are very numerous. One is to be found in almost every +village. They are to be found, also, in out-of-the-way places, distant +from villages, in woods, on the banks and in the middle of rivers; but, +above all, on mountains and steep rocks.</p> + +<p>This latter practice, of building temples on mountains, is very ancient. +The Israelites were accustomed to choose a mountain when they offered up +their sacrifices to the Lord. Solomon, before the building of the +temple, chose Mount Gibeon on which to offer his burnt-offerings; and +when the ten tribes separated themselves, in the reign of Jeroboam, they +built their altars on the mountain of Samaria. This practice may have +come from the circumstance, that Noah offered to God a great sacrifice +of thanks on one of the highest mountains of Armenia. Probably Mount +Ararat continued long to be remembered, by him and his descendants, as +the scene of their deliverance.</p> + +<p>Besides the temples of the idols, there are various objects of worship, +made of earth and stone. Some of the idols are carved. Some consist +merely of the rough stone. These are to be seen on the high-roads, at +the entrance into villages, and, above all, under lofty trees. Some of +these are covered; but generally they are exposed in the open air.</p> + +<p>You will read in Genesis, 28th chap, and 18th verse, that Jacob, after +his dream, rose up early in the morning and took the stone that he had +put for his pillow, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the +top of it. Whether it has happened from this circumstance or not, that +the heathen universally pour oil over their idols, I cannot tell. All I +know is, that they do it. No idol can become an object of worship until +a Brahmin has said his muntrums, or prayers, for the purpose of bringing +down the god to live, as it is said be does, in the image, and until he +has drenched it with oil and liquid butter.</p> + +<p>The idols, in the great temples, are clothed with rich garments, and +adorned with jewels, which are enriched with precious stones of immense +value. Sacrifices are constantly made to these idols, consisting of +boiled rice, flowers, fruits, etc., but, above all, of lamps, of which +many thousands are sometimes seen burning. They feed them with butter, +in preference to oil.</p> + +<p>The priests of the temples offer up sacrifices twice every day, morning +and evening. They begin the ceremony by washing their idol. The water +which is used is brought from a river or tank. Every morning a +procession, with music, passes before our door, with this water.</p> + +<p>Every priest who offers up sacrifices, must have several lighted lamps +with a bell, which he holds in his left hand. With his right hand he +makes an offering to the idol, adorns it with flowers, and rubs its +forehead and various parts of its body with sandal-wood and holy ashes. +While all this is going on, he is alone in the temple, the door of which +is closed. The unholy multitude remain without, silently waiting till +he has done. What he does, they cannot know, only hearing the sound of +the bell. When he has done, he comes out and distributes among the +people a part of the things which have been offered to the idol. These +are considered as holy. If they consist of rice and fruit, they are +immediately eaten; if of flowers, the men put them in their turbans, and +the girls entwine them in their hair.</p> + +<p>Next to the priests, the most important persons about the temples are +the dancing girls. These are persons of the vilest character. They +perform their religious duties in the temple twice a day. They also +assist at the public ceremonies, and dance. At the same time they sing +the most abominable and filthy songs. Of these wicked creatures, +however, I must not tell you any thing further.</p> + +<p>The next order of persons employed in the temples, are players on +musical instruments. Every temple of note has a band of these musicians +who, as well as the dancers, are obliged to attend the temple twice a +day. They are also obliged to assist at all the public festivals. Their +band generally consists of wind, instruments, resembling clarionets and +hautboys, to which they add cymbals and drums. They have a bass, +produced by blowing into a kind of tube, widened below, and which gives +an uninterrupted sound. Part of the musicians sing hymns in honor of +their gods.</p> + +<p>The expenses of the temples are borne by the voluntary offerings of the +people, consisting of money, jewels, cattle, provisions, and other +articles. In order to induce them to make such offerings, the Brahmins +use all kinds of deception. Sometimes they will put their idols in +irons, chaining their hands and feet. They exhibit them in this sad +condition, declaring that they have been brought into it by creditors +from whom their gods had to borrow money, in times of trouble, to supply +their wants. They declare that their creditors refuse to set the gods at +liberty, until the money with the interest is paid. The people, seeing +the deplorable condition into which they have been brought, come forward +and pay off the debt; when the chains are taken off, and the god is set +at liberty.</p> + +<p>Another way in which the Brahmins sometimes deceive the people, is as +follows. They say that the god is afflicted with some dreadful disease, +brought on by the distress which he has had, because the people do not +worship him as much as they should. In such cases, the idol is sometimes +placed at the door of the temple where they rub his forehead and temples +with various kinds of medicine. They also set before him all sorts of +medicines, pretending in this way to do all they can to cure him. But as +all their efforts prove to be vain, and the disease becomes worse, the +Brahmins send out persons to tell the sad news. The people, believing +the report, hasten to bring in their gifts and offerings. The god, on +beholding such proofs of their attachment to him, feels himself cured of +his disease, and immediately returns to his throne within the temple.</p> + +<p>The Brahmins use another kind of deception, in order to procure +offerings for the temples. They declare that their gods are angry with +certain individuals who have offended them, and that they have sent some +evil spirit or devil to take possession of their bodies and torment +them. Accordingly, persons appear wandering about in different parts of +the country, showing, by their dreadful convulsions, their writhings +and twistings, every symptom of being possessed with the devil. The +people who see them are filled with dismay, fall down before them, and +offer gifts and sacrifices, for fear of being injured by them. Whatever +they ask is granted. The people give them to eat and drink abundantly; +and when they leave a place, accompany them with instruments of music, +till they arrive at some other place, where the same deception is +practised.</p> + +<p>There are various other ways in which the Brahmins deceive the people; +but I have told you enough.</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/069.gif' width='567' height='495' alt='Temple' title='Temple'> +</center> + +<p>At every large temple, there is at least yearly one grand procession. +The idol is brought out from its inclosure, and placed in a great car or +chariot, prepared for this express purpose. This stands upon four wheels +of great strength, not made like ours, of spokes with a rim, but of +three or four pieces of thick, solid timber, rounded and fitted to each +other. The car is sometimes forty or fifty feet high, having upon it +carved images of a most abominable nature. I must not tell you any thing +about them. The car, when finished, presents somewhat the shape of a +pyramid.</p> + +<img src='images/070.gif' width='330' height='431' align='right' alt='Idol' title='Idol'> + +<p>On the day of the procession, it is adorned with painted cloth, garlands +of flowers, green shrubbery, and precious stuffs. The idol is placed in +the centre, loaded with jewels, etc., to attract the attention of the +people. Having fastened ropes to this enormous car, eight or nine +hundred or a thousand people catch hold of the ropes and slowly drag it +along, accompanied with the awful roaring of their voices. At certain +periods they stop; when the immense crowds, collected from all parts of +the country, set up one universal shout, or rather yell. This, with the +sound of their instruments and numerous drums, produces much uproar and +confusion. Sometimes the weighty car comes to a stand, from the dampness +of the ground or from the narrowness of the streets, when the tumult and +noise are redoubled.</p> + +<img src='images/071.gif' width='340' height='475' align='left' alt='Pulliar' title='Pulliar'> + +<p>Perhaps you know that on some occasions, when the cars are drawn, people +throw themselves under the wheels, and are crushed to death. This occurs +at the drawing of the car of Juggernaut, as you may learn if you will +read my Sermon to Children, on the Condition of the Heathen. Here is a +picture of Juggernaut, and on the last page you may see a picture of his +car, and two men crushed to death under the wheels. Not long since, five +persons were thus crushed to death. Many dreadful accidents also take +place at the drawing of these cars. A few years ago several persons in +this city had their limbs amputated, in consequence of injuries +received.</p> + +<p>When I was in America, I showed to many of the dear children an idol +called Pulliar, which was <i>formerly</i> worshipped by Raamu, one of our +native helpers, when he was a heathen. I gave a particular description, +of the I manner in which he daily worshiped it, in the sermon above +mentioned Here is a picture, which will give you some idea of this god.</p> + +<p>You will see that it is partly in the shape of a man, and partly in the +shape of a beast. You, my dear children, would put no confidence in such +vain idols; but this people do, as you may know from what I am now going +to tell you.</p> + +<p>Some months ago, a woman was brought to me with a cancer in her breast. +It had made sad ravages. On the morning after her arrival I took it out. +Before she was brought to me, her brother went to the temple of the +goddess Meenaache, to ascertain what was her will respecting his +bringing her to me, or taking her to a native doctor. In order to +ascertain it, he had recourse to the following expedient. He prepared +several bundles of red and white flowers—the red to represent the red +or Tamil man, the white to represent the white man. These flowers were +carefully inclosed in leaves, so as to prevent their color being seen, +and then laid down on the ground, at the entrance of the temple. After +this, he called a little child to him, and then proceeded to entreat +Meenaache that, if it were her will that he should bring the sick woman +to me, she would direct the child to take up one of the parcels +containing the white flowers. It so happened that the child took up one +of these parcels. Of course, he brought her to me. Had it taken up a +parcel containing the red flowers, she would have been taken to a native +doctor. May we not hope that, not Meenaache, but Jehovah directed him +to bring her to me, that she might hear of a very different being from +her goddess, even of Jesus. Of him she has fully heard.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_X'></a><h2>CHAPTER X.</H2> + +<h3>FESTIVALS OF THE HINDOOS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—The Hindoos have many festivals. These are all +occasions of joy and gladness. On such days, the people quit their usual +employments. Friends and relations unite in family parties, and give +entertainments according to their means. Innocent pastimes and +amusements of various kinds are resorted too to add to their happiness.</p> + +<p>There are eighteen principal festivals yearly, and no month passes +without one or more of them.</p> + +<p>One of the most solemn of these ceremonies is held in the month of +September, and appears to be principally in honor of Parvathe, the wife +of Siva. At this time every laborer and every artisan offers sacrifices +and prayers to his tools. The laborer brings his plough, hoe, and other +farming utensils. He piles them together, and offers a sacrifice to +them, consisting of flowers, fruit, rice, and other articles. After +this, he prostrates himself before them at full length, and then returns +them to their places.</p> + +<p>The mason offers the same adoration and sacrifice to his trowel, rule, +and other instruments The carpenter adores his hatchet, adze, and plane. +The barber collects his razors together and worships them with similar +rites.</p> + +<p>The writing-master sacrifices to the iron pen or style, with which he +writes upon the palm-leaf the tailor to his needles, the weaver to his +loom, the butcher to his cleaver.</p> + +<p>The women, on this day, collect into a heap their baskets, rice-mill, +rice-pounder, and other household utensils, and, after having offered +sacrifices to them, fall down in adoration before them. Every person, in +short, in this solemnity sanctifies and adores the instrument or tool by +which he gains a living. The tools are considered as so many gods, to +whom they present their prayers that they will continue to furnish them +still with the means of getting a livelihood.</p> + +<p>This least is concluded by making an idol to represent Parvathe. It is +made of the paste of grain, and being placed under a sort of canopy, is +carried through the streets with great pomp, and receives the worship of +the people.</p> + +<p>Another festival of great celebrity is observed in October. At this +time, each person, for himself, makes offerings of boiled rice and other +food, to such of their relations as have died, that they may have a good +meal on that day. They afterwards offer sacrifices of burning lamps, of +fruit, and of flowers, and also new articles of dress, that their +ancestors may be freshly clothed.</p> + +<p>At this festival, soldiers offer sacrifices to their weapons, in order +to obtain success in war. On such occasions, a ram is offered in +sacrifice to their armor.</p> + +<p>In November, a festival is observed, which is called the feast of lamps. +At this season, the Hindoos light lamps, and place them around the doors +of their houses. This festival was established to commemorate the +deliverance of the earth from a giant, who had been a great scourge to +the people. He was slain by Vrishnoo, after a dreadful battle. In many +places, on this day, a sacrifice is offered to the <i>dunghill</i> which is +afterwards to enrich the ground. In the villages, each one has his own +heap, to which he makes his offering of burning lamps, fruit, flowers, +etc.</p> + +<p>The most celebrated of all the festivals, is that which is held in the +end of December. It is called the feast of Pongul, and is a season of +rejoicing for two reasons: the first is, because the month of December, +every day of which is unlucky, is about to end; and the other is, +because it is to be followed by a month, every day of which is +fortunate. For the purpose of preventing the evil effects of this month, +the women every morning scour a place about two feet square before the +door of the house, upon which they draw white lines, with flour. Upon +these they place several little balls of cow-dung, sticking in each a +flower. Each day these little balls, with their flowers, are preserved, +and on the last day of the month, they are thrown into tanks or +waste-places.</p> + +<p>The first day of this festival is called the Pongul of rejoicing. Near +relatives are invited to a feast, which passes off with mirth and +gladness.</p> + +<p>The second day is called the Pongul of the sun, and is set apart to +worship that luminary. Married women, after bathing themselves, proceed +to boil rice with milk, in the open air. When the milk begins to +simmer, they make a loud cry, "Pongul, O Pongul." The vessel is then +taken from the fire, and set before an idol. Part of this rice is +offered to the image, and, after standing there for some time, it is +given to the cows. The remainder is given to the people. This is the +great day for visiting among friends. The salutation begins by the +question, "Has the milk boiled?" To which the answer is, "It has +boiled." From this, the festival takes the name of pongul, which +signifies to boil.</p> + +<p>The third day is called the <i>Pongul of cows.</i> In a great vessel, filled +with water, they put saffron and other things. These being well mixed, +they go around the cows and oxen belonging to the house several times, +sprinkling them with water. After this, the men prostrate themselves +before them four times. The cows are then dressed, their horns being +painted with various colors. Garlands of flowers are also put round +their necks, and over their backs. To these are added strings of +cocoa-nuts and other kinds of fruit, which, however, are soon shaken +off, when they are in motion, and are picked up by children and others, +who greedily eat what they gather, as something sacred. After being +driven through the streets, they are suffered, during the day, to feed +wherever they please, without a keeper. I have, however, told you +enough. Are you ready to exclaim, Is it possible that a people can be +guilty of such utter folly? But you, my dear children, would be guilty +of just such folly, if you had not the Bible. Should not the gratitude, +then, which you owe to your heavenly Father, for your distinguished +mercies, constrain you to do all that you can to send this blessed book +to this dark land?</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XI'></a><h2>CHAPTER XI.</H2> + +<h3>THE WORSHIP OF THE SERPENT.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—If you have never heard much about the Hindoos, you +will be astonished to learn how numerous are the objects of their +worship. They worship many living creatures, such as the ape, the tiger, +the elephant the horse, the ox, the stag, the sheep, the hog, the dog, +the cat, the rat, the peacock, the eagle, the cock, the hawk, the +serpent, the chameleon, the lizard, the tortoise, fishes, and even +insects. Of these, some receive much more worship than others, such as +the cow, the ox, and the serpent Cobra Capella. I will speak at present +only of the worship of the serpent.</p> + +<p>Of all the dangerous creatures found in India, there are none that +occasion so many deaths as serpents. The people are very much exposed to +their bite, especially at night, when they are walking. They tread upon +them, and, as they generally do not wear shoes, the snakes turn their +heads, and strike their fangs into those parts of the feet which are +nearest to the place where the pressure is made upon their bodies. +Sometimes the bite is followed with instant death. The Cobra Capella is +one of the most common snakes, and one of the most poisonous. It is +said, that it has a thousand heads, one of which holds up the earth. It +has a peculiar mark on its back, just behind the head. This mark very +much resembles a pair of spectacles, without the handles. If you should +go near it, it would raise the fore part of its body about six inches, +widen out its neck, so as to be about double its common width, and +prepare to strike you. The reason why the Hindoos offer sacrifices and +adoration to it above all the other serpents is, because it is so +frequently met with, and is so much dreaded.</p> + +<p>In order to induce the people to worship this dangerous enemy, the +Hindoos have filled their books with tales concerning it. Figures of it +are often to be seen in the temples, and on other buildings. They seek +out their holes, which are generally to be found in the hillocks of +earth which are thrown up by the white ants; and when they find one, +they go from time to time and offer milk, plantains, and other good +things to it.</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/081.gif' width='557' height='504' alt='' title=''> +</center> + +<p>The Hindoos, as I before observed, have eighteen annual festivals. One +of these festivals is held for the purpose of worshipping this serpent. +Temples in many places are erected to it, of which there is one of great +celebrity in Mysore. When the festival occurs at this temple, great +crowds of people come together to offer sacrifices to this creeping god. +Many serpents besides the Cobra Capella live within it, in holes made +especially for them. All of these are kept and well fed by the Brahmins +with milk, butter, and plantains. By such means they become very +numerous, and may be seen swarming from every crevice in the temple. To +injure or to kill one would be considered a great crime.</p> + +<p>Many of the natives call the Cobra Capella nulla paampu, that is, good +snake. They are afraid to call it a bad snake, lest it should injure +them. The following is the prayer which is offered before the image of +this snake. O, divine Cobra, preserve and sustain us. O, Sheoh, partake +of these offerings, and be gracious unto us.</p> + +<p>Can you think of any thing, my dear children more dishonoring to a holy +God, than such worship? And what have you ever done to prevent it? Have +you, every morning and evening, prayed that the Gospel might be sent to +this people? Did you ever give any money to send it to them? Did you +ever think whether it may not be your duty, by and by, to come to them, +to tell them of this Gospel?</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XII.</H2> + +<h3>THE RIVER GANGES.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—If you will look at the map of Asia, and find the +country of Hindostan, you will see running through it a very celebrated +river—the river Ganges. It is called the Ganges, after the goddess +Gunga. The Hindoos say that the goddess Gungu—who was produced from the +sweat of Vrishnoo's foot, which Brumha caught and preserved in his +alms-dish—came down from heaven, and divided herself into one hundred +streams, which are the mouths of the river Ganges. All classes and +castes worship her. The sight, the name, or the touch of the river +Ganges is said to take away all sin. To die on the edge of the river, or +to die partly buried in the stream, drinking its waters, while their +bodies are besmeared with mud, is supposed to render them very holy. On +this account, when it is expected that a person will die, he is hurried +down to the river, whether willing or unwilling. Sometimes the wood +which the people bring to burn their bodies after death, is piled up +before their eyes. O, how inhuman is this. After it is supposed that +they are dead, and they are placed on the pile of wood, if they should +revive and attempt to rise, it is thought that they are possessed with +the devil, and they are beaten down with a hatchet or bamboo.</p> + +<p>Were you standing on the banks of the Ganges you might, perhaps, in one +place see two or three young men carrying a sick female to the river. If +you should ask what they are going to do with her, perhaps they would +reply, We are going to give her up to Gunga, to purify her soul, that +she may go to heaven; for she is our mother. In another place you might +see a father and mother sprinkling a beloved child with muddy water, +endeavoring to soothe his dying agonies by saying, "It is blessed to die +by Gunga, my son; to die by Gunga is blessed, my son." In another place +you might see a man descending from a boat with empty water-pans tied +around his neck, which pans, when filled, will drag down the poor +creature to the bottom, to be seen no more. Here is murder in the name +of religion. He is a devotee, and has purchased heaven, as he supposes, +by this his last good deed. In another place you might see a person +seated in the water, accompanied by a priest, who pours down the throat +of the dying man mud and water, and cries out, "O mother Gunga, receive +his soul." The dying man may be roused to sensibility by the violence. +He may entreat his priest to desist; but his entreaties are drowned. He +persists in pouring the mud and water down his throat, until he is +gradually stifled, suffocated—suffocated in the name of +humanity—suffocated in the name of religion.</p> + +<p>It happens, sometimes, in cases of sudden and violent attacks of +disease, that they cannot be conveyed to the river before death. Under +such circumstances, a bone is preserved, and at a convenient season is +taken down and thrown into the river. This, it is believed, contributes +essentially to the salvation of the deceased.</p> + +<p>Sometimes strangers are left on the banks to die, without the ceremony +of drinking Ganges water. Of these, some have been seen creeping along +with the flesh half eaten off their bones by the birds; others with +their limbs torn by dogs and jackals, and others partly covered with +insects.</p> + +<p>After a person is taken down to the river, if he should recover, it is +looked upon by his friends as a great misfortune. He becomes an outcast. +Even his own children will not eat with him, nor offer him the least +attention. If they should happen to touch him, they must wash their +bodies, to cleanse them from the pollution which has been contracted. +About fifty miles north of Calcutta, are two villages inhabited entirely +by these poor creatures, who have become outcasts in consequence of +their recovery after having been taken down to the Ganges.</p> + +<p>At the mouth of the river Hoogly, which is one of the branches of the +Ganges, is the island Sauger, which I saw as we approached Calcutta +after having been at sea for one hundred and twenty-eight days. Now, my +dear children, if you come out to India as missionaries, you will have +to sail nearly one hundred and thirty days before you can reach it. +Sauger island is the island where, formerly, hundreds of mothers were in +the habit of throwing their children to the crocodiles, and where these +mothers were wont to weep and cry if the crocodiles did not devour their +children before their eyes. Think what a dreadful religion that must +be, which makes mothers so hard-hearted. Did you ever take any corn or +Indian meal and throw it to the chickens? And what did these chickens +do? Did they not come around you and eat it? Well, just in this way the +crocodiles would come near those mothers, and devour their children. +Here is a picture of a mother throwing her child to a crocodile.</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/087.gif' width='534' height='478' alt='' title=''> +</center> + +<p>I am glad to tell you, that the British have put a stop to the sacrifice +of children at that place; but mothers continue to destroy their +children elsewhere, and will continue to destroy them until Christians +send the Gospel to them. It is not improbable that vast numbers of +children are annually destroyed in the Ganges. Mothers sacrifice them, +in consequence of vows which they have made. When the time to sacrifice +them has come, they take them down to the river, and encourage them to +go out so far that they are taken away by the stream, or they push them +off with their own hands.</p> + +<p>I just remarked, that mothers will continue to destroy their children +until the Gospel is sent to them. That the Gospel does prevent such +things, the following circumstance will show. Several years ago, a +missionary lady went from New England to India. As she was walking out +one morning, on the banks of the Ganges, she saw a heathen mother +weeping. She went up to her, sat down by her side, put her hand into +hers, and asked what was the matter with her. "I have just been making a +basket of flags," said she, "and putting my infant in it—pushing it off +into the river, and drowning it. And my gods are very much pleased with +me, because I have done it." After this missionary lady had heard all +she had to say, she told her that her gods were no gods; that the only +true God delights not in such sacrifices, but turns in horror from them; +and that, if she would be happy here and hereafter, she must forsake her +sins, and pray to Jesus Christ, who died to save sinners like herself. +This conversation was the means of the conversion of that mother, and +she never again destroyed any of her infants.</p> + +<p>Such is the power of the blessed Gospel. And what the Gospel has done +once, it can do again. If Christians will send it to them, with the +blessing of God, the time will soon come when heathen mothers will no +more destroy their children. And have you nothing to do in this great +work, my dear children? When you grow up, cannot you go and tell them of +the Saviour? Here is a very pretty hymn about a heathen mother throwing +her child to a crocodile.</p> + +<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'> +<span>See that heathen mother stand<br /></span> +<span>Where the sacred currents flow,<br /></span> +<span>With her own maternal hand,<br /></span> +<span>'Mid the waves her infant throw.<br /></span> +</div><div class='stanza'> +<span>Hark, I hear the piteous scream—<br /></span> +<span>Frightful monsters seize their prey,<br /></span> +<span>Or the dark and bloody stream<br /></span> +<span>Bears the struggling child away.<br /></span> +</div><div class='stanza'> +<span>Fainter now, and fainter still,<br /></span> +<span>Breaks the cry upon the ear;<br /></span> +<span>But the mother's heart is steel,<br /></span> +<span>She unmoved that cry can hear.<br /></span> +</div><div class='stanza'> +<span>Send, O send the Bible there,<br /></span> +<span>Let its precepts reach the heart;<br /></span> +<span>She may then her children spare,<br /></span> +<span>Act the mother's tender part.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>I have heard of a little boy who learned this hymn. He was deeply +affected by it, and wanted very much to give something to send the +Gospel to India. But he had no money. He was, however, willing to labor +in order to earn some. Hearing that a gentleman wanted the chips removed +from the ground near his woodpile, he hired himself to him, removed the +chips, got his money, and, with glistening eyes, went and delivered it +up, to be sent to the heathen, repeating, as he went,</p> + +<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'> +<span>Send, O send the Bible there,<br /></span> +<span>Let its precepts reach the heart;<br /></span> +<span>She may then her children spare,<br /></span> +<span>Act the mother's tender part.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>About one hundred miles above the mouth of the Hoogly is the city of +Calcutta, and about five hundred miles above that city is the city of +Benares. In these cities, as well as in other places, we see how much +the heathen will contribute to support their wretched religion. A rich +native in Calcutta has been known to spend more than one hundred +thousand dollars on a single festival—the festival of the goddess +Karle—and more than thirty thousand dollars every year afterwards +during his life, for the same purpose. Not long since, a rich native +gave at one time to his idols more than one million two hundred thousand +dollars. And what have Christians ever done to honor their Saviour, +which will bear a comparison with what the heathen do for their idols? +Alas, alas, few Christian men or Christian women, in all the church, are +willing to give even one-tenth of their annual income to the Lord. Most +of those who are rich, hoard up their money, instead of spending it for +the purpose of saving souls. And there are many persons who have never +given a farthing to send the Gospel to the heathen. O, what will such +say, when they must meet the heathen at the bar of God?</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XIII.</H2> + +<h3>THE GODDESS DURGA.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—From what I said, in my last chapter, about the +goddess Gunga, you see that the Hindoos worship goddesses as well as +gods. There is another goddess much worshipped the wife of the god Siva. +She has appeared in a thousand forms, with a thousand different names. +Of all these thousand forms, Durga and Karle are the most regarded by +the people. I will speak of Durga first. Of all the festivals in Eastern +India, hers is the most celebrated. She has ten hands, in which she +holds an iron club, a trident, a battle-axe, spears, thunderbolts, etc. +Thus armed, she is ever ready to fight with her enemies.</p> + +<p>Were you to be present in the city of Calcutta in the month of +September, you might everywhere see the people busy in preparing for the +yearly festival of this goddess. Images representing her you would find +in great numbers for sale, as bread or meat is sold. In the houses of +the rich, images are to be found made of gold, silver, brass, copper, +crystal, stone, or mixed metal, which are daily worshipped. These are +called permanent images. Besides these, multitudes of what are called +temporary images are made—made merely for the occasion and then +destroyed. They may be made of hay, sticks, clay, wood, or other such +things. Their size varies from a few inches to twenty feet in height. If +any persons are too poor to buy one of these images, they can make them +for themselves. When the festival is near at hand, people are seen in +every direction taking the images to their houses. After they are thus +supplied, the festival commences. It lasts fifteen days. The greater +part of this time is spent in preparing for the three great days of +worship. Early on the morning of the first of the three great days, the +Brahmins proceed to consecrate the images, or to give them, as they +suppose, life and understanding. Until they are consecrated, they are +not thought to be of any value. They are looked upon as senseless. A +wealthy family can always receive the services of one or more Brahmins, +and a few of the poor may unite and secure the services of one of them. +At length the solemn hour arrives. The Brahmin, with the leaves of a +sacred tree, comes near the image. With the two forefingers of his +right hand he touches the breast, the two cheeks, the eyes, and the +forehead of the image, at each touch saying the prayer, "Let the spirit +of Durga descend and take possession of this image." By such ceremonies, +and by repeating various <i>muntrums</i>, it is supposed that the Brahmins +have the power to bring down the goddess to take possession of the +image. Having been thus consecrated, it is believed to be a proper +object of worship. Having eyes, it can now behold every act of worship +which is made; having ears, it can be delighted with music and with +songs; having a nose, it can smell the sweet perfumes which are offered; +having a mouth, it can be delighted with the rich food which is prepared +for it.</p> + +<p>After the image is consecrated, the worship begins. The devotee comes +near the image, and falls down before it. He then twists himself into a +great variety of shapes. Sometimes he sits on the floor, sometimes he +stands, sometimes he looks in one direction, sometimes in another. Then +he sprinkles the idol with holy water, rinses its mouth, washes its +feet, wipes it with a dry cloth, throws flowers over it, puts jewels on +it, offers perfumes to it, and finishes by performing shaashtaangkum.</p> + +<p>The worship of the idol is succeeded by a season of carousing, joy, and +festivity. On this occasion, large offerings are made to the idols. A +rich native has been known to offer eighty thousand pounds of +sweetmeats, eighty thousand pounds of sugar, a thousand suits of cloth +garments, a thousand suits of silk, a thousand offerings of rice, +plantains, and other fruits.</p> + +<p>Bloody sacrifices are offered up on such occasions. The king of Nudiya, +some time ago, offered a large number of sheep, goats, and buffaloes on +the first day of the feast, and vowed to double the offering every day; +so that the whole number sacrificed amounted to more than sixty-five +thousand. You may remember that king Solomon offered up on one occasion +twenty-two thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. If +all the animals slain throughout Hindostan, at the festival of the +goddess Durga, were collected together, they would amount to a much +larger number than Solomon offered.</p> + +<p>After the worship and offerings have been continued for three days, the +festival closes. As the morning of the first day was devoted to the +consecration of the images, the morning of the fourth is spent in +unconsecrating them. This work is done by the Brahmins. They profess, by +various ceremonies, to send back the goddess to her heaven, concluding +with a farewell address, in which they tell her that they expect her to +accept of all their services, and return and pay them a visit again in +the coming year. Then all unite in bidding her a sorrowful adieu, and +many seem affected even to the shedding of tears.</p> + +<p>Soon afterwards the images are carried forth into the streets, placed on +stages or platforms, and raised on men's shoulders. As the procession +moves onward through the streets, accompanied with music and songs, amid +clouds of dust, you might see them waving long hairy brushes to wipe off +the dust, and to keep off the flies and mosquitoes, which might trouble +the senseless images. But where are these processions going? To the +banks of the Ganges. And for what purpose? For the purpose of casting +the images into the river. When all the ceremonies connected with the +occasion are finished, those who carry the images suddenly fall upon +them, break them to pieces, and then throw them with violence into the +river. After this the people return to their homes.</p> + +<p>I have now given you a specimen of the image-worship of the Hindoos; and +how different is it from the worship which the Bible enjoins. "God is a +Spirit; and they who worship him, must worship him in spirit and in +truth." The very reverse of this, as you have seen, marks the worship of +the heathen. They are not satisfied, unless they can have some object +before them, to which they can make their offerings and their prayers. +Thus daily are they engaged in a service which, above all others, is the +most offensive and provoking to a holy God—a service which has caused +him to declare, that idolaters shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. +This, too, is the service in which every person, who has never given +himself to the Saviour, is engaged; and, of course, in which you are +engaged if you have not given your hearts to him. Those who think more +of their money than they think of Christ, just as certainly worship the +image which is stamped on a dollar or a cent, as the heathen worship +their idols. Those who love their fathers and mothers, and brothers and +sisters more than Christ, make these their idols. And are you, my dear +children, yet out of Christ? If so, you have your idols. And what are +these idols? Are they the world and its vanities? Then God is as angry +with you as he is with the heathen, and unless you give up these idols, +you too must be lost.</p> + +<p>In a tract of mine, published by the American Tract Society, entitled, +"Knocking at the Door"—a tract which I <i>most earnestly</i> entreat you to +get and read—you will find an account of the death of a young lady, who +had chosen the world and its vanities as her idols. I was her physician. +After having attended her for about a month, I perceived, one morning, +that her disease must soon prove fatal. I told her that she could not +live. She then exclaimed, "Doctor, can I not live a month?" I informed +her that she could not. Again she exclaimed, "Can I not live two weeks?" +She was told that she could not live two weeks. And such a scene of +horror followed as I never before witnessed, and may God be pleased to +grant that I may never witness such another. Until laid upon a dying +bed, I fear that she had neglected to think about her soul's concerns. +Now she requested to be taken from it, and placed upon her knees, that +she might call upon God to have mercy upon her. As her case excited much +attention, some of the youth came to see her. These she warned, in the +most solemn manner, not to put off repentance, as she had done, to a +dying hour. Looking up at me, on one occasion, she exclaimed, "Doctor, +cannot you save me?" Alas, what could I do for the poor sufferer. +Witness, now, how anxious she was to obtain the favor of that God whom +she had hitherto neglected. Yes, so anxious that she requested her +friends not to allow her to sleep, that she might spend every remaining +breath in calling upon God to have mercy upon her. One very affecting +circumstance occurred. She requested her trunk either to be brought to +her bedside, or to be opened. From this a ring, which was set with red +garnets, was taken out by herself, or by another, and handed to her. She +then called a young friend to her bedside, put the ring upon her finger, +and said to her, "Don't you put off repentance, as I have done, until a +dying hour." That ring is now in my possession. In less than forty-eight +hours after I told her that she could not live, she passed into +eternity. Would that I could show you that mournful countenance, which +continued long after the last spark of life had become extinct; yes, +even up to the moment when the lid of her coffin for ever hid it from +our view. Never, never shall I forget it. It was a sad monument of the +wreck within.</p> + +<p>Now, my dear children, you would not like to die as, I fear, this young +lady died. Well, then, if you would die differently, you must live +differently. You must live for Christ, if you would die in Christ. And +are you Christ's, or are you yet gay and thoughtless—as gay and as +thoughtless as this young lady was, until laid upon her dying bed? If +you are so, and if you continue to remain in this sad condition, your +season of sorrow too will certainly come, and it will come when you +expect it not. As the little insect which flies round and round your +candle is dazzled with its brightness, and feels nothing but pleasure, +until it unconsciously strikes the blaze with its little wings, and is +swallowed up in the flame; so you are dazzled with the pleasures of the +world, thinking nothing of the flames which may swallow you up in a +moment, and put a stop to all your joys for ever. O, that the death-bed +scene of Miss Matthews might have a happy effect upon you. O, that the +solemn warning which she gave to her young friend, not to put off +repentance as she had done, until a dying hour, might continue to sound +in your ears, until you would no longer delay repentance. My dear +children, this young lady, though dead, yet speaketh. She speaks to you. +She calls upon you from her tomb—from the eternal world, to delay +repentance no longer. Will you, then, be so mad as to turn a deaf ear to +this call? Will you ever take another sip from the cup of unhallowed +pleasure? Will you ever direct your little feet to the ballroom, or +other places of sinful amusement? Will you hereafter prefer your worldly +joys to Christ? O, you must not, you must not. It will not do for you to +be lost. Who, O who can lie down in everlasting burnings? Who can dwell +for ever with devouring flames?</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XIV'></a><h2>CHAPTER XIV.</H2> + +<h3>THE GODDESS KARLE.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—In the preceding chapter I spoke of Karle. She, as I +there mentioned, is the wife of Siva, and, like her husband, has the +power of destruction. From the images made of her, it would appear that +she is a female, of a black or dark blue color. She has four arms. In +one hand she holds a sword, and in another a human head. Her hair is +dishevelled, reaching down to her feet. Her countenance is most +ferocious. Her tongue comes out of her mouth, and hangs over her chin. +She has three eyes, red and fiery. Her lips and eyebrows are streaked +with blood. She has two dead bodies for ear-rings, and wears a girdle +around her loins—a girdle made of bloody hands, which she cut off from +the bodies of her enemies. She has a necklace of skulls, which she took +from the bodies of the giants and others killed by her.</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/103.gif' width='557' height='471' alt='' title=''> +</center> + +<p>Of all the Hindoo divinities, this goddess is the most cruel and +revengeful. Such is her thirst for blood, that being unable at one time +to procure any giants for her prey, in order to quench her thirst, she +cut her own throat, that the blood issuing thence might spout into her +mouth. Different acts of worship are performed to appease her. If, for +example, a devotee should burn his body, by applying a burning lamp to +it, it would be very pleasing to her. If he should draw some of his +blood and give it to her, or if he should cut off a piece of his flesh +and offer it as a burnt-offering, she would be still move pleased. If he +should present <i>whole</i> burnt-offerings upon the altar, saying, "Hrang, +brang, Karle, Karle! O, horrid-toothed goddess, eat, eat; destroy all +the malignant: cut with this axe; bind, bind; seize, seize; drink this +blood; spheng, spheng; secure, secure; salutation to Karle," she would +be much delighted. It is said that she will be pleased for three months, +if the people offer her the blood of a crocodile—for a thousand years, +if they offer her the blood of one man, and a hundred thousand years, if +they offer her the blood of three.</p> + +<p>This goddess is the patroness of thieves. To her they pay their +devotions, to obtain help to carry on their wicked delights. Gangs meet +together, and, after having offered bloody sacrifices, and worshipped +their weapons, and having drunk some intoxicating liquor, and rubbed +their bodies with oil, they go forth to rob. They have a prayer, which +they offer when they worship their weapons. It is as follows: "O, +instrument formed by the goddess, Karle commands thee to cut a passage +into the house, to cut through stones, bones, bricks, wood, the earth, +and mountains, and cause the dust thereof to be carried away by the +wind." Scattered throughout India, there is a lawless set of men whose +profession it is to get their food by murder. They are called +Phansiagars, or Thugs. They owe their origin and laws to Karle. They say +that she told them to become murderers and plunderers. They are called +Phansiagars, from the name of the instrument which they use when they +murder people. Phansiagar means a strangler, and they use a phansi, or +noose, which they throw over the necks of those whom they intend to +plunder, and strangle them. These Phansiagars are composed of all +castes, Hindoos, Mahommedans, pariahs, and chandellars. This arises from +the circumstance that they never destroy the children of those whom they +rob and murder. These children they take care of, and bring up to their +own horrible mode of life. They always murder those whom they rob, +acting upon the maxim that "dead men tell no tales." A gang of these +robbers varies from a dozen to sixty or seventy persons. These divide +into small parties. Those whom they murder are travellers, whom they +happen to meet on the road. Sometimes two or three of a gang will take +up their station in a choultry, or place where the traveller stops, and +while he sleeps, they rouse him from his sleep, and cast the noose over +his head and kill him. It takes two persons to kill a man. One casts the +noose over his head, and immediately tightens it with all his strength; +the other strikes him on the joint of his knees as he rises, which +causes him to fall forwards. After he has fallen, they kick him on the +temples till he dies, which is usually in a minute. They never commit a +murder until they have taken every precaution not to be found out. They +will follow a traveller for weeks, if necessary, before they destroy +him. After they have murdered him, they gash the body all over and bury +it. They gash it, that it may not swell, and cause cracks to take place +in the ground, which might cause the jackals to dig down to the body, +and thus expose their guilt. If a dog accompanies the person, they +always kill it, lest the faithful creature should lead to the discovery +of his master. They think it to be a very good act to give a part of the +plunder, which they get when they murder a person, to their goddess. If +they fail to put him to death according to their rules, they suppose +that they have made her angry, and they make offerings to her, that she +may be appeased. Thus, you see that their religion teaches them to +commit the blackest of crimes.</p> + +<p>The reason why this people gash and bury the bodies of those whom they +murder, is as follows. They say that the goddess used to save them the +trouble of burying the corpses of their victims by eating them, thus +screening the murderers from all chance of being found out. Once, after +the murder of a traveller, the body was, as usual, left unburied. One of +the Phansiagars employed, unguardedly looking behind him, saw the +goddess in the act of feasting upon it. This made her so angry, that she +vowed never again to devour a body slaughtered by them; they having, by +this one act of curiosity, forfeited her favor. However, as an +equivalent for withdrawing her patronage, she plucked one of the fangs +from her jaw, and gave it to them, saying that they might use it as a +pickaxe, which would never wear out. She then opened her side and pulled +out one of her ribs, which she gave them for a knife, whose edge nothing +could blunt. Having done this, she stooped down and tore off the hem of +her garment, which she gave to them for a noose, declaring that it +would never fail to strangle any person about whose throat it might be +cast. She moreover commanded them to gash and bury the bodies of those +whom they destroyed.</p> + +<p>The Phansiagars bring up their children to their own profession. To +learn this, the boy is placed under the care of a tutor. Sometimes his +father is his teacher. By him he is taught that it is just as proper to +murder a man, as it is to kill a snake which lies in his path and would +bite him as he passes. He is not permitted at first to see the murders, +but merely a dead body; his mind being gradually prepared for the sight. +After this, the dreadful secret of his trade is, by degrees, told him. +When he expresses a wish to be engaged in this horrid business, they +tell him all about it. In the meantime he is allowed a small part of the +plunder, in order that his desire to commit these murders may be +increased; since it is only by murder that the plunder is obtained. He +is from time to time allowed to assist in some things, while the murder +is taking place, or allowed to be present to see how the business is +managed. It is not, however, until he becomes a man, that he is +permitted to apply the noose. To attain this privilege, he usually +devotes eight or ten years. Before he can commit a murder, his tutor +must present him with a noose. This sets him loose upon the world, as a +licensed murderer. When the tutor is about to give him the noose, he +takes him apart, and solemnly enjoins it upon him to use it with skill, +as it is to be the means of his earning his food, and as his safety will +depend upon the skill with which it is used. After he receives it, he +tries his skill in strangling a person the first opportunity that +offers.</p> + +<p>By the course of education which the Phansiagars undergo, they become so +fond of their dreadful occupation, that nothing can induce them to quit +it. Some who have been employed in the East India Company's service, +have always returned to their business when an opportunity offered of a +successful enterprise.</p> + +<p>When the Phansiagars become old, they do not quit the service, but act +as watchers, and decoy the traveller, by some false tale of distress, +into some distant place, where he is murdered.</p> + +<p>Women are sometimes admitted to the society of these plunderers, and, +on some occasions, are allowed to apply the noose. They select a +handsome girl, and place her in a convenient spot, where, by her beauty, +or by a false story of distress, she may decoy some unsuspecting +traveller, and be the means of his destruction. Should he be on +horseback, she will induce him to take her up behind him; after which, +when an opportunity offers, she throws the noose over his head, leaps +from the horse, drags him to the ground, and strangles him. I will +mention an instance. It happened that a horseman of Coorg, in the Madras +presidency, was passing by a spot where one of these interesting-looking +girls was stationed. She told him a piteous story of having been robbed +and badly treated, and begged him to assist her. Feeling sorry for her, +he offered to take her behind him, on his horse, and thus assist her a +few miles on her journey. She expressed much gratitude for his kindness, +and mounted. Soon afterwards she suddenly passed a noose over his head, +and, drawing it with all her might, endeavored to pull him from his +saddle. At this moment, a number of Phansiagars started from the +neighboring thicket and surrounded him. The murderess then slipped from +the horse; but the Coorg striking his heels into the horse's sides, it +threw out its hind legs with great violence, and struck to the ground +the girl, who immediately let go the cord. He then drew his sword, and, +cutting his way through the robbers, effected his escape. He wounded two +of them severely. These men were shortly afterwards taken, and, through +their means, twelve others fell into the hands of the judicial officers +of the king of Coorg, including the girl who attempted the murder. They +were all put to death.</p> + +<p>And is it possible that such persons can go to heaven? How could such +ever relish its pure joys? What would they do, could they be admitted +there? My dear children, it is a charity which has no foundation, to +suppose that the heathen can go to heaven. I have preached the Gospel to +tens of thousands of them, but I never saw one who had the least atom of +a qualification for that holy place. "They have all gone out of the +way." Every crime which the apostle Paul speaks of in the latter part of +the first chapter of his epistle to the Romans, they commit, and crimes +of so dreadful a nature that I cannot mention them—crimes which, should +they be written in the Bible, would cause the Bible to be a sealed book +for ever.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XV'></a><h2>CHAPTER XV.</H2> + +<h3>SELF-TORTURES OF THE HINDOOS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—As the heathen have no Bible to direct them, they have +devised various means by which they expect to obtain the favor of their +gods, and get to heaven. I will mention some of these.</p> + +<p>Some burn a lamp in a temple. They think that this is a very meritorious +act. Some roll on the ground after the god, as he is carried in a great +car or chariot around the temple. It is customary for the people to +build very high cars or chariots, and cover them with very beautiful +cloths. They also tie the cocoa-nut blossom and plantain-tree within +them, and attach great ropes to them. When they are ready to drag these +cars, or chariots, they bring their gods of gold or of brass from the +temples, and place them on them. Then one, two, three, six, nine +hundred, and even a thousand persons, when the cars are very large, +catch hold of these ropes and drag them around the temple. While they +are doing this, many of the heathen, to fulfil vows which they made when +in sickness, and at other times of distress, throw themselves on the +ground, and roll over from side to side, and frequently much injure +themselves.</p> + +<p>Some swing on great hooks, which are passed through the tender parts of +their backs. Sometimes they swing for half an hour; sometimes an hour. +The longer they can bear the torture of the swinging, the more +acceptable they suppose it will be to their goddess. It occasionally +happens, that the flesh in which the hooks are fastened gives way, in +which case the poor creature is dashed to the ground. When this occurs, +the people hold him in the greatest abhorrence. They judge him to be a +great criminal, and suppose that he has met a violent death in +consequence of sins which he committed in a former birth.</p> + +<p>Not long since, I attended one of these hook-swingings, not far from the +city of Madura. It took place on the morning of June 8th, 1848, just +twenty-nine years after I first left America for India. It should have +taken place on the preceding afternoon; but one of the axle-trees of the +car, which was to support the machine on which the man was to be +elevated in the air, was broken. Nothing, of course, could be done until +it was repaired. The carpenters and others worked with great diligence +until about eleven o'clock at night, when every thing was prepared for +the swinging. I expected immediately after this to witness the ceremony. +It however did not take place until the morning. While waiting for the +man who was to be swung to make his appearance, I took a pencil and made +a drawing of the machine to which he was to be fastened. The picture on +the first page of the book will give you some idea of it.</p> + +<p>Yon have, perhaps, often seen a well-sweep. The long beam in the picture +is swung in the same manner as is the well-sweep, with a single +exception. In addition to its usual motion, it is made to turn +horizontally. The cuts which you may have seen, in two or three of my +little books, differ much from the above; of course different machines +are used at different times. There are stationary swingings, as well as +swingings of the kind to which I just alluded.</p> + +<img src='images/117.gif' width='310' height='481' align='right' alt='.' title=''> + +<p>Between six and seven o'clock in the morning, the man who was to be +swung made his appearance for a few moments, and then disappeared. The +hooks by which he was to be swung, as well as the iron rods with which a +number of devotees were immediately to pierce their sides, were carried +through the streets, and held up that they might be seen by the people. +Soon afterwards the man again appeared with the hooks in his back, and +went up to the end of the beam to which he was to be fastened. This, of +course, was lowered. Notwithstanding the dense multitudes of people, I +made my way to the same spot, determined to be satisfied whether or not +there was any deception in the application of the hooks. There was no +deception. They passed through the skin, on the sides of the backbone. +To these hooks were attached yellow ropes, by which he was fastened to +the beam, as you will perceive in the picture. This being done, the men, +five or six in number, who had hold of the ropes fastened to the end of +the beam which you see resting on the ground, and which was then, of +course, high in the air, drew him up until the beam lay horizontally. +Then, after making him perform one circular motion around the car, they +elevated him, as you see in the picture. When thus elevated, it was +thought that he was forty feet from the ground. All being ready, the +people seized the ropes which you see in front of the car, and began to +draw it. Mr. Chandler and myself accompanied it through the streets, +until it came to the place from which it set out. The distance of ground +passed over was at least half a mile, and the time in which the journey +was accomplished exceeded an hour. Of course he was swinging more than +an hour. As the car passed through the streets, the people threw +plantains from the tops of the houses to the crowds below.</p> + +<p>The man who was swung was adorned with flowers and other ornaments. He +had a tinselled turban on his head. His body was rubbed over with a +yellow paste, made, most probably, from the sandal-wood. Around his +ankles were rings, hung with little bells, which he made to tinkle, as +he was swinging, by striking his legs together. He wore a dark or black +pair of pantaloons, which came a little below the knees, and which had +a border of gold around them. He held a handkerchief in one hand, and a +knife somewhat resembling a dagger, in the other. These he kept in +constant motion, by moving his arms. On one occasion, a bunch of +plantains was tied to one of the long ropes which you see hanging down +by the side of the swinger. These he drew up, and afterwards scattered +over the people on a house opposite to him.</p> + +<img src='images/120.gif' width='478' height='600' align='left' alt='' title=''> + +<p>After following the car for a quarter of a mile or more, we went before +it, and there witnessed another appalling sight. There were five or six +men, who had the rods of iron which I just mentioned passed through the +skin of their sides. They were dancing along, and, as they danced, they +made these rods go backward and forward through the skin.</p> + +<p>After the car had reached the place from which it set out, the end of +the beam from which the man was swinging was then lowered and he was +untied. Again I looked very carefully at the hooks in the back. The +people say that no blood is shed by their introduction, and consider +this to be a miracle. The falsity of this assertion was shown by the +blood which I saw on the side of one of the wounds.</p> + +<p>I have been long in this country, and consequently have become so +familiarized with heathenism, that my feelings, though deeply wounded at +this sight, were not so keenly affected as were those of my new +associate, Mr. Chandler. He has been on heathen ground but a short time. +When they tied the man to the beam, he was unnerved and wellnigh +overcome; and he told me, that during all the time he was following the +car, he felt like shedding tears.</p> + +<p>While following the car, the young men of America came into my mind. +They refuse to come, said I, to help these miserable creatures. O, they +will not come—they will not come. I thought, that if many of the dear +children of that land—children to whom I lately preached, as well as +others, could witness this poor creature swinging from the end of a long +beam, far above the tops of the trees, and that, too, by hooks passing +through the tender parts of his back, they would say, we will, by and +by, become missionaries, and, by the help of God, proclaim to the +heathen that there is a Saviour.</p> + +<p>On the evening of the day on which the swinging takes place, another act +of great cruelty is practised. Devotees throw themselves from, the top +of a high wall, or a scaffold of twenty or thirty feet in height, upon a +bed of iron spikes, or on bags of straw with knives in them. Many are +often mangled and torn. Others are quickly killed.</p> + +<p>At night, many of the devotees sit down in the open air, and pierce the +skin of their foreheads, by inserting a small rod of iron. To this is +suspended a lamp, which is kept burning till daylight.</p> + +<p>Sometimes bundles of thorns are collected before the temple, among which +the devotees roll themselves without any covering. These thorns are then +set on fire, when they briskly dance over the flames.</p> + +<p>Other devotees swing before a slow fire; some stand between two fires, +as you see in this picture.</p> + +<p>Some have their breasts, arms, and other parts stuck entirely full of +pins, about the thickness of small nails, or packing needles.</p> + +<img src='images/122.gif' width='442' height='478' align='right' alt='' title=''> + +<p>Another very cruel torture is practised. Some of the devotees make a +vow. With one hand they cover their under lip with wet earth or mud. On +this, with the other hand, they place some small grains, usually of +mustard-seed They then stretch themselves flat on their backs, exposed +to the dews of night, and the blazing and scorching sun by day. Their +vow is, that from this position they will not stir, that they will not +move nor turn, nor eat nor drink, till the seeds planted on their lips +begin to sprout. This usually takes place on the third or fourth day. +After this they arise, and then think that they are very holy.</p> + +<p>There is a class of devotees in this country called Yogis, whose object +it is to root out every human feeling. Some live in holes and caves. +Some drag around a heavy chain attached to them. Some make the circuit +of an empire, creeping on their hands and knees. Some roll their bodies +from the shores of the Indus to the Ganges.</p> + + + +<p>The Rev. Mr. Heyer, in one of his letters from India, says, that an +Indian devotee has spent more than nine years on a journey from Benares +to Cape Comorin, that is, from the 27th to the 7th degree of north +latitude. The whole journey is made by rolling on the bare ground, from +side to side. When he comes to a river, of course he cannot roll over +it. He therefore fords it, or passes over it in a boat, and then rolls +on the banks of the river just as far as the river is wide. By doing +this, he supposes that his determination to roll all the way is fully +carried out.</p> + +<img src='images/123b.gif' width='247' height='541' align='left' alt='' title=''> + +<p>Some devotees hold up one or both arms, until the muscles become rigid, +and their limbs become shrivelled into stumps. In the above cut, you +have a representation of a man with one of these shrivelled arms. See +how long his finger-nails have grown. One has run through his hand and +back through his arm. Some stretch themselves on beds of iron spikes. +Some wear great square irons on their necks. I have seen not only a man, +but a woman, with these great square irons around their necks, each +nearly two feet in length and two feet in breadth. These they put on for +the purpose of fulfilling some vow which they have made. For instance, +if a mother has a very sick little boy, she will say, "Now, Swammie, if +you will cure my little boy, I will have a square iron put on my neck, +and wear it all my life." After this vow is made, if the little boy gets +well, the mother thinks that her Swammie has cured him, and to fulfil +her engagement she will have one of these irons put on her neck.</p> + +<img src='images/123a.gif' width='369' height='195' align='right' alt='' title=''> + + + +<p>Other devotees throw themselves from the tops of precipices, and are +dashed to pieces; some bury themselves alive in holes, which their own +relatives have dug; some bind themselves with ropes or chains to trees, +until they die; some keep gazing so long and so constantly at the +heavens, that the muscles of their neck become contracted, and no +aliment but liquids can pass into the stomach.</p> + +<p>But I will not continue this subject. You perceive, my dear children, +what a wretched religion that must be which encourages its followers to +perform such acts. And how vain are all these acts—how utterly +destitute are they of any merit. Those who practise them are not made +better by them, and they are just as far from the kingdom of heaven +after having performed them, as they were before. The Christian religion +encourages no such things. It tells us to perform no pilgrimages to holy +places, to inflict no self-tortures. But it has its requirements, and +these are very simple, and may easily be performed by all who are +willing to do their duty. These requirements are, repentance, forsaking +sin, faith in Christ, and a supreme devotedness to his service. Have +you, my dear children, attended to these requirements? If not, you are +in a much worse condition than these poor heathen of whom you have been +reading. They are not as guilty before God as you are. They know not +their Master's will. Still, they must perish, unless the Gospel is sent +to them. But though they perish, their punishment will be lighter than +the punishment of those who refuse to love and obey the Saviour. That +servant who knows his Lord's will, and prepares not himself, neither +does according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he +that knows not, and does commit things worthy of stripes, shall be +beaten with few stripes. Should it be your sad lot to perish at last, it +would be far better for you to go down to hell enveloped in all the +darkness of a heathen land, than to go down to hell from a land of such +gospel light and privileges as you enjoy.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XVI'></a><h2>CHAPTER XVI.</H2> + +<h3>THE SUTTEE, OR BURNING OF WIDOWS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear children—From what I have already told you, you know that the +Hindoos are a cruel people. But I have not told you of the extent to +which they carry their cruelty. Perhaps it is shown to the highest +degree in their practice of the suttee, or burning of widows. The +British have abolished this rite throughout their dominions in India. +They have also made great exertions to have it abolished in the +territories of the native princes, but I am sorry to say, that in some +of these territories it is still practised. Within the last three years, +twenty-three of the princes just alluded to, have issued orders for its +abolishment throughout their dominions. These orders have probably been +issued solely in consequence of their fear of the British power, for it +is a practice which is riveted in the affections of the people. This +power they know that it will be dangerous to resist.</p> + +<p>In my "Sermon to Children, on the Condition of the Heathen," I +mentioned, that the sacred books of the heathen encourage the suttee. I +also mentioned several instances, in which widows had been burned to +death with the corpses of their husbands. Even though you may have seen +that book, it will be well for me to give you two or three other cases, +to impress your minds more fully with the horrors of the Hindoo +religion. The first took place in a village of Tanjore. A merchant +having died, his wife, who was about thirty years old, determined to +burn herself with his corpse. The news of what she was going to do, +quickly spread in every direction, and large numbers of people collected +to witness the burning. After she was adorned with jewels and dressed in +her best clothing, and after her body was tinged with the yellow +infusion of sandal-wood and saffron, bearers arrived to take away the +corpse with the wretched woman. The body of the man was placed on a car, +ornamented with costly stuffs, flowers, etc. There he was seated like a +living man, elegantly decorated with all his jewels, and clothed in rich +attire.</p> + +<p>The corpse being carried first, the wife followed in a rich palanquin. +As she went along, the surrounding multitudes of people stretched out +their hands towards her to show how much they admired her conduct. The +women in particular went up to her to wish her joy, apparently desiring +to receive her blessing, or at least, that she would pronounce over them +some pleasing word. She tried to satisfy them all, saying to one, that +she would long continue to enjoy her worldly happiness, and to another, +that she would be the mother of many beautiful children. Another was +informed, that she would soon arrive at great honor in the world. These, +and similar expressions, she made to all who came near her, and they +departed with the full belief that they would enjoy all the blessings of +which she had spoken. She also distributed among them some betel-leaves, +which they gladly received as relics, or something of blessed influence.</p> + +<p>During the whole procession, which was very long, her countenance was +serene and even cheerful, until they came to the pile upon which she was +to die. Then she suddenly became pensive. She no longer attended to what +was passing around her. Her looks were wildly fixed upon the pile. Her +face grew pale. She trembled with fear, and seemed ready to faint away.</p> + +<p>The Brahmins, who took the lead in this ceremony, with her relations, +seeing her sad condition, ran to her, and endeavored to restore her +spirits, but she seemed not to know what they said, and answered not a +word.</p> + +<p>They made her quit the palanquin, and her nearest relatives took her to +a pond of water which was near the pile, where they washed her. They +then attended her to the pile, on which the corpse of her husband had +already been laid. It was surrounded with Brahmins, each with a lighted +torch in one hand, and a bowl of melted butter in the other, all ready, +as soon as the poor victim was placed on the pile, to envelope her in +fire.</p> + +<p>The relatives armed with muskets, sabres, and other weapons, stood +closely around in a double line, for the purpose, it was said, of making +her afraid, if she might wish to draw back, or of frightening any body +who might pity her, and endeavor to rescue her.</p> + +<p>At length the time for firing the pile being proclaimed, the young widow +was stripped of her jewels, and led on towards the pile. She was then +commanded to walk three times around it, two of her nearest relations +supporting her by the arms. The first round she accomplished with +tottering steps; but in the second, her strength forsook her, and she +fainted away in the arms of those who were holding her. They were +obliged to drag her between them for the third round. Then senseless, +she was thrown upon the corpse of her husband. At that instant, the +multitude made the air to ring with their shouts of gladness, while the +Brahmins poured the butter on the dry wood, and applied the torches. +Instantly the whole pile was in a blaze.</p> + +<p>As soon as the flames began to rage, the poor woman, now in the midst of +them, was called upon by name, from all sides; but as insensible as the +corpse on which she lay, she made no answer. She entered eternity, +suffocated at once, most probably, by the flames.</p> + +<p>The second case of suttee which I shall mention took place at the death +of the rajah, or king of Tanjore. He left behind him four wives.</p> + +<p>The Brahmins having determined that two of these four should be burned +with the corpse of their husband, and having selected the two whom they +thought best to sacrifice, they told them of what awaited them. They +received the information with apparent joy. A refusal would have been +attended with their utter disgrace.</p> + +<p>One day only was necessary to get ready for the funeral ceremonies. They +were conducted as follows: In a field somewhat distant from the palace, +the people made a hollow, not very deep, but about twelve or fifteen +feet square. Within it they made a pyramid of the sweet-smelling +sandal-wood. On the middle of the pyramid, a scaffold was built in such +a manner that the posts could easily be taken away, by which means the +scaffold would fall at once. On the four corners of the platform, large +jars were placed, filled with melted butter, to besmear the pyramid, +that it might be the more easily set on fire.</p> + +<p>The following was the order of the procession. It was headed by a great +number of soldiers under arms. They were followed by a multitude of +musicians, chiefly trumpeters, who made the air reëcho with their +melancholy sounds. Next came the body of the king upon a splendid +palanquin, richly adorned. This was surrounded by the nearest relations +and by the priest of the king. They were all on foot, and without their +turbans in token of mourning. A large party of Brahmins formed around +them as an immediate escort. The two wives who were to be burned with +the corpse came next, each borne on a palanquin. During the journey they +appeared calm and cheerful. The troops kept off the immense crowds who +were assembled from every direction.</p> + +<p>The two queens, loaded with jewels, were attended by their favorite +women, with whom they occasionally conversed, and by their relations of +both sexes. To many of these they had made presents before leaving the +palace. They were also accompanied by thousands of Brahmins, collected +from different quarters. These were followed by an innumerable multitude +of persons of both sexes. When they arrived at the ground where they +were to be burned, the two victims were made to descend from their +palanquins, for the purpose of performing the preparatory ceremonies. +They went through the whole without showing any fear until towards the +close, when their countenances began to change, and their three circuits +around the pile were not performed without considerable effort to +maintain calmness.</p> + +<p>In the meantime, the body of the king had been placed on the scaffold +over the platform. The two queens were also laid down beside the corpse, +one on the right hand, and the other on the left, and they joined hands +by stretching them over the body. The astrologer having then declared +that the happy moment was come for firing the pile, the Brahmins +repeated several prayers in a loud voice, and sprinkled the pile with +holy water. When these ceremonies were finished, a signal was given, and +the pillars which supported the pyramid and the scaffold were suddenly +taken away. Immediately the women were covered with the falling mass of +timber, which tumbled over them with a crash. At the same instant the +pile was fired in all its parts. On one side, the nearest relative of +the king applied his torch, and on the other side, the priest; while the +Brahmins, in every quarter, were pouring jars of melted butter on the +flames, creating so intense a heat as must instantly have consumed the +victims. Then the multitude shouted for joy, and the relations +approaching the pile also set up a loud cry, calling them by their +names. They supposed that they heard a voice in answer pronouncing +<i>Enna?</i> that is, <i>What</i>? but the fall of the platform, and the immediate +bursting out of the flames, must have stifled them at once.</p> + +<p>Such was the miserable cud of these poor unhappy queens—unhappy victims +of the most cruel religion that ever disgraced the earth.</p> + +<p>Not unfrequently the sons take a prominent part in destroying their +mothers. This will appear from the following case. A Brahmin died, and +was brought to the place of burning. His wife was fastened to the pile, +and the fire was kindled, but the night was dark and rainy. When the +fire began to scorch the poor woman, she contrived to disentangle +herself from the dead body, and creeping from under the pile, hid +herself among some brushwood. In a little time it was discovered that +there was but one body on the pile. The relations immediately took the +alarm, and searched for the poor creature. The son soon dragged her +forth, and insisted that she should throw herself on the pile again, or +drown or hang herself. She pleaded for her life at the hands of her own +son, and declared that she could not embrace so horrid a death; but she +pleaded in vain. He urged, that he should lose his caste if she were +spared, and added, that either he or she must die. Unable to persuade +her to hang or drown herself, the son and the others present tied her +hands and feet, and threw her on the funeral pile, where she quickly +perished.</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/135.gif' width='574' height='481' alt='BURNING OF WIDOWS' title='BURNING OF WIDOWS'> +</center> + +<p>I observed that the rite of suttee is riveted in the affections of this +people. The following communications from two of the native princes who +lately consented to put a stop to this rite, will show you that this is +the case. The rajah of Oorcha declares, that "no subject of his state +shall in future be permitted to become a suttee, though according to the +Shasters, it is no doubt very meritorious for a widow to die of grief +for the death of her husband." The rajah of Sumpthem says, "The practice +of suttee is so very old, and has been countenanced and encouraged by +the wise men of so many generations that I have never thought myself +justified in interposing to prevent it; but my anxiety to meet the +wishes of the governor-general in this and in all things, is so great, +that I have waived all other considerations, and forbidden suttee."</p> + +<p>If the British were to lose their power in India, the suttee would +immediately be rëestablished. Power has put it down, but power alone +will never root it out of the affections of the people. Nothing but the +Gospel can do this. O that Christians would think of this, and hasten, +yea, with great haste, to send this blessed Gospel to them.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XVII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XVII.</H2> + +<h3>THE REVENGEFUL NATURE OF THE HINDOO RELIGION.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—The sacred books of the Hindoos encourage revenge. In +the Vedas, which are the most sacred books, are laid down forms of +religious service, or acts of worship, which are designed to injure or +destroy their enemies. When a person wishes to have his enemy +destroyed, he goes to a Brahmin or priest, and secures his supposed aid. +The Brahmin, before he proceeds to his work, clothes himself with a +black garment. He also makes four images of the foe, and clothes these +with black garments. He then kindles a sacrificial fire, and after the +performance of various ceremonies, he takes pieces of some animal which +has been consecrated for the purpose, and throws them into this fire. On +every occasion when he makes this burnt-offering, he touches the mouth +of the image of this enemy, uttering one or other of the forms of prayer +which are written in the sacred books. Of these, the following are a +few: "O Agni," god of fire, "thou who art the mouth of all gods, do +thou destroy the wisdom of my enemy." "O Agni, fill with distraction the +mind of this my enemy." "O Agni, destroy the senses of this my enemy." +"O Agni, make dumb the mouth of this my enemy." "O Agni, fasten with a +peg the tongue of this my enemy." "O Agni, reduce to ashes this my +enemy."</p> + +<p>How different, my dear children, is the religion of Jesus from the +religion of which I have been giving you a description. No precepts +teach us that we may injure or destroy our enemies. On the contrary, +they teach us to love them, and do them good. Let me repeat to you some +of the words which our Saviour spoke on this point. "Ye have heard that +it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy; +but I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do +good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you +and persecute you, that ye may be the children of your Father which is +in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, +and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."</p> + +<p>One of the young Hindoos in Dr. Duff's school in Calcutta, when reading +the above and similar passages, was so struck with the difference +between these precepts and the precepts of his Shasters, that he could +not but exclaim "O, how beautiful, how divine. Surely this is the +truth—this is the truth—this is the truth." The consequence was, that +he never could rest until he had thrown aside his sacred books and his +idols, and embraced that Saviour whose precepts appeared to him to be so +beautiful. And was this heathen so struck with the beauty of the +precepts of the Bible—so struck, that he had no peace until he gave +himself to his Saviour? And have you ever, my dear children, been struck +with the precepts of your Saviour—so struck with them, that you could +never rest until you had given up your hearts to him? If not, how great +is the contrast between you and that young Hindoo. He gave his heart to +the Saviour. You withhold yours. He, through grace, will dwell for ever +with Christ in heaven. You, if you continue in your present awful +condition, must be banished from his presence, and cast into hell, where +you shall be tormented day and night for ever, with the devil and his +angels. Flee, my dear children, flee to the Saviour now, if you have +never yet done so. Flee to him, and then you also shall dwell for ever +with him.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XVIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XVIII.</H2> + +<h3>THE DECEPTION OF THE HINDOOS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—From what I have previously stated, you are aware that +the Hindoos are a very deceitful people. Let me give you another +instance of their deception. A late head catechist of one of my +missionary brethren was, before his conversion, the priest of a temple. +A man from whom about one thousand rupees' worth of jewels and similar +things had been stolen, came to this priest, and promised to reward him +well, if he would detect the thief, and secure to him the restoration of +his property. The priest promised to comply with his wishes; and in +order to effect his purpose, he had drums beaten through the village, +and proclaimed, that at a certain time he would hold a meeting and +detect the thief. At the appointed time, a large concourse of people +assembled, the priest appearing in the midst of them with a cocoa-nut +bound around with saffron-cords. He then told them, that if, after +putting down the cocoa-nut, it should move of its own accord towards +him, they might know that he would be able certainly to detect the +thief; and added, that after it had thus moved, it would pursue the +offender, and follow him until it would break his head. He then +performed certain ceremonies calculated to awaken superstitious feelings +in the minds of the people, and laid the cocoa-nut down at a little +distance from him. To the great amazement of all present, it began to +move towards the priest, and continued to move until it reached his +feet. This being done, he told the people, that they might conclude from +what they had seen, that the cocoa-nut would follow the thief until it +would break his head. He consented, however, to give him a little +grace—to spare his life until the next day; adding his advice, that the +thief, whoever he might be, had better come to him privately, and tell +him where the property was. In the dead of the night, a tap was heard at +the door of the priest; the thief presented himself, and delivered up +the property. The priest received a present from the owner of the +property, and rewarded the thief for his promptness. After this man was +converted, he was asked how he contrived to make the cocoa-nut move +towards him. "Why, sir," he answered, "if you will carefully divide a +cocoa-nut, scoop out the kernel from one-half of it, enclose a strong, +lively rat, put the parts of the cocoa-nut together, and bind the whole +with saffron-cords, to prevent the crack being seen, and then place it +on a declivity previously prepared, it is clear, that if you place +yourself at the foot of this declivity the rat will twirl the cocoa-nut, +and cause it to descend until it reaches your feet."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XIX'></a><h2>CHAPTER XIX.</H2> + +<h3>SUPERSTITION OF THE HINDOOS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—In my Sermon to Children, before alluded to, I +mentioned a few particulars to prove that the people of India are very +superstitious. Let me mention a few more. It is said that no act, +however good it may be, if performed on Sunday, will succeed. Some will +not eat at all on Sunday, until they have seen a certain bird—the bird +on which the god Vrishnoo rides. If a man rubs oil on his head on +Monday, and bathes, he will commit a sin equal to the sin of destroying +a temple of Siva. If he has his hair out on Tuesday, he will become +poor. Even to worship the gods on Wednesday, is bad. If a person takes +medicine on Thursday, his sickness will be increased. Should he lend any +thing on Friday, he will lose his property. If he should buy a new cloth +on Saturday, take it home, and keep it there, death may be the +consequence. Should he die on this day, some other member of the family +will die on the following week.</p> + +<p>If the foundation of a house is laid in June, the destruction of that +house will follow. Should a family enter a new house in March, some +member of the family will die. If a marriage is celebrated in September, +the husband and wife will fight with each other.</p> + +<p>Should a thunderbolt fall on a house, or a vulture alight on it, some +evil will befall the people living in it. If a crow should strike any +person on the head with its wings, some of his relations will die. +Should a cat or a snake cross his path, it would be an indication of +evil. In the latter case, one of his relations will die. If, when +returning home, a person should meet him bearing a light, a quarrel will +be the result.</p> + +<p>After a person has left his house, should he meet a single Brahmin, or a +woman who has had her head shaved, or a dumb or a blind man, or a +washerman or a barber, the object for which he left would not succeed. +Or, when going out, should he hit his head against the top of the +door-frame, or should any one ask him where he was going, or should he +happen to sneeze, he would consider these things as hinderances to his +going, and reënter the house.</p> + +<p>Should a son or a daughter be born on the new moon in April, they will +become thieves. If a person is born under the planet Saturn, he will be +slandered, his riches will be dissipated, and his wife, son, and friends +will be destroyed. He will also be at variance with others, and endure +many sufferings. Should he be born under the planet Mars, he will be +full of anxious thoughts, be imprisoned, and oppressed with fear from +robbers, fire, etc. He also will lose his lands, trees, and good name.</p> + +<p>If a person dreams that a monkey has bitten him, he will die in six +months; or if he dreams that bedbugs, in large numbers, are creeping +over his body to bite him, he will die in eight days. Should he dream +that a dog has bitten him, he will die in three years; or should he +dream that a dead person has appeared to him and spoken to him, he will +die immediately.</p> + +<p>If a man has a little head, he will become rich. If he has a large head, +he will be poor. If his forehead is wide, he will live a hundred years. +If he has a small neck, he will be a murderer. If the second toe is +long, he will be a bad man. If a woman has curly hair, she will not +prosper. If her nose is long, she will have a good disposition. If her +ear is wide, she will tell falsehoods. If she has a mole on her nose, +she will be subject to anger; if on her lips, she will be learned; if on +the eyebrows she will be cunning.</p> + +<p>I could continue to fill a number of pages with things of the same +description, but it will be unnecessary. I will merely mention one +instance more. On a certain night in the month of November, the people +will not look at the moon. The reason assigned for this, is as follows. +Once, when the elephant-faced god Pulliar was dancing before the gods, +the moon happening to see him, laughed at him, and told him that he had +a large stomach, an ear like a winnowing-fan, etc. This so enraged him, +that he cursed her. This curse was inflicted on the night above +mentioned.</p> + +<p>How does the wretchedness of a people, both in reference to the things +of this world and of the world to come, show itself where the Bible is +unknown. If this blessed book was not an inspired book—if it did no +more than remove the temporal miseries of men, how invaluable would it +be! Of how much more value then, is it, in reference to the removal of +their spiritual miseries?</p> + +<p>O, why is it that Christians have not long since sent this Bible to +them? Why is it that they do not send it to them <i>now</i>? This is a +mystery, which we must leave to be unravelled at the judgment-seat of +the last day. My dear children, you are to stand before that +judgment-seat. Shall any of these heathen among whom I dwell, rise up at +that awful season—stretch out their hands towards you, and say, There +stand the children who might have sent us the Bible, but they did not +send it; and now we must be lost—<i>lost for ever!</i></p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XX'></a><h2>CHAPTER XX.</H2> + +<h3>BURMAH, CHINA, ETC., ETC.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear children—If you will look on your map of Asia, you will see, +adjoining Hindostan, at the east, a country called Burmah. This is +another land of idols. Here the "Baptist General Convention for Foreign +Missions" have one of the most interesting and flourishing missions in +the world. The people of Burmah are, if possible, still further removed +from divine knowledge than the people of India. They are in reality +atheists, or, in other words, people who do not believe in a creator or +preserver of the world. But still they worship gods, who, they say, have +become so by acts of religious merit. He whom they now worship is called +Gaudama, or Boodh. He is reputed to be the son of the king of Benares, +and, if their history be correct, was born six hundred years before +Christ. The Boodhists are all idolaters. They have many temples erected +to the honor of Boodh and his image. Before this image they present +flowers, incense, rice, betel-nuts etc. Like all other idolatrous +nations, the Burmese are very wicked. They do not respect their females +as they should do. They treat them as an inferior order of beings. They +often sell them.</p> + +<p>A very singular custom prevails in that country. It consists in paying a +kind of homage to a white elephant. This elephant is sumptuously dressed +and fed. It is provided with officers, like a second sovereign, and is +made to receive presents from foreign ambassadors. It is next in rank to +the king, and <i>superior</i> to the queen.</p> + +<p>Burmah is the country in which Drs. Judson and Price, and Messrs. Hough +and Wade suffered so much, during the war with England several years +ago. Messrs. Hough and Wade were the first to suffer. As the ships which +were to make the attack upon Rangoon approached the city, they were +seized and cast into prison. Their legs were bound together with ropes, +and eight or ten Burmans, armed with spears and battle-axes, were +placed over them, as a guard. They were afterwards put in irons. The +next morning, as the fleet approached still nearer the city, orders were +sent to the guard, through the grates of their prison, that the instant +the shipping should fire upon the town, they were to kill them, together +with the other prisoners confined with them. The guard, on receiving +these orders, began to sharpen the instruments with which they intended +to kill them, and moved them about their heads to show with how much +skill and pleasure they would attend to their orders. Upon the floor +where they intended to butcher them, a large quantity of sand was spread +to receive the blood. The gloom and silence of death reigned among the +prisoners; the vast ocean of eternity seemed but a step before them. At +length the fleet arrived, and the firing commenced The first ball which +was thrown into the town passed, with a tremendous noise, directly over +their heads. This so frightened the guard, that they seemed unable to +execute their murderous orders. They shrunk away into one corner of the +prison, where they remained quiet, until a broadside from one of the +ships made the prison shake and tremble to its very foundation. This so +alarmed them, that they burst open the doors of the prison and fled. The +missionaries, with the other prisoners, were then left alone. Their +danger, however, was not at an end; but as God had protected them thus +far, he continued to protect them until they were set at liberty, and +allowed to preach the Gospel again to those perishing heathen. Drs. +Judson and Price were also imprisoned, and suffered much; but they, too, +were preserved and delivered. The accounts of their sufferings are so +long, that I cannot now relate them all to you. You will find them in +the life of Mrs. Judson.</p> + +<p>After the war was over, the missionaries were permitted to go everywhere +to proclaim the name of the Saviour; and their efforts have been very +much blessed, especially among the Karens. It will be impossible for me +to give you an account of their many labors, and of the many tokens +which they have received of God's favor towards multitudes who have +become followers of the Redeemer. Suffice it to say, that more than six +thousand have been received into the Christian church. One of the native +teachers not long since baptized, on one occasion, three hundred and +seventy-two persons.</p> + +<p>Adjoining Burmah, is China, a country containing more than three hundred +millions of people, about twenty times as many as there are in the +United States of America. It is a country filled with idols. Many of the +people earn their living by making and selling these idols. There are +many shops where they are sold, or repaired when they become broken or +defaced.</p> + +<p>The females in that country are in a very degraded state. They are the +slaves of their husbands, and live and die in the greatest ignorance. +Any attempt to raise themselves to the level of females in Christian +lands, is considered as very wicked. The little female child is tortured +from her birth. You have, perhaps, heard that the women of China have +small feet. These are made small by a very cruel practice—by putting +bandages of cloth so tightly around them, that they cannot grow. Many +women have feet not larger than those of an American infant of one year +old. Mr. Doty, missionary to China, says, that he was acquainted with a +little girl whose mother had bound up her feet so tightly, that she +cried two or three hours every day, on account of the great pain which +she suffered.</p> + +<p>With such little feet, you may well suppose that it would be very +difficult for the women to walk. It is so. They limp and hobble along, +just as if their feet had been cut off, and they had to walk on stumps.</p> + +<p>The Chinese do not count their daughters among their children. Mr. Doty +says, he one day asked his Chinese teacher how many children he had. He +replied, that he had several. "How many of these," he then inquired, +"are daughters?" "We do not count our daughters among our children," he +answered. "I have three daughters, but we Chinese count our sons only as +children."</p> + +<p>When this missionary was in a Chinese village where he had never been +before, a man called to see him, bringing with him two pretty little +girls, neatly dressed, about six and seven years old. He said that they +were his daughters and that he wished to sell them. Mr. Doty refused to +buy them, as it was wicked to buy and sell children; but he told him, +that if he would commit them to him, he would take them home with him, +and educate them, and that they might return home after they had grown. +To this proposal he would not consent but said, that if he would buy +them, they should be his for ever. He could have bought them both for +about twenty-six dollars.</p> + +<p>The Chinese have many schools, but none for their daughters, as they do +not teach them, to read. When they are about thirteen years old, they +shut them up in what are called "women's apartments," where they remain +until the time of their marriage. Then the parents sell them to those +who wish to have wives for their sons. In this way, they are frequently +married to persons whom they never before saw.</p> + +<p>Many parents in China destroy their little girls soon after they are +born, or while they are very small. This they frequently do by throwing +them into rivers, or into the sea, after they have wrapped them up in +coarse mats. There is a little Chinese girl, named Ellen, now living in +Newark, New Jersey, whose father was about to kill her when she was +three weeks old. An English lady heard of his intentions, and sent a +person with ten dollars to see if she could not be bought. He was +offered the ten dollars, but refused to take them. She sent ten dollars +more. He consented to take the twenty dollars. This little girl was +brought by this English lady to America, when she was about six years +old. The friends who have her under their care, are educating her with +the hope that she may go back to China, to tell its females of the +Saviour.</p> + +<p>Did you ever, my dear girls, think why it is that your parents love you, +and educate you—why it is that they try to make you happy, instead of +cramping your feet, shutting you up, and, perhaps, at last selling you? +It is because they have the Bible. Then, how anxious should you be to +save what money you can, to buy Bibles to send to those poor heathen.</p> + +<p>As I am now speaking of the destruction of infants, I would observe, +that this crime is common in other heathen countries. It was quite +common, until lately, in the island of Tahiti, and other places in the +South Pacific Ocean. When the missionaries of the London Missionary +Society went there, many years ago, they found the females in a very +degraded situation. Mr. Nott, one of these missionaries, declared that +three out of four of the children were murdered as soon as they were +born. He met a woman soon after this dreadful crime had been abolished +to whom he said, "How many children have you?" "This one in my arms," +was her answer. "And how many did you kill?" She replied, "Eight." +Another woman, who was asked the same question, said that she had +destroyed <i>seventeen</i>. Infanticide, or, in other words, the destruction +of infants, says the Rev. Mr. Williams, was carried to an almost +incredible extent in Tahiti, and some other islands. He writes, "During +the visit of the deputation, G. Bennet, Esq., was our guest for three or +four days; and on one occasion, while conversing on this subject, he +expressed a wish to obtain accurate knowledge of the extent to which +this cruel practice had prevailed. Three women were sitting in the room +at the time, making European garments, under Mrs. Williams direction; +and, after replying to Mr. Bennet's inquiries, I said, 'I have no doubt +but that each of these women has destroyed some of her children.' Mr. +Bennet exclaimed, 'Impossible; such motherly, respectable women could +never have been guilty of so great an atrocity.' 'Well,' I added, 'we +will ask them.' Addressing the first, I said to her, 'Friend, how many +children have you destroyed?' She was startled at my question, and at +first charged me with unkindness, in harrowing up her feelings, by +bringing the destruction of her babes to her remembrance; but upon +learning the object of my inquiry, she replied, with a faltering voice, +'I have destroyed <i>nine</i>.' The second, with eyes suffused with tears, +said, 'I have destroyed <i>seven</i>;' and the third informed us that she had +destroyed <i>five</i>. Had the missionaries gone there but a few years +before, with the blessing of God, they would have prevented all this. +These mothers were all Christians at the time this conversation was +held."</p> + +<p>"On another occasion," says Mr. Williams, "I was called to visit the +wife of a chief in dying circumstances. She had professed Christianity +for many years, had learned to read when about sixty, and was a very +active teacher in our adult school. In the prospect of death, she sent a +pressing request that I would visit her immediately; and on my entering +her apartment she exclaimed, 'O, servant of God, come and tell me what I +must do.' Perceiving that she suffered great mental distress, I +inquired the cause of it, when she replied, 'I am about to die.' 'Well,' +I rejoined, 'if it be so, what creates this agony of mind?' 'O, my sins, +my sins,' she cried; 'I am about to die.' I then inquired what the +particular sins were which so greatly distressed her, when she +exclaimed, 'O, my children, my murdered children! I am about to die, and +shall meet them all at the judgment-seat of Christ.' Upon this I +inquired how many children she had destroyed, and to my astonishment she +replied, 'I have destroyed <i>sixteen</i>, and now I am about to die.'" After +this Mr. Williams tried to comfort her, by telling her that she had done +this when a heathen, and during the times of ignorance, which God winked +at. But she received no consolation from this thought, and exclaimed +again, "O, my children, my children." He then directed her to the +"faithful saying, which is worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ +came into the world to save sinners." This gave her a little comfort; +and after visiting her frequently, and directing her to that blood which +cleanseth from all sin, he succeeded, with the blessing of God, in +bringing peace to her mind. She died soon after, rejoicing in the hope +that her sins, though many, would be forgiven her. Well may you exclaim, +my dear children,</p> + +<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'> +<span>"Holy Bible, book divine,<br /></span> +<span>Precious treasure, thou art mine."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Infanticide still prevails in India, but as I have given a particular +description of this crime in my Sermon to Children, on the Condition of +the Heathen, I will here say nothing farther on the subject.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXI'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXI.</H2> + +<h3>THE DUTY OF PRAYING AND CONTRIBUTING FOR THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear children—There is another story connected with India, which I +might have mentioned in my last chapter while writing about the +destruction of infants. I will relate it now, in order that you may be +constrained to pray more frequently for the heathen. Some time ago, the +wife of a native prince had a little daughter. The father ordered it to +be put to death, immediately after it was born. Had it been a son, an +heir to the throne, he would have taken great care of it. A second, a +third, a fourth, a fifth little daughter was born. All these were also +put to death by the command of the father. When a sixth little daughter +was born, the mother's heart yearned over it. "I cannot part with it," +said she; "I will have it taken away and hid, so that the king may know +nothing about it." This was done, but the poor mother never dared to +send for her little girl. She never saw her again, but died sometime +after.</p> + +<p>Many of the little girls in India are very pretty. They have dark eyes, +and sweet, expressive countenances. This little child grew to be a very +beautiful girl; and when she was eleven years old, some of her relations +ventured to bring her to her father. They thought that he would be +struck with the sight of his sweet child, and that he would love her for +the sake of her mother who had died. The little girl fell at his feet +and clasped his knees, and looked up in his face and said, "My father." +And what do you think that father did? Do you think that he took her up +in his arms, and kissed her? No. He seized her by the hair of her head, +drew his sword from his belt, and with a single blow took off her head.</p> + +<p>Now, my dear children, do you not think that you ought to pray for the +poor heathen—to pray that God will send the Gospel to them? I want to +tell you of a little boy who heard me preach some time ago about the +heathen. One night he said his prayers, and went to bed. After he got +into bed, he said to the nurse, "I have forgotten to pray for the +heathen, and I must get out of bed and pray for them." The nurse then +told him that it would not be necessary for him to get up, as he could +pray for them while in bed. "No," said he, "I must get out of bed and +pray for them." And the dear little boy would not rest until he got out +of bed and prayed for them. Now I want all of you, my dear children, +every morning and evening, to kneel down and pray for the heathen, as +this little boy did. And I want you to do something more. I want you +always to be punctual in attending <i>the usual monthly concerts of +prayer,</i> provided there are no juvenile monthly concerts to which you +can go. I have long wished to see juvenile monthly concerts of prayer +established. They would be very interesting if I am to judge from the +account of one which I some time ago received from a friend of mine, the +Rev. Mr. V——. I will give you some extracts from his letter. He +writes, "According to promise, I send you an account of the first +children's monthly concert, so far as I can learn, held on Long Island. +As notice was not given either in the church or Sabbath-school, the +attendance was smaller than it otherwise would have been. Still, about +sixty interesting children attended. After a few remarks concerning the +object of the meeting by the superintendent of the Sabbath-school they +sung with melting eyes the hymn that describes the wretched heathen +mother casting her lovely babe into the jaws of the monster of the +Granges. Prayer then was made, of about two or three minutes in length. +Then I gave some of the most affecting accounts of the cruelties and +ignorance of the heathen, as related by the devoted Williams, that +martyr missionary. Their silent attention and subdued countenances told +that their hearts were with the wretched idolaters. After having thus +spent about ten minutes, the children sung in a sweet manner, a hymn—a +prayer for those laboring amid the heathen:"</p> + +<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'> +<span>"When worn by toil, their spirits fail,<br /></span> +<span>Bid them the glorious future hail;<br /></span> +<span>Bid them the crown of life survey,<br /></span> +<span>And onward urge their conquering way."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>"After which, two resolutions were passed, unanimously, by the children. +First, that they will each one attend the monthly concert of prayer +regularly, when able, and bring with them all their companions whom they +can persuade to come.</p> + +<p>"Secondly, that they, with the children of the various schools of W——, +will constitute—— a life member of the W—— Bible Society. Some of +the smaller children had brought their little Bibles to give them to +----, that he might carry them to the poor children of the heathen. But +when informed that the heathen could not understand English, they +determined to raise money, and send it out to purchase Bibles for the +children. This interesting meeting was closed by prayer, the doxology, +and benediction."</p> + +<p>But not only can you pray for the heathen, you can give <i>something</i> to +send the Gospel to them. Do you say that you have no money to give? But +cannot you earn some? Many young persons have done so. One of whom I +have read, says, "Besides supporting a school in Ceylon, we are going to +support five Chinese boys. I earn six cents a week for not using tea, +one for not using sugar, and three for not using coffee."</p> + +<p>Another says, "I, with three others, have been making matches to the +amount of ten dollars, and should have made more, but the people are +pretty well supplied. I am going to dig my father's garden, and my +mother is going to give me a quarter of a dollar for digging it, which I +shall give to the missionaries. I am going to do all I can, and to earn +all I can, and save all that I have, to support the missionaries."</p> + +<p>Another says, "I am going to leave off buying candy." What is that? Can +little girls and boys do without sugar-candy? I am afraid that many of +you, my dear children, would find it difficult to go without it. But let +me quote all that this child wrote. "I am going to leave off buying +candy and such little notions, unless it is necessary, and save every +cent that I can get and give it to the missionaries."</p> + +<p>Now, my dear children, I do think that if you would save some of those +cents which you spend in buying candy, fire-crackers, and similar +things, and buy Bibles and tracts for the poor heathen, you would do +much more good with them.</p> + +<p>I want to tell you about a little boy who belonged to one of my schools +in Ceylon, who has, as I hope, gone to heaven through the means of a +tract which cost only two or three cents, and which was the cause of his +coming under my care. After he had attended preaching for some time, he +begged me to admit him to the church. As he was quite young, not eleven +years old, I was afraid to receive him. This feeling, perhaps, was +wrong. He never joined the church on earth. He has, however, I hope, +gone to join the church in heaven. When he was about eleven years of +age, he was attacked with the cholera and died. In this country, when +children are very ill, the father or mother will catch up a cocoa-nut or +a few plantains, and run off to the temple, and say, "Now, Swammie, if +you will cure my little boy or little girl, I will give you this +cocoa-nut, or these plantains." The mother of this boy saw that he was +very ill, and she told him that she wished to go to make offerings to +one of her idols, in order that he might get well. But he requested her +not to do so. "I do not worship idols," said he; "I worship Christ, my +Saviour. If he is pleased to spare me a little longer in the world, it +will be well; if not, I shall go to him." The last words he uttered +were, "I am going to Christ the Lord."</p> + +<p>Now when you think about this little boy, I want you to ask yourselves, +whether it is not better to give two or three cents to try and save the +soul of some poor little heathen boy or girl, than to spend them in +buying candy, and other useless things.</p> + +<p>But I must tell you about a little girl whom I saw some time ago, who +refused to buy candy while there are so many heathen without the Bible. +Her father is a sea-captain. Being absent from home, he sent her five +dollars to buy candy, or any thing else which she wished. As this little +girl had heard about the heathen, she determined to throw all her money +into the missionary-box, instead of spending it for her own pleasure. +The mother, on learning her intentions, asked her if she would not like +to spend a part of it for candy, and similar things. She replied, that +she would not, and in due time she put her five dollars into the +missionary-box. Not long after this, she was attacked with a severe +toothache. The mother proposed that the defective tooth should be +extracted. The little creature, for she was only about eight years old, +dreaded the operation, and seemed at first to be backward about having +it performed. To encourage her to submit to it, her mother offered her +twenty-five cents. This little girl did not then begin to reason, Now, +if I can only get those twenty-five cents, I can buy a doll, or I can +buy some sugar-candy; but she reasoned thus, Now, if I can get those +twenty-five cents, I can go and put them into the missionary-box. So she +said to her mother, I will go and have the tooth taken out. The tooth, +however, ceased to ache, but still she wished to have it extracted. Her +mother then interfered, and told her that, as it had ceased to ache, it +might be well for her not to have it drawn until it ached again. The +little girl, however, persisted, saying, that if it were not taken out, +she could not get the twenty-five cents to devote to the missionary +cause. She therefore went to the dentist's, submitted to the operation, +received her twenty-five cents, and went and threw them into the Lord's +treasury. Was not that a noble little girl? Doubtless you will all say +she was.</p> + +<p>I must tell you about a noble little boy also. Some time ago, I was +preaching to the children of Canandaigua, in the western part of New +York. After I had preached there, I went on to Rochester. Returning from +that place, I met with a lady in the cars, who told me as follows: +"After you had preached in Canandaigua," said she, "a young lady there, +who had lost her mother, and who had six or seven or eight of her +brothers and sisters under her care, formed them into a missionary +society." Oh, I wish that all the dear children in America were formed +into missionary societies. After she had done this, she asked her little +brother how he was going to get money to put into the missionary-box. +"By catching mice," said he. His sister gave him two or three cents for +every mouse he caught. Thus it appears, that this dear little boy was +going to throw all his earnings into the Lord's treasury.</p> + +<p>But let me tell you a little more about the children to whom I before +alluded. Another says, "In some of the day-schools of this city, the +girls have formed sewing societies, and make pin-cushions, needle-books, +emery-bags, and the like, and send the money that is raised from the +sale of them to the missionaries, to be used for the heathen. There are +seven Sabbath-schools in this town, and in each of them there is a +missionary association; so that in all about five hundred dollars are +sent from the Sabbath-schools every year."</p> + +<p>Now, my dear girls, I want you to think of what has now been said about +the formation of sewing societies; and I want you to ask your mothers +whether they will not allow you to form such societies, to meet once a +week, or once in two weeks, or once a month to sew, to get some money to +send the Gospel to the heathen. Many societies of this kind have been +formed. After I had preached to the children in one of the churches in +Third-street, New York, the little girls who attend that church formed +such a society. The account which I received of it is as follows. "You +may remember, that in your address to our Sabbath-school, you related +instances of little girls knitting, sewing, etc., to earn something for +the missionary-box The examples which you related were not lost to the +girls of the Sabbath-school. Immediately they began to talk about +forming themselves into a sewing society, and making small articles, and +giving the proceeds to the missionary society. They did not stop here, +but went right to work, and soon formed their society, which they styled +the Juvenile Sewing Society. They are in a very prosperous and +flourishing condition at present. I know not the amount of funds they +possess—they pay a cent a week into their treasury—but they have a +large assortment of articles already made. I understand, also, they meet +once a week to sew."</p> + +<p>After I had preached at a place called Little Falls, New York, the girls +formed a sewing society there. The following account of this society I +received from one of its little members. "When you were here last fall, +and told us how much good little girls had done in having sewing +societies, we thought we would see if <i>we</i> could not do some good in the +world, as well as they; and, since October, we have met weekly, and by +holding a fair, we have succeeded in raising sixty-two dollars. We +hope it will be the means of saving some poor heathen children."</p> + +<p>Now, as I said before, I want you, my dear girls, to ask your mothers if +you may not form such societies also. Will you think of it? I hope you +will.</p> + +<p>Another of the children to whom I have twice referred, says, "I can try +and save their souls, if I am not there. I can work for them, and send +some money to you to buy them Bibles, and I can pray for them; and if I +should save some souls, O how would they thank me. But if I did not send +my money, nor care any thing about them, and I should not go to heaven, +and they should not, how would they rise up in judgment against me, and +say, If we had had the privileges that you had, we should not be here. +O, how thankful we ought to be, that we were not born in heathen lands. +O, if the poor heathen could only have such privileges as we have, how +thankful would they be; and if we were born in heathen lands, I have no +doubt that they would come and tell us about a Saviour."</p> + +<p>I have received many letters from children, breathing the same spirit +which is manifested in the notes I have copied.</p> + +<p>One writes, "Last winter I brought in the wood for mother, and she gave +me fifty cents. I now am very glad that I have not spent it, as I can +give it to you to buy tracts for the little heathen children of India."</p> + +<p>A second writes, "The enclosed fifty cents my grandmother gave me when I +was a very little boy, for sitting still one hour. Will you please to +use it to furnish the Bible and missionary to the heathen."</p> + +<p>A third writes, "I have always spent my money for candy and other +trifles, but since I have heard about the darkness and misery of the +heathen, I intend to save it all, and put it into the missionary-box."</p> + +<p>A fourth writes, "The enclosed I earned by knitting. I intended to save +it, till I had sufficient to carry me a short journey to see some of my +friends; but when I heard you tell about the little heathen girls, I +thought I would give it to you, for the poor heathen children."</p> + +<p>A fifth writes, "I have enclosed twelve and a half cents, which my +father gave me to go and see General Tom Thumb. When I heard you +lecture last evening, I came home and concluded to give it to you, and +let you buy Bibles for the poor heathen."</p> + +<p>A sixth writes, "I remember, before my mother died, she used to tell me +a great deal about the children of India, and now she is in heaven. I +think she would like to have me give my heart to the Saviour, and go and +teach those poor children. I give you some money that was given to me to +see an exhibition, which I saved to give for such things, rather than +go."</p> + +<p>A seventh writes, "You told us that two cents were the means of +converting a young man. I would give two cents every week, if it would +convert souls to Christ."</p> + +<p>An eighth writes, "My mother told me, some time ago, that every day I +recited my lessons without missing a word, she would give me a penny; +and not being desirous to spend it, I do wish you would take it—fifty +cents—to the heathen. It may buy some tracts at the bazaar or market."</p> + +<p>A ninth writes, "We feel sorry for those poor heathen children. We will +try to earn some money to buy Bibles for the heathen. Father has +promised us some land to work next summer, and we think we can raise +something and sell it to get the money."</p> + +<p>A tenth writes, "Since you were here last spring, I have saved what I +could—one dollar—for the heathen children, and should be glad if I +could do more."</p> + +<p>An eleventh writes, "The money which you will find enclosed, I earned by +working for my mother on Saturday, which I intended to keep to buy a +microscope; but when I heard you preach on Sabbath, I concluded to give +it to buy Bibles for the poor heathen children."</p> + +<p>A twelfth writes, "The enclosed, five dollars, was a birthday present +from my father, but I want to give it to Dr. Scudder, for the poor +little boys in Ceylon."</p> + +<p>A thirteenth writes, "Please accept my mite, by the hand of my brother. +I have been keeping it for the purpose of buying a geography; but when I +heard you preach yesterday, I thought I had better send it to you, for +the poor heathen."</p> + +<p>A fourteenth writes, "I would like much to become a missionary, as I am +named after one; I hope I shall be one. I have been saving a dollar to +buy myself some books, but concluded to give it to buy some books for +the heathen."</p> + +<p>The last two children, whose letters you have been reading, gave to the +missionary cause the money which they had been earning to buy books. +When you have been earning money for the express purpose of giving it to +the missionary cause, then you should devote it all to that cause; but I +would advise you not to do as did the two children last mentioned. Had +my opinion been asked, relative to the disposal of their money, I would +have recommended them to give <i>one-tenth,</i> or perhaps a little more, of +the sums they had been earning, to their Saviour, and to keep the rest +to buy their books. The giving of not less than one-tenth of all you +earn, for charitable purposes, is the principle which I wish to have +impressed fully on your minds, and I hope you will grow up under the +influence of this principle, and <i>never, never</i> depart from it. But +while I thus speak, you must not suppose that I wish you to confine +yourselves to the giving of one-tenth, when you can give more; I hope +you will not give merely this, but one-half, or more, if you can afford +it. Indeed, if you do not go as missionaries to the heathen, I want you +to make it your great object <i>to make money for Christ, and to spend it +for Christ</i>. O, if the generation which is grown, were as anxious to +make money for Christ, and to spend it for Christ, as they are to make +it for themselves, and to spend it for themselves, or to hoard it up—it +may be for the everlasting destruction of the souls of their +heirs—there would be no complaints that money could not be had to send +the Gospel to the destitute, both at home and abroad.</p> + +<p>In my twelfth chapter, I spoke of the liberal donations which the +heathen of India make for the support of their religion. In the city of +Calcutta alone, it is supposed that two millions of dollars are spent +every year on the festival of a single goddess—a festival which lasts +only a few days. A single native has been known to give, as I before +said, more than one hundred thousand dollars at one time to this +festival, and afterwards thirty thousand dollars yearly. How vast, then, +must be the sums which are spent upon all the different festivals of +their gods. Would that we could see such liberality among Christians. +Would that we could see the generality of them willing to give even +one-tenth of their annual income to the Lord. Alas, what would the +heathen say, if they were to learn how much greater are the sums of +money which they give to their idols, than Christians give to honor +their Saviour? Would they not exclaim, It is because Christianity is +false, and heathenism is true, that Christians give so little for +Christ, while we give so much for our gods? My dear children, I hope +that you will never allow the heathen to say that the Christian religion +is false, because you do not give your money for the spread of the +Gospel. Will you not resolve now, that you will, so long as God prospers +you in worldly goods, give <i>at least</i> one-tenth of all you earn to the +Lord? Do, my dear children, do make the resolution now.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXII.</H2> + +<h3>PERSONAL LABORS AMONG THE HEATHEN.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear children—You have, perhaps, often seen Campbell's missionary +map of the world. If not, I want you very carefully to look at it. I +want you to look at the red spots on it, and think how many millions of +people embrace the religion both of the Greek and Roman Catholic +churches—a religion which is nothing more nor less than paganism, with +a few Christian doctrines added to it. After this, I want you to look at +the green spots, and think of the hundred and twenty millions of +Mohammedans, who spurn the name of Jesus as a Saviour, and who have set +up Mahomet as their prophet. I want you also to look at all the dark +spots, where, with comparatively a few exceptions, the people are in +pagan darkness, without any knowledge of God and the only Saviour of +sinners Jesus Christ. And in view of all this darkness—in view of the +need of more than half a million of ministers of the Gospel to preach +the news of salvation to them, I want you, my dear boys, to ask +yourselves whether it may not be your duty, after you grow up, to +become ministers, and go and preach the Gospel to them. You know that +you are bound to do all the good to others which you can; and even if +you do not love the Saviour, you are not released from your obligations +to do good. I would by no means have you become ministers without giving +your hearts to Christ; but this you are as much bound to do, as you are +bound to do all the good you can to others. If you are not Christians, I +want you, through grace, to become such, and I want many of you to +become ministers and missionaries. Two of my sons are now missionaries +in India, and four others, I hope, are preparing to come. And why should +not you also come here, or go to other heathen lands? If you can be +excused from coming or going, why may not all who are now little boys +also be excused? In such a case, there will be no missionaries at all. +And you know that this would be very wrong. But I do not merely want +many of you, my dear boys, to become missionaries, I want many of you, +my dear girls, to become missionaries also. Many little girls and boys +have expressed a desire to become missionaries. Several little boys who +wrote to Mr. Hutchings, one of my missionary brethren, and several +little boys and girls who have written to me, have said that they would +like to be missionaries.</p> + +<p>One writes, "I should like to go and be a missionary, and instruct the +poor heathen children to love God."</p> + +<p>A second says, "I have been selling matches that I made. I got five +dollars—just as many dollars as I am years old. I think I shall become +a missionary, and come and help you. I hope I shall see you again when I +come to Ceylon. Tell the heathen children they must love God, and be +good children. They must not give the children to the crocodiles, nor +throw them into the water; and they must not worship wooden and brass +gods. They must worship the true God, and keep his commandments."</p> + +<p>A third says, "I like to send money to help the poor heathen to learn to +read the Bible, and other good books. I think it will be pleasant to +sail across the ocean, and teach them to turn from their idols. I would +teach them not to lay themselves down before the car of Juggernaut, and +be crushed to death; and I would teach them not to burn themselves to +death on the funeral pile."</p> + +<p>A fourth says, "I mean to save something to send to you, to help support +one school. Should my life be spared, and the way be opened at some +future day, I think I should be willing to leave my native home, to go to +some distant land to tell the heathen of a Saviour, whom I hope I have +found."</p> + +<p>A fifth says, "If you are ever in want of money, just please to send on +to me, and I will endeavor to raise all that you want. If I live to be a +man, I hope be a missionary to Ceylon or China."</p> + +<p>One little boy wrote to me as follows: "I have for a long time been +saving three shillings, for the purpose of buying a little racoon, which +I intended to do on Monday. On Sunday I heard you preach, and thought I +would give it to you to save some poor heathen soul; and I hope you will +pray for me, that I may become a minister, and go to India, and preach +to the heathen."</p> + +<p>Another writes, "This is to certify that I, Charles D.H. Frederick, +pledge myself, if God spares my life, when I get to be a man, and he +pardons me through Christ Jesus, I will go and preach to the heathen."</p> + +<p>A little girl wrote me as follows: "According to my present feelings, I +should like to engage in so glorious a cause," as the missionary cause, +"and I hope, when I arrive at an age to be of use to God, and the poor +heathen, to embrace so glorious a cause."</p> + +<p>Another little girl writes, "I felt very bad when I heard you tell about +the poor heathen who worship the idols. I could not keep from weeping, +when you told us about the man who came so far to get a teacher to come +and tell the Gospel to his friends, and was disappointed. I felt very +bad Sunday evening; and on Monday evening I felt that the Lord had given +me a new heart. I felt happy, and sang some beautiful verses that I +learned in one of mother's little books. I have read the Day-springs, +and thought a great deal about the heathen for two years.</p> + +<p>"I used to think a great deal about having nice clothes, before I +thought so much about the heathen. My mother told me some time ago, that +she thought she would get me a white dress when I was ten years old. I +am now ten years old, and this evening mother gave me two dollars to +get the dress, or dispose of it in any way I thought best; and I wish +you would take it to have the poor heathen taught about the Saviour. If +I live, and it is the Lord's will, I hope I shall come and help you +teach the poor heathen about the Saviour."</p> + +<p>There is a little boy in the city of New York, who formerly used to tell +his mother, that he meant to be a cab-driver, and all she could say to +him was of no avail in making him think differently. This little boy +came with his mother to hear me preach about the heathen.</p> + +<p>After he had left the church, as he was going home, he burst into tears, +and exclaimed, "Mother, I mean to be a missionary to the heathen;" and +so far as I know, he has never talked about being any thing else since. +And I hope that many of you will never talk about being any thing else +than missionaries to the heathen.</p> + +<p>I am acquainted with a little girl in Ohio, who has resolved to become a +missionary. She is a niece of Mr. Campbell, late missionary to Africa. +She was not quite four years old when I saw her. When she was eighteen +months of age, she saw the picture of a heathen mother throwing her +child into the mouth of a crocodile She was deeply impressed with the +sight. When she was two and a half years old, she resolved to be a +missionary, and follow her uncle to Africa. From this resolution she has +never drawn hack. When I was at her father's house, she was asked if she +would not go to India. She replied, that she would not go to India, but +to Africa. She was asked why she wished to go to Africa. "To teach the +heathen," was her answer. "Why should you teach the heathen?" "Because +they worship idols." Her mother told me, that ever since she began to +get money, she has contributed to the missionary cause; and this money +has generally, if not always, been earned by some act of self-denial on +her part. I hope that many of you will feel just as this little girl +felt, and do just as she did.</p> + +<p>When I was in America, I used continually, when preaching, to ask the +dear children whether they would not become missionaries. I used also to +beg them to write down what I had asked them. Many complied with my +request. While I was at the Avon Springs, one of the daughters of a +physician there, not only wrote it down, but gave me what she had +written. The following is a copy of what she wrote,</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/184.gif' width='574' height='274' alt='<p><i>August 18, 1844. + + Dr. Scudder requested me to come to India to help him when I am + grown. S. P. S. Avon Springs' title=''> +</center> + +<p>Could I raise my voice loud enough to reach America, I would beg of +<i>you</i> to write down the following sentence: Dr. Scudder asks me, to-day, +whether I will not hereafter become a missionary to the heathen. Perhaps +you will write it down <i>immediately</i>.</p> + +<p>Now, my dear boys, if you will come out to India, or go to Burmah or +China, to tell the heathen of the Saviour, you may, with the blessing of +God, do as much good as Swartz and Carey, and others have done. And if +you, my dear girls, will do the same, you also may do much good. This +will appear from what I am going to tell you about a little girl in +Ceylon. This little girl belonged to the boarding-school at Oodooville. +She early gave her heart to the Saviour, and joined the church when she +was thirteen years old. I should like to know if there are any of you +who have not followed her example. If so, this is not right. My dear +children, it is not right. Shall this little girl, in a heathen land, a +land filled with idols, give her heart to Christ; and you, in a +Christian land, a land of Sabbaths, and Sabbath-schools, and Bibles, not +give your hearts to him? This is not right. You know that it is not +right.</p> + +<p>But let me go on with my account of the little girl. After she had +joined the church, she wanted to go and see her mother, who was a +heathen, for the purpose of conversing with her about her soul's +concerns. Now, in this country, when children who have been absent from +their parents for any length of time go home, the mother spreads a mat +down on the floor, and tells them to sit down upon it, adding that she +will go and cook rice for them. They have no seats to sit on, as you +have in America. Well, this little girl went home. When her mother saw +her, she was very glad; and after she had spread a mat for her, and told +her to sit down, she said that she would go and cook rice for her. The +little girl told her that she was not hungry, and did not wish to eat, +but wanted to talk with her. "You cannot talk with me," said her mother, +"until I have cooked rice for you." "Mother," said the little girl, "you +worship idols, and I am afraid that you will lose your soul, and I want +to talk with you about Jesus Christ." The mother became quite angry with +her, and rebuked her. But still the little girl continued to talk with +her about her soul. The mother then became so angry, that she told her +to be silent, or she would punish her. The little girl replied, "Mother, +though you do whip me, I must talk to you about Jesus Christ," and she +burst into tears. The mother's heart was broken. She sat down on the +mat, and her little daughter talked with her, and prayed with her. After +this the little girl was so troubled, fearing that her mother's soul +might be lost, that she was heard praying for her during all parts of +the night. And God heard her prayers. Her mother forsook her idols, and +became a Christian, and her conversion was followed by the conversion of +one or two others. Now, my dear little girls, if you will give your +hearts to the Saviour, and in due time come here, or go to other heathen +lands, and tell the people of a Saviour, you may, with the help of the +Holy Spirit, be as useful as this little girl was.</p> + +<p>Female missionaries have done much good among the heathen. I mentioned +an instance on page 88, to prove this. Let me mention another instance +more.</p> + +<p>In the year 1838, an English lady, Miss Aldersey, went to the East, at +her own expense to promote female education among the Chinese. At that +time, she could not go to China, as that country was not open to +missionaries She therefore went to Java, where there was a colony of +Chinese. Here she hired a house, and collected about twenty-five girls, +whom she clothed, and boarded, and taught. The Lord blessed her labors, +and several of these girls were hopefully converted. When their parents +saw that they would no longer worship idols, they became much opposed to +the school, and some of them took their daughters from it. In the year +1842, God opened the door for the entrance of the Gospel into China. +This missionary then broke up her school in Java, went to that country, +and resided in the city of Ningpo. Of the girls who had become +Christians while under her care, two were much persecuted by their +parents. They were whipped and beaten, with the hope that they would +again return to their idols; but all the efforts which were made to +induce them to forsake the Saviour were in vain. They declared that they +would sooner die than forsake him. When their parents saw that stripes +and blows were of no avail, they determined to marry them to men who +were much devoted to their idols. This stratagem, they thought, might +succeed in destroying all their interest in their new religion. Here, +however, they were again foiled. The girls became alarmed, and fled from +their parents. An English gentleman, but who was not a professor of +religion, felt deeply interested for them, and assisted them to get on +board a ship going to Batavia. Here they were pursued but escaped from +the pursuers by going on board of a ship which sailed for Singapore. +From Singapore they sailed for China, where they were permitted to join +the old friend who had been the means of their conversion. This lady +collected a school at Ningpo of more than thirty girls. Thus you see how +much good female missionaries have done by going to heathen lands. And +are none of you willing to follow their example? Are none of you willing +to say, Here am I, Lord, send me?</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXIII.</H2> + +<h3>SUCCESS OF THE GOSPEL IN INDIA AND CEYLON.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>My dear Children—I have told you that India is a very dark land, but +there are a few bright spots in it. Through the blessing of God upon the +prayers of his people in Christian lands, and upon the prayers and +labors of his missionary servants, many of the heathen of India and +Ceylon have forsaken their idols, and are now enlisted under the banner +of Jehovah Jesus. In the Travancore and Tinnivelly districts to say +nothing of the success of the Gospel in other places, thousands and tens +of thousands of the people have embraced Christianity. In hundreds of +villages where but a few years ago the name of Jesus had never been +heard, it is now known and adored.</p> + +<p>You have often heard of Ceylon. If you will look at the map of +Hindostan, you will find it close to that country. Here Christianity has +begun to prevail. This island is two hundred miles long, and in some +places quite wide. A large part of it is covered with what is called +jungle. Jungle and wilderness mean the same thing. In this jungle there +are many wild beasts, such as elephants, bears, wild hogs, and +buffaloes. In it also, there are men, women, and children, running wild, +just like the wild beasts. This people are called Verders, or wild +people. They wear scarcely any clothing. They have no houses. When it +rains, they creep into holes, or go under overhanging rocks. Their beds +consist of a few leaves. Sunk almost to the level of the brute, they +live and die like their shaggy companions of the forest. Even upon these +the Gospel has tried its power. More than fifty families have settled +down, forming two pleasant, and now Christian villages. They have +schoolmasters and Christian teachers.</p> + +<p>I must give you a description of two revivals of religion which +occurred while I was in the island of Ceylon, in the year 1833. Before +those revivals took place, there was no particular manifestation of much +seriousness at any of our stations. It was in the month of October of +that year, that we began to feel that we must labor more, and pray more +for the conversion of perishing souls. A protracted meeting was spoken +of, and it was determined that one should be held at our seminary in +Batticotta—a seminary which was established for the purpose of raising +up a native ministry. On the morning of the day in which the meeting was +commenced, Mr. Spaulding and myself went to that station to assist Mr. +Poor, the principal of the seminary, in laboring with the students. In +these labors we spent five days. It was good to be there. No sooner had +we begun our exercises, than a blessing from on high was experienced. +The windows of heaven were opened, and the Holy Ghost descended. This +was evident from the spirit of prayer which was poured out upon the +pious students of the seminary. They were heard "a great while before +day" pleading, in their social circles, that God would have mercy upon +their impenitent companions, and bring them into the kingdom of his +grace. We trust, also, that a spirit of prayer was given to those of us +who took a prominent part in the meeting. At the termination of our +exercises, with the exception of a few lads belonging to a Tamul class, +who had lately been admitted to the seminary, there was not, so far as I +know, an individual connected with it, who was not humbled at the foot +of the cross, either to lie there until healed of his wounds, or to +show, if he perished, that he must perish under circumstances of a very +aggravated nature.</p> + +<p>After we had finished our meeting at Batticotta we went to the female +seminary at Oodooville, to hold similar meetings. Before we reached that +station, the church-members there, after having heard what God was doing +at Batticotta, became very much aroused to pray for the influences of +the Holy Spirit to descend upon the impenitent in their seminary also. +Soon after we reached the station, we held a meeting with the girls. +Some of them were then deeply concerned for the salvation of their +souls; but it was not until Wednesday afternoon, that we knew how +powerfully the Spirit of God had been at work. The meeting which we held +with the seminarists at that time was one of the most solemn meetings +which I ever attended. One of them, a girl of high caste, and of a very +good family, said to her companions in that meeting, "My sisters, I have +been a proud one among you. I hope that if you ever see me proud again, +you will tell me of it. I used to tell the missionaries, that I had +given myself to the Saviour, but I had not done it." Another of the +girls burst into tears, and cried out aloud. As she could not restrain +her feelings, and did not wish to disturb the assembly, she arose and +left it. She retired to one of the prayer-rooms adjoining the seminary, +there to weep alone. She, however, was not left alone. Mr. Poor, one of +my missionary associates, followed her, and endeavored to administer the +consolations of the Gospel to her; but she refused to be comforted. All +her distress seemed to arise from a single source. "I told you a +falsehood," said she, "last Monday, in saying that I had dedicated +myself to the Saviour, when I had not." Perhaps she thought at that +time, that she had thus dedicated herself to the Saviour, but +afterwards found that she had deceived herself. In this wretched state +of mind, she continued until half-past ten o'clock that night, when she +came into Mr. Spaulding's house, where I then was, and wished to know +what she must do to be saved. She was told, as she had often been told +before, that she must dedicate herself entirely to her Saviour. She went +away, and returned the same night at about half-past eleven o'clock, +saying, that she had found HIM.</p> + +<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'> +<span>"Friends, is not my case amazing?<br /></span> +<span class='i1'>What a Saviour I have found."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>My dear young friends, are there any of you who have never given your +hearts to Christ? If so, let me entreat you to follow the example of +that dear little girl of whom I have now been speaking. She found it to +be necessary to give her heart to the Saviour, and I hope that she did +give it to him. O that you too might give up your hearts to him. Alas, +if you do not, you must soon go down to eternal burnings where you will +be constrained to cry out, Lost, lost, lost for ever! Be careful, my +dear children, O be careful that this young girl does not rise up +against you in the last day, and condemn you. She must do so—she will +do so, if you do not, like her, choose Christ as your portion. But I am +digressing, and must go back to the point I left.</p> + +<p>The next day, one of our missionary sisters, who had lately reached +Ceylon from America, came to Oodooville, to witness the nature of the +work which she heard was in progress at that place. As she was entering +Mr. Spaulding's house, she was met by one of the most consistent +church-members of the seminary, who declared that she had lost her hope +of being a Christian. Perhaps this church-member was disposed to write +bitter things against herself because she did not feel all that warmth +in religion which marked the conduct of those who, at that time, were +indulging the hope that they had passed from death to life. After the +sister to whom I alluded had been in the house a little while, she +requested Mrs. Spaulding to allow her to have an interview with such of +the girls as were entertaining a hope of their interest in the Saviour. +These were twenty-two in number. This interview was granted. As she +knew nothing about the Tamul language, I acted as her interpreter. +Through me, she requested the girls to give a statement of their +feelings. One of them arose, and said, "I feel as happy as an angel. I +feel joys that I can express to no one but my Saviour; and I am just as +certain that my sins are forgiven, as if I had sent up a karduthaase," +that is, a letter to heaven, "and received an answer to it." Another of +the girls said, that the missionaries had often talked with her about +her dedicating herself to the Saviour, but that she did not then know +what it meant. "I now know," added she, "what it means, for God has +taught it to me." Another of the girls said, "Though they put me in the +fire, I will never forsake the Saviour."</p> + +<p>Now, my dear children, I must bid you farewell Probably I shall never +see you, unless you come to this heathen land, until I meet you at the +judgment-seat of Christ. If you do not become missionaries, most of you +will probably die, and be buried where you now are. Probably I shall die +in this heathen land. But we shall not always sleep in our graves. After +a little season, the archangel's trumpet will sound, and you in +America, and I in India, shall hear his voice proclaiming, "Awake, ye +dead, and come to judgment." And we shall all at once rise from our +graves, and stand before our Judge. And where shall I then see you? +Shall I see any of you on the left hand of Christ, and hear him say, +"Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and +his angels?" O, if I should hear that dreadful sentence pronounced +against you, how would my heart die within me. How could I bear to hear +it. Oh, I could not—I could not bear to hear it. My dear children, if +you are yet out of Christ, I entreat you, <i>at this very moment</i>, to lay +down this book, and throw yourselves at the feet of your Saviour. Tell +him, that you are lost sinners, deserving to be cast into everlasting +burnings. Tell him, that though you have been wicked children, you will +leave off your wickedness, and be his for ever. Plead with him, with as +much earnestness as a <i>drowning</i> man would plead with you to save him, +to give you the influences of his Holy Spirit, to create within you a +clean heart, and renew within you a right spirit, without which you are +eternally undone; and continue to plead, until he pardons you, and +receives you as his children. By all the sufferings of the Son of God, +by all the joys of heaven, by all the torments of hell, by the +solemnities of your dying bed, by the value of your immortal souls +<i>which, if once lost, must be lost for ever</i>, I beseech you thus +<i>immediately</i> to throw yourselves at his feet, and plead with him to +make you his. Neglect this duty—neglect giving yourselves to Christ, +even for one minute, and it may be, that you will be lost, yea, LOST FOR +EVER.</p> + + + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Dr. Scudder's Tales for Little +Readers, About the Heathen., by Dr. John Scudder + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DR. SCUDDER'S TALES *** + +***** This file should be named 13539-h.htm or 13539-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/5/3/13539/ + +Produced by Stephen Schulze and the PG Online Distributed Proofreaders +Team + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> + + diff --git a/old/13539-h/images/002.gif b/old/13539-h/images/002.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9094cb3 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13539-h/images/002.gif diff --git a/old/13539-h/images/020.gif b/old/13539-h/images/020.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..45f6411 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13539-h/images/020.gif diff --git a/old/13539-h/images/048.gif b/old/13539-h/images/048.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0f5bfd4 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13539-h/images/048.gif diff --git a/old/13539-h/images/069.gif b/old/13539-h/images/069.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e1e8da1 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13539-h/images/069.gif diff --git a/old/13539-h/images/070.gif b/old/13539-h/images/070.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b2ba427 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13539-h/images/070.gif diff --git a/old/13539-h/images/071.gif b/old/13539-h/images/071.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1117841 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13539-h/images/071.gif diff --git a/old/13539-h/images/081.gif b/old/13539-h/images/081.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..95a0440 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13539-h/images/081.gif diff --git a/old/13539-h/images/087.gif b/old/13539-h/images/087.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3202a34 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13539-h/images/087.gif diff --git a/old/13539-h/images/103.gif b/old/13539-h/images/103.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..423f004 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13539-h/images/103.gif diff --git a/old/13539-h/images/117.gif b/old/13539-h/images/117.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ff0b6e7 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13539-h/images/117.gif diff --git a/old/13539-h/images/120.gif b/old/13539-h/images/120.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..414f5d4 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13539-h/images/120.gif diff --git a/old/13539-h/images/122.gif b/old/13539-h/images/122.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a5a5694 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13539-h/images/122.gif diff --git a/old/13539-h/images/123a.gif b/old/13539-h/images/123a.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0d8de30 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13539-h/images/123a.gif diff --git a/old/13539-h/images/123b.gif b/old/13539-h/images/123b.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..bbc17ce --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13539-h/images/123b.gif diff --git a/old/13539-h/images/135.gif b/old/13539-h/images/135.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ebf85ca --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13539-h/images/135.gif diff --git a/old/13539-h/images/184.gif b/old/13539-h/images/184.gif Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6239081 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13539-h/images/184.gif diff --git a/old/13539.txt b/old/13539.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bc82638 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13539.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4124 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Dr. Scudder's Tales for Little Readers, +About the Heathen., by Dr. John Scudder + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Dr. Scudder's Tales for Little Readers, About the Heathen. + +Author: Dr. John Scudder + +Release Date: September 27, 2004 [EBook #13539] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DR. SCUDDER'S TALES *** + + + + +Produced by Stephen Schulze and the PG Online Distributed Proofreaders +Team + + + + + + + + + +DR. SCUDDER'S + +TALES FOR LITTLE READERS, + +ABOUT THE HEATHEN. + + + +1849 + + +The following work, so far as the Hindoos are concerned, is principally +a compilation from the writings of Duff, Dubois, and others. + +Should the eyes of any Christian father or mother rest upon it, I would +ask them if they have not a son or a daughter to dedicate to the +_missionary_ work. The duty of devoting themselves to this work of +Christ, or at least, of consecrating to it their money, their efforts, +and their prayers, is the great duty to be perseveringly and prayerfully +impressed on the minds of our children. A generation thus trained would, +with aid from on high, soon effect the moral revolution of the world. +Blessed will be that father, blessed will be that mother, who shall take +any part in such a training. And I would add, too, blessed will be that +pastor, and blessed will be that Sabbath-school teacher, who shall come +up to their help. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +CHAPTER I. + +General Remarks + +CHAPTER II. + +The Color and Ornaments of the Hindoos + +CHAPTER III. + +Dress, Houses, Eating, and Salutation of the Hindoos + +CHAPTER IV. + +Marriage among the Hindoos + +CHAPTER V. + +Death and Funerals among the Hindoos + +CHAPTER VI. + +The Gods of the Hindoos + +CHAPTER VII. + +The Three Hundred and Thirty Millions of the Gods of the Hindoos--The +Creation of the Universe--The Transmigration of Souls--The different +Hells + +CHAPTER VIII. + +Hindoo Castes + +CHAPTER IX. + +Hindoo Temples--Cars--Procession of Idols + +CHAPTER X. + +Festivals of the Hindoos + +CHAPTER XI. + +The worship of the Serpent + +CHAPTER XII. + +The River Ganges + +CHAPTER XIII. + +The Goddess Durga + +CHAPTER XIV. + +The Goddess Karle + +CHAPTER XV. + +Self-tortures of the Hindoos + +Chapter XVI. + +The Suttee, or Burning of Widows + +CHAPTER XVII. + +The revengeful Nature of the Hindoo Religion + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +The Deception of the Hindoos + +CHAPTER XIX. + +Superstition of the Hindoos + +CHAPTER XX. + +Burmah, China, etc., etc. + +CHAPTER XXI. + +The duty of Praying and Contributing for the Spread of the Gospel + +CHAPTER XXII. + +Personal Labors among the Heathen + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +Success of the Gospel in India and Ceylon + + + + +DR. SCUDDER'S + +TALES FOR LITTLE READERS, + +ABOUT THE HEATHEN. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +GENERAL REMARKS + + +My dear children--When I was a little boy, my dear mother taught me, +with the exception of the last line, the following prayer: + + "Now I lay me down to sleep, + I pray the Lord my soul to keep; + If I should die before I wake, + I pray the Lord my soul to take; + And this I ask for Jesus' sake." + +Though I am now more than fifty years old, I often like to say this +prayer before I go to sleep. Have you ever learned it, my dear +children? If you have not, I hope that you will learn it _now_; and I +hope, too, that when you say your other prayers at night, you will also +say this. I think that you would be glad to see how this prayer looks in +the Tamul language--the language in which I am now preaching the Gospel, +and in which I hope that some of you will hereafter tell the heathen of +the Saviour. The following is a translation of it: + +[Illustration: The Lord's Prayer in Tamul] + +I wish that all the little heathen children knew this prayer; but their +fathers and mothers do not teach it to them. Their fathers and mothers +teach them to pray to gods of gold, or brass, or stone. They take them, +while they are very young, to their temples, and teach them to put up +their hands before an idol, and say, "Swammie." Swammie means Lord. As +idolatry is the root of all sin, these children, as you may suppose, in +early life become very wicked. They disobey their parents, speak bad +words, call ill names, swear, steal, and tell lies. They also throw +themselves on the ground in anger, and in their rage they tear their +hair, or throw dirt over their heads, and do many other wicked things. + +Let me give you an instance, to show you how they will speak bad words. +A few months ago, a little girl about twelve years of age was brought to +me, with two tumors in her back. To cut them out, I had to make an +incision about eight inches in length; and as one of these tumors had +extended under the shoulder-blade she suffered much before the operation +was finished. While I was operating she cried out, "I will pull out my +eyes." "I will pull out my tongue." "Kurn kertta tayvun." The +translation of this is, "The blind-eyed god." By this expression, she +meant to say, "What kind of a god are you, not to look upon me, and help +me in my distress?" If this little girl had had a Christian father to +teach her to love the Saviour, she would not have used such bad +language. But this father was even more wicked than his daughter, +inasmuch as those who grow old in sin, are worse than those who have not +sinned so long. I never saw a more hard-hearted parent. That he was so, +will appear from his conduct after the operation was finished. He left +his daughter, and went off to his home, about forty miles distant. +Before going, he said to his wife, or to one who came with her, "If the +child gets well, bring her home; if she dies, take her away and bury +her." + +I hope, my dear children, that when you think of the wicked little girl +just mentioned, you will be warned never to speak bad words. God will be +very angry with you, if you do. Did you never read what is said in 2 +Kings, 2d chapter and 23d verse, about the little children who mocked +the prophet Elijah, and spoke bad words to him. O, how sorry must they +have felt for their conduct, when they saw the paws of those great bears +lifted up to tear them in pieces, and which did tear them in pieces. +Besides all this, little children who speak bad words can never go to +heaven. God will cast them into the great fire. Have you ever spoken bad +words? If so, God is angry with you, and he will not forgive you unless +you are sorry that you have done so, and seek his forgiveness through +the blood of his dear Son. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE COLOR AND ORNAMENTS OF THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear children--If you will take a piece of mahogany in your hands, +and view its different shades, you will have a pretty good +representation of the color of a large class of this heathen people--I +say, of a large class, for there is a great variety of colors. Some +appear to be almost of a bronze color. Some are quite black. It is +difficult to account for the different colors which we often see in the +same family. For instance, one child will be of the reddish hue to which +I just referred; another will be quite dark. When I was in Ceylon, two +sisters of this description joined my church. One was called Sevappe, or +the red one; the other was called Karappe, or the black one. + +This people very much resemble the English and Americans in their +features. Many of them are very beautiful. This remark will apply +particularly to children, and more especially to the children of +Brahmins and others, who are delicately brought up. But however +beautiful any of this people may be, they try to make themselves appear +more so, by the ornaments which they wear. These ornaments are of very +different kinds, and are made of gold, silver, brass, precious stones, +or glass. All are fond of ear-rings. Sometimes four or five are worn in +each ear, consisting of solid gold, the lower one being the largest, and +the upper one the smallest. Some men wear a gold ornament attached to +the middle of the ear, in which a precious stone is inserted. Sometimes +they wear very large circular ear-rings, made of the wire of copper, +around which gold is twisted so as to cover every part of it. These are +frequently ornamented with precious stones. The females, in addition to +ear-rings, have an ornament which passes through the rim of the ear, +near the head, half of it being seen above the rim, and half of it below +it. An ornamental chain is sometimes attached to this, which goes some +distance back, when it is lost in the hair. They sometimes also wear a +jewel in the middle of the rim of the ear, and another on that little +forward point which strikes your finger when you attempt to put it into +the ear. Nose jewels also are worn. Sometimes three are worn at the +same time. Holes are made through each side of the lower part of the +nose, and through the cartilage, or that substance which divides the +nostrils, through which they are suspended. The higher and wealthier +females wear a profusion of ornaments of gold and pearls around the +neck. + +A very pretty ornament, about three inches in diameter, having the +appearance of gold, is also frequently worn by them on that part of the +head where the females in America put up their hair in a knot. In +addition to this, the little girls sometimes wear one or two similar but +smaller ornaments below this, as well as an ornament at the end of the +long braid of hair which hangs down over the middle of their backs. +Occasionally the whole, or the greater part of this braid is covered +with an ornament of the same materials with those just described. They +also wear an ornament extending from the crown of the head to the +forehead, just in that spot where the little girls to whom I am writing +part their hair. Attached to this, I have seen a circular piece of gold +filled with rubies. Rings are worn on the toes as well as on the +fingers, and bracelets of gold or silver on the wrists. Anklets similar +to bracelets, and tinkling ornaments are worn on the ankles. The poor, +who cannot afford to wear gold or silver bracelets, have them made of +glass stained with different colors. I have seen nearly a dozen on each +wrist. + +The little boys wear gold or silver bracelets; also gold or silver +anklets. I just alluded to finger-rings. I have seen a dozen on the same +hand. In this part of the country, the little opening which is made in +the ears of the children is gradually distended until it becomes very +large. At first, the opening is only large enough to admit a wire. After +this has been worn for a short time, a knife is introduced into the ear +in the direction of the opening, and an incision made large enough to +admit a little cotton. This is succeeded by a roll of oiled cloth, and +by a peculiar shrub, the English name of which, if it has any, I do not +know. When the hole becomes sufficiently large, a heavy ring of lead, +about an inch in diameter, is introduced. This soon increases the size +of the opening to such an extent, that a second, and afterwards a third, +a fourth, and a fifth ring are added. By these weights, the lower parts +of the ear are drawn down sometimes very nearly, or quite to the +shoulders. Not unfrequently the little girls, when they run, are obliged +to catch hold of these rings to prevent the injury which they would +receive by their striking against their necks. I need hardly say, that +in due time, these rings are removed, and ornamented rings are +substituted. + +A different plan is pursued with the Mohammedan little girls. They have +their ears bored from the top to the bottom of the ear. The openings +which are at first made are small, and are never enlarged. A ring is +inserted in each of these openings. I have seen a little girl to-day in +whose ears I counted twenty-four rings. + +Flowers in great profusion are sometimes used to add to the adornment of +the jewels. + +I cannot conclude my account of the jewels of the little girls, without +giving you a description of the appearance of a little patient of mine +who came here a few days ago, loaded with trinkets. I will give it in +the words of my daughter, which she wrote in part while the girl was +here. "On the 17th, a little dancing-girl came to see us. She was +adorned with many jewels, some of which were very beautiful. The jewel +in the top of the ear was a circle, nearly the size of a dollar. It was +set with rubies. Nine pearls were suspended from it. In the middle of +the ear was a jewel of a diamond shape, set with rubies and pearls. The +lowest jewel in the ear was shaped like a bell. It was set with rubies, +and from it hung a row of pearls. Close by the ear, suspended from the +hair, was a jewel which reached below her ear. It consisted of six bells +of gold, one above the other. Around each was a small row of pearls, +which reached nearly to the bell below, thus forming a jewel resembling +very many drops of pearls. It is the most beautiful jewel that I ever +saw. In the right side of her nose was a white stone, set with gold, in +the shape of a star. From it hung a large pearl. There was a hole bored +in the partition between the nostrils. This hole had a jewel in it, +about an inch in length, in the middle of which was a white stone with a +ruby on each side. It also had a ruby on the top. From the white stone +hung another, of a similar color, attached to it by a piece of gold. In +the left side of the nose was a jewel about an inch in diameter. It was +somewhat in the shape of a half-moon, and was set with rubies, pearls, +emeralds, etc. etc. This jewel hung below her mouth. On the back of her +head was a large, round gold piece, three inches in diameter. Another +piece about two inches in diameter, hung below this. Her hair was +braided in one braid, and hung down her back. At the bottom of this were +three large tassels of silk, mounted with gold. Her eyebrows and +eyelashes were painted with black. Her neck was covered with jewels of +such beauty, and of such a variety, that it is impossible for me to +describe them. Around her ankles were large rings which looked like +braided silver. To these were attached very many little bells, which +rung as she walked. I believe all dancing-girls wear these rings. We +felt very sad when we thought that she was dedicated to a life of infamy +and shame." + +There is an ornament worn by the followers of the god Siva, on their +arms, or necks, or in their hair. It is called the _lingum_. The nature +of this is so utterly abominable, that I cannot tell you a word about +it. + +Married women wear an ornament peculiar to themselves. It is called the +tahly. It is a piece of gold, on which is engraven the image of some one +of their gods. This is fastened around the neck by a short yellow +string, containing one hundred and eight threads of great fineness. +Various ceremonies are performed before it is applied, and the gods, of +whom I will tell you something by and by, with their wives, are called +upon to give their blessing. When these ceremonies are finished, the +tahly is brought on a waiter, ornamented with sweet-smelling flowers, +and is tied by the bridegroom to the neck of the bride. This ornament is +never taken off, unless her husband dies. In such a case she is deprived +of it, to wear it no more for ever--deprived of it, after various +ceremonies, by her nearest female relative, who cuts the thread by which +it is suspended, and removes it. After this a barber is called, who +shaves her head, and she becomes, in the eyes of the people, a +_despised_ widow--no more to wear any ornament about her neck but a +plain one--no more to stain her face with yellow water, nor to wear on +her forehead those marks which are considered by the natives as among +their chief ornaments. + +I have now told you something about the jewels of this people. I hope +that you will never be disposed to imitate them, and load your bodies +with such useless things. They are not only useless, but tend to +encourage pride and vanity. All that you need is, the "Pearl of great +price," even Jesus. Adorn yourself with this Pearl, and you will be +beautiful indeed--beautiful even in the sight of your heavenly Father. +Have you this Pearl of great price, my dear children? Tell me, have you +this Pearl of great price? If you have not, what have you? + +I just now alluded to those marks which the natives consider among their +chief ornaments. These are different among different sects. The +followers of Siva rub ashes on their foreheads. These ashes are +generally prepared by burning what in the Tamul language is called +[Tamul:] _chaarne._ They also apply these ashes in streaks, generally +three together, on their breasts, and on their arms. Some besmear their +whole bodies with them. + +The followers of Vrishnoo wear a very different ornament from that just +described. It consists of a perpendicular line drawn on the forehead, +generally of a red or yellow color, and a white line on each side of it, +which unite at the bottom with the middle line, and form a trident. + +Another ornament consists of a small circle, which is called pottu. This +is stamped in the middle of the forehead. Sometimes it is red, sometimes +yellow or black. Large numbers of women, in this part of the country, +wash their faces with a yellow water, made so by dissolving in it a +paste made of a yellow root and common shell-lime. The Brahmins +frequently instead of rubbing ashes, draw a horizontal line over the +middle of their foreheads, to show that they have bathed and are pure. +Sometimes the people ornament themselves with a paste of sandal-wood. +They rub themselves from head to foot with it. This has a very +odoriferous smell. + +When the people are loaded with jewels, and covered with the marks which +I have just described they think themselves to be highly ornamented But +after all, "they are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear +beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all +uncleanness." The "Pearl of great price," to which I before alluded, +the only Pearl which is of any value in the sight of Him who looketh at +the heart, and not at the outward appearance, they possess not. Millions +in this Eastern world have never even heard of it. O how incessantly +ought you to pray that they may come into possession of it. How gladly +should you give your money to send it to them. I wish, in this place, to +ask you one question. Who of you expect, by and by, to become +missionaries to this land, to tell this people of the Pearl of great +price? + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +DRESS, HOUSES, EATING, AND SALUTATION OF THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear Children--The dress of the Hindoos is very simple. A single +piece of cloth uncut, about three yards in length and one in width, +wrapped round the loins, with a shawl thrown over the shoulders, +constitutes the usual apparel of the people of respectability. These +garments are often fringed with red silk or gold. The native ladies +frequently almost encase themselves in cloth or silk. Under such +circumstances, their cloths are perhaps twenty yards in length. Most of +the native gentlemen now wear turbans, an ornament which they have +borrowed from the Mohammedans This consists of a long piece of very fine +stuff, sometimes twenty yards in length and one in breadth. With this +they encircle the head in many folds. + +Those who are employed by European or Mohammedan princes, wear a long +robe of muslin, or very fine cloth. This also, is in imitation of the +Mohammedans, and was formerly unknown in the country. + +The houses of the Hindoos are generally very plainly built. In the +country, they are commonly made of earth, and thatched with straw. In +the cities, they are covered with tiles. The kitchen is situated in the +most retired part of the house. In the houses of the Brahmins, the +kitchen-door is always barred, to prevent strangers from looking upon +their earthen vessels; for if they should happen to see them, their look +would pollute them to such a degree that they must be broken to pieces. +The hearth is generally placed on the south-west side, which is said to +be the side of the _god of fire_, because they say that this god +actually dwells there. + +The domestic customs of this people are very different from ours. The +men and women do not eat together. The husband first eats, then the +wife. The wife waits upon the husband After she has cooked the rice, she +brings a brass plate, if they are possessors of one; or if not, a piece +of a plantain-leaf, and puts it down on the mat before him. She then +bails out the rice, places it upon the leaf, and afterwards pours the +currie over it. This being done, the husband proceeds to mix up the +currie and the rice with his hands, and puts it into his mouth. He never +uses a knife and fork, as is customary with us. The currie of which I +have spoken is a sauce of a yellow color, owing to the _munchel_, a +yellow root which they put in it. This and onions, kottamaly-seeds +mustard, serakum, pepper, etc., constitute the ingredients of the +currie. Some add to these ghea, or melted butter, and cocoa-nut milk. By +the cocoa-nut milk, I do not mean the water of the cocoa-nut. +This--except in the very young cocoa-nut, when it is a most delicious +beverage--is never used. The milk is squeezed from the _meat_ of the +cocoa-nut, after it has been reduced to a pulp by means of an indented +circular iron which they use for this purpose. + +After the husband has eaten, the wife brings water for him to wash his +hands. This being done, she supplies him with vettalay, paakku, +shell-lime, and tobacco, which he puts into his mouth as his dessert. +The vettalay is a very spicy leaf. Why they use paakku, I do not know. +It is a nut, which they cut into small pieces, but it has not much +taste. Sometimes the wife brings her husband a segar. This people, I am +sorry to say, are great smokers and chewers, practices of which I hope +that you, my dear children, will never be guilty. In Ceylon, it is +customary for females to smoke. Frequently, after the husband has smoked +for a while, he hands the segar to his wife. She then puts it into her +mouth, and smokes. + +Several years ago, one of the schoolmasters in that island became a +Christian. After he had partaken of the Lord's supper, his wife +considered him so defiled, that she would not put his segar into her +mouth for a month afterwards. She, however, has since become a +Christian. + +I spoke just now of the plantain-leaf. This leaf is sometimes six feet +long, and in some places a foot and a half wide. It is an unbroken leaf, +with a large stem running through the middle of it. It is one of the +handsomest of leaves. Pieces enough can be torn from a single leaf, to +take the place of a dozen plates. When quite young, it is an excellent +application to surfaces which have been blistered. + +When this people eat, they do not use tables and chairs. They sit down +on mats, and double their legs under them, after the manner of our +friends the tailors in America, when they sew. This is the way in which +the natives as a general thing, sit in our churches. It is not common to +have benches or pews for them. Carpenters and other tradesmen also sit +down either on a board, or on the ground, or on their legs, when they +work. It would divert you much to see their manoeuvring. If a carpenter, +for instance, wants to make a little peg, he will take a small piece of +board, and place it in an erect position between his feet, the soles of +which are turned inward so as to press upon the board. He then takes +his chisel in one hand, and his mallet in the other, and cuts off a +small piece. Afterwards he holds the piece in one hand, and while he +shapes it with his chisel with the other, he steadies it by pressing it +against his great toe. + +[Illustration] + +The blacksmiths, with the exception of those who use the sledge-hammer, +sit as do the carpenters while they hammer the iron. I wish you could +see them at work with their simple apparatus. They have small anvils, +which they place in a hole made in a log of wood which is buried in the +ground. They do not use such bellows as you see in America. + +Theirs consist of two leather bags, about a foot wide and a foot and a +half long, each having a nozzle at one end. The other end is left open +to admit the air. When they wish to blow the fire, they extend these +bags to let in the air. They then close them by means of the thumb on +one side, and the fingers on the other, and press them down towards the +nozzle of the bellows, which forces the air through them into the fire. +I should have said before, that the nozzle of the bellows passes through +a small semicircular mound of dried mud. + +I mentioned that the natives do not use tables and chairs in their +houses. Neither do they, as a general thing, use bedsteads. They have no +beds. They sleep on mats, which are spread down on the floor. Sometimes +they use a cotton bolster for their heads. More generally their pillows +are hard boards, which they put under the mat. In addition to cooking, +the females have to prepare the rice for this purpose, by taking it out +of the husk. This they do by beating it in a mortar about two feet high. +The pestle with which they pound it, is about five feet long, made of +wood, with an iron rim around the lower part of it. Three women can +work at these mortars at the same time. Of course they have to be very +skilful in the use of the pestle, so as not to interfere with each +others' operations. Sometimes, while thus engaged, the children, who are +generally at play near their mothers, put their hands on the edge of the +mortars. In such cases, when the pestle happens to strike the edge, +their fingers are taken off in a moment. + +The Hindoos have many modes of salutation. In some places they raise +their right hand to the heart. In others, they simply stretch it out +towards the person who is passing, if they know him, for they never +salute persons with whom they are not acquainted. + +In many places there is no show of salutation. When they meet their +acquaintances they content themselves by saying a friendly word or two +in passing, and then pursue their way. They have borrowed the word +_salam_ from the Mohammedans. They salute both Mohammedans and Europeans +with this word, at the same time raising their hand to the forehead. +When they address persons of high rank, they give them their _salam_ +thrice, touching the ground as often with both hands, and then lifting +them up to their foreheads. + +The other castes salute the Brahmins by joining the hands and elevating +them to the forehead, or sometimes over the head. It is accompanied with +_andamayya_, which means, Hail, respected lord. The Brahmins stretch out +their hands and say, _aaseervaathum_--benediction. + +Another very respectful kind of salutation consists in lowering both +hands to the feet of the person to be honored, or even in falling-down +and embracing them. + +Of all the forms of salutation, the most respectful is the +_shaashtaangkum_, or prostration, in which the feet, the knees, the +stomach, the head, and the arms, all touch the ground. In doing this, +they throw themselves at their whole length on the ground, and stretch +out both arms above their heads. This is practised before priests, and +in the presence of an assembly, when they appear before it to beg pardon +for a crime. + +Relations, who have long been separated, testify their joy when they +meet by chucking each other under the chin, and shedding tears of joy. +I am not aware that grown persons ever kiss each other. Sometimes +mothers, or other individuals, will put their noses to the cheeks of +little children, and draw the air through them, just as we do when we +smell any thing which is agreeable. At other times they will apply the +thumb and first finger to the cheek of the child, and then apply them to +their own noses, and, as it were, smell them. + +The women, as a mark of respect, turn their backs, or at least their +faces aside, when they are in the presence of those whom they highly +esteem. They are never permitted to sit in the presence of men. A +married woman cannot do this, even in the presence of her husband. + +If a person meets another of high rank, he must leave the path, if on +foot, or alight, if on horseback, and remain standing until he has +passed. He must at the same time take off his slippers. He also must +take off his slippers when he enters a house. Should he fail to do this, +it would be considered a great impropriety. + +In addressing a person of note, they mast keep at a certain distance +from him, and cover their mouths with their hands while they are +speaking, lest their breath, or a particle of moisture, should escape +to trouble him. + +When the Hindoos visit a person of distinction for the first time, +civility requires them to take some present as a mark of respect, or to +show that they come with a friendly intention; especially if they wish +to ask some favor in return. When they have not the means of making +large presents, they carry with them sugar, plantains, milk, and other +things of this kind. + +In case of mourning, visits must always be made, though at a distance of +a hundred miles. Letters of condolence would by no means be received as +a substitute. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +MARRIAGE AMONG THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear Children--Marriage, to the Hindoos is the greatest event of +their lives. In the celebration of it, many ceremonies are performed Of +these I will mention some of the most important. If the father of the +young girl is a Brahmin, and if he is rich and liberal, he will +frequently bear all the expenses of the marriage of his daughter. To +give a daughter in marriage and to sell her, are about the same thing. +Almost every parent makes his daughter an article of traffic, refusing +to give her up until the sum of money for which he consented to let her +go, is paid. Men of distinction generally lay out this money for jewels, +which they present to their daughters on their wedding-day. You will +infer from what I have just said, that the parties to be married have +nothing to do in the choice of each other. + +There are properly but four months in the year in which marriages can +take place, namely March, April, May, and June. This probably arises +from the circumstance that these are the hottest seasons of the +year--the seasons when the people have more leisure to attend to them. +From the harvest, also, which has just been gathered in, they are +provided with means to perform the various ceremonies. + +The marriage ceremony lasts five days. The bride and bridegroom are +first placed under a puntel, a kind of bower, covered with leaves, in +front of the house. This is superbly adorned. The married women then +come forward, and perform the ceremony called _arati_, which is as +follows. Upon a plate of copper, they place a lamp made of a paste from +rice flour. It is supplied with oil, and lighted. They then take hold of +the plate with both hands, and raise it as high as the heads of the +couple to be married, and describe a number of circles with the plate +and lamp. This is to prevent the evil of any jealous looks, which +certain persons might make. The Hindoos believe that great evils arise +from wicked looks. They consider that even the gods themselves are not +out of the reach of malicious eyes; and therefore after they have been +carried through the streets, the ceremony of arati is always performed, +to efface the evil which they may have suffered from these looks. + +It ought to have been mentioned, that before any thing is done, they +place an image of Pullian under the puntel. This god is much honored +because he is much feared. And although the great ugliness of his +appearance has hitherto kept him without a wife, they never fail to pay +him the greatest attention, lest he should in some way or other injure +them. + +After arati and many other ceremonies are performed, the kankanan, which +is merely a bit of saffron, is tied to the right wrist of the young +man, and to the left wrist of the girl. This is done with great +solemnity. Another remarkable ceremony succeeds this. The young man +being seated with his face towards the east, his future father-in-law +supposes that he beholds in him the great Vrishnoo. With this +impression, he offers him a sacrifice, and then, making him put both of +his feet in a new dish filled with cow-dung, he first washes them with +water, then with milk, and again with water, accompanying the whole with +suitable muntrums or prayers. + +After many other ceremonies, he takes the hand of his daughter and puts +it into that of his son-in-law. He then pours water over them in honor +of Vrishnoo. This is the most solemn of all the ceremonies, being the +token of his resigning his daughter to the authority of the young man. +She must be accompanied with three gifts, namely, one or more cows, some +property in land, and a _salagrama_, which consists of some little +amulet stones in high esteem among the Brahmins. This ceremony being +finished, the tahly is brought to be fastened to the neck of the bride. +This, as I before said, is presented on a salver, decked and garnished +with sweet-smelling flowers. Incense is offered to it, and it is +presented to the assistants each of whom touches it and invokes +blessings upon it. The bride then turning towards the East, the +bridegroom takes the tahly, repeats a muntrum or prayer aloud, and ties +it around her neck. + +Fire is then brought in, upon which the bridegroom offers up the +sacrifice of _homam_, which consists of throwing boiled rice with melted +butter upon the fire. He then takes his bride by the hand, and they walk +three times around it, while the incense is blazing. + +There is another ceremony, which, perhaps, ought to be mentioned, as it +is considered by some to be one of much importance. Two baskets of +bamboo are placed close together, one for the bride, the other for the +bridegroom. They step into them, and two other baskets being brought, +filled with ground rice, the husband takes up one with both hands and +pours the contents over the head of the bride. She does the same to him. +In the marriage of great princes pearls are sometimes used instead of +rice. + +On the evening of the third day, when the constellations appear, the +astrologer points out to the married pair a very small star, close to +the middle or in the tail of _Ursa Major_, which he directs them to +worship, and which he says is the wife of Vasestha. + +While the assembled guests, are dining, the bridegroom and the bride +also partake, and eat together from the same plate. This is a token of +the closest union. This is the only instance in which they ever eat +together. + +After all the ceremonies are finished, a procession is made through the +streets of the village It commonly takes place in the night, by +torchlight, accompanied with fire-works. The newly married pair are +seated in one palanquin with their faces towards each other, both richly +dressed. The bride, in particular, is generally covered with jewels and +precious stones. + +The procession moves slowly; and their friends and relations come out of +their houses, as they pass; the women hailing the married couple with +the ceremony of _arati_, and the men with presents of silver, fruits, +sugar, and betel. I once witnessed one of these marriage processions in +the streets of Madras at night, but can give you but little idea of its +magnificence. The lamps used on the occasion could not be numbered. The +shrubbery, which was drawn on carts or other vehicles, appeared +exceedingly beautiful, in consequence of the light reflected from the +lamps. Intermingled with this shrubbery, were to be seen little girls +elegantly dressed, and adorned with flowers on their heads. Many +elephants, with their trappings of gold and silver and red, formed a +part of the procession. Fire-works were also added to make the scene +more brilliant. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +DEATH AND FUNERALS OF THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear Children--The death of a Hindoo is followed by many ridiculous +ceremonies. I will give you a description of a few, connected with the +death of one who has moved in one of the higher ranks--of a Brahmin. + +[Illustration] + +When it is evident that a Brahmin has but a little time to live, a space +is prepared with earth, well spread with cow-dung, over which a cloth, +that has never been worn, is spread. The dying man is placed upon this +at full length. Another cloth is wrapped around his loins. This being +done, the ceremony of expiating his sins is performed as follows. The +chief of the funeral brings on one plate some small pieces of silver or +copper coin, and on another the punchakaryam, etc. A little of this +punchakaryam is then put into his mouth, and, by virtue of this nauseous +draught, the body is perfectly purified. Besides this, there is a +general cleansing, which is accomplished by making the dying man recite +within himself, if he cannot speak, the proper muntrums, by which he is +delivered from all his sins. After this, a cow is introduced with her +calf. Her horns are decorated with rings of gold or brass, and her neck +with garlands of flowers. A pure cloth is laid over her body. Thus +decked, she is led up to the sick man, who takes hold of her tail. +Prayers are now offered up that the cow may conduct him, by a blessed +path, to the next world. He then makes a gift of a cow to a Brahmin. +This gift is considered indispensable to enable the soul to go over the +river of fire, which it is said all must pass after death. Those who +have made this gift, are met by one of these favored creatures the +moment they arrive at the bank of the stream, and by her help, they are +enabled to pass without injury from the flames. + +As soon as the breath has left his body, all who are present must weep +for a reasonable time, and join in lamentations together. + +After various ceremonies, the body is washed, and a barber is called to +shave his head. He is then clad with his finest clothes and adorned with +jewels. He is rubbed with sandal-wood where the body is uncovered, and +the accustomed mark is put upon his forehead. Thus dressed he is placed +on a kind of state bed, where he remains until he is carried to the +pile. + +After every preparation is made to bear away the corpse, the person who +is to conduct the funeral, with the assistance of some relative or +friend, strips it of its clothing and jewels, and covers it with a +handkerchief provided for the occasion. The corpse is then placed on a +litter. Those who die in a state of marriage, have their faces left +uncovered. The litter, adorned with flowers and foliage, and sometimes +decked with valuable stuffs, is borne by four Brahmins. The procession +is arranged as follows. + +The chief of the funeral marches foremost, carrying fire in a vessel. +The body follows, attended by the relations and friends, without their +turbans, and with nothing on their heads but a bit of cloth, in token of +mourning. The women never attend the funeral, but remain in the house, +where they set up a hideous cry when the corpse is taken out. While +advancing on the road, the custom is to stop three times on the way, +and, at each pause, to put into the mouth of the dead a morsel of +unboiled rice, moistened. The object of stopping is considered to be +very important. It is not without reason; for they say that persons +supposed to be dead have been alive, or even when lifeless have been +restored; and sometimes, also, it has happened that the gods of the +infernal regions have mistaken their aim, and seized one person instead +of another. In any view, it is right to afford the opportunity for +correcting these mistakes, so as not to expose to the flames a person +who is still alive. Hence the propriety of these pauses, each of which +continues half of the quarter of an hour. + +Having arrived at the place for burning the dead, they dig a trench +about six or seven feet in length. This is consecrated by the muntrums. +It is slightly sprinkled with water to lay the dust, and a few pieces of +money in gold are scattered upon it. Here the pile is erected of dried +wood, on which the body is laid out at full length. Over the body a +quantity of twigs are laid, which are sprinkled with punchakaryam The +chief of the funeral then takes on his shoulders a pitcher of water, and +goes around the pile three times, letting the water run through a hole +made in it. After this he breaks the pitcher in pieces near the head of +the corpse. + +At last the torch is brought for setting fire to the pile, and is handed +to the chief of the funeral. Before he receives it, however, he is +obliged to make some grimaces to prove his sorrow. He rolls about on the +ground, beats his breast, and makes the air resound with his cries. The +assistants also cry, or appear to cry. Fire being applied to the four +corners of the pile, the crowd retire, except the four Brahmins who +carried the body; they remain until the whole is consumed. + +The funerals of the Sudras differ in some particulars from those of the +Brahmins. Deafening sounds of drums, trumpets, and other instruments of +music, not in use among the Brahmins, accompany their funerals. To +increase the noise, they sometimes shoot off an instrument which +somewhat resembles a small cannon. I do not now think of any other +particular worthy of mention. + +By the ceremonies which are performed at their funerals, this wretched +people expect to secure the pardon of all the sins of those who have +died. Alas, what a delusion! O, that Christians had sent the Gospel to +this dark land in the days when they sent it to our heathen fathers. +Then might the Hindoos now be seeking the expiation of their sins, +through the blood of the ever-blessed Redeemer. Of this Redeemer, +however, they know nothing. They enter eternity, not that their souls +may be consumed as their bodies have been, but to endure the flames of +divine wrath for ever and ever. Alas, alas, that it should be so! O, +that the generation of Christians now living would lay these things to +heart, and do what they can, through grace, to rescue those who are yet +within the reach of hope from so tremendous a doom. What, my dear +children, will you do for this purpose? + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE GODS OF THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear Children--The word heathen is applied to those who worship +idols, or who do not know any thing about the true God. This is the case +with this people. They say that there is one supreme being, whom they +call BRAHM; but he is very different from Jehovah, and is never +worshipped. Generally, he is fast asleep. In the place of Brahm, they +worship many gods--gods of all colors: some black, some white, some +blue, some red--gods of all shapes and sizes: some in the shape of +beasts, some in the shape of men; some partly in the shape of beasts, +and partly in the shape of men, having four, or ten, or a hundred, or a +thousand eyes, heads, and hands. They ride through the air on elephants, +buffaloes, lions, sheep, deer, goats, peacocks, vultures, geese, +serpents, and rats. They hold in their hands all kinds of weapons, +offensive and defensive, thunderbolts javelins, spears, clubs, bows, +arrows, shields, flags, and shells. They are of all employments. There +are gods of the heavens above and of the earth below, gods of wisdom and +of folly, gods of war and of peace, gods of good and of evil, gods of +pleasure, gods of cruelty and wrath, whose thirst must be satiated with +torrents of blood. These gods fight and quarrel with one another. They +lie, steal, commit adultery, murder, and other crimes. They pour out +their curses when they cannot succeed in their wicked plots, and invent +all kinds of lying tales to hide their wickedness. + +There are three principal gods, who compose what is called the Hindoo +triad. Their names are Brumha, Vrishnoo, and Siva. They were somehow +drawn from Brahm's essence, on one occasion when he was awake. Brumha, +they say, is the creator of the world, Vrishnoo the preserver, and Siva +the destroyer. Brumha has no temple erected for his worship, on account +of a great falsehood which he told. I will tell you what it was. Once, +as it is said, there was a dispute between him and Vrishnoo, as to who +is the greatest. While thus disputing, Siva appeared between the two as +a fire-post and told them that he who would find the bottom or the top +of the post first, would show that he is the greatest. Vrishnoo +immediately changed himself into a hog, and began to root up the earth +with the hope of finding the bottom of the post. Brumha changed himself +into a swan, flew up towards the top of the post, and cried out, I have +found it, when he had not. This, you know, my dear children, was a +falsehood. For this falsehood, it is said, no temple is erected for his +worship. + +Vrishnoo was a thief and a liar. He was once dwelling in the house of a +dairyman, and he used constantly to be stealing butter and curdled milk +from the dairyman's wife. She did not know, for a long time, what became +of her butter and curdled milk; but at last she found out that Vrishnoo +was the thief. To punish him for his theft, she tied him to a rice +mortar. + +Siva's conduct was very bad. I will tell you but one thing about him. On +one occasion he was playing at cards with his wife Parvathe. Vrishnoo +was appointed to determine who was the best player. After playing for a +little season Parvathe won the game. Siva then beckoned to Vrishnoo to +declare that he, instead of Parvathe, had won it. This he did. In +consequence of this falsehood, he was cursed by Parvathe, and changed +into a snake. + +And now, my dear children, why do I tell you about these gods? I tell +you for the purpose of making you thankful that you were born in a +Christian land, where you have the Bible to teach you better things. Had +you not the Bible, you would worship just such wretched beings as these +poor Hindoos worship. Perhaps you know that our Saxon fathers, before +they had the Bible, were as great idolaters as are this people. They +worshipped Thor and Woden and other similar idols, and they were even in +the habit of offering up human sacrifices Surely, if there is any thing +which should make you give your hearts to your Saviour and love him +above all things, it is God's gift of the Bible to you. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY MILLIONS OF THE GODS OF THE HINDOOS--THE +CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE--THE TRANSMIGRATION OF SOULS--THE DIFFERENT +HELLS. + + +My dear children--I told you that in one of those seasons when Brahm was +awake, Brumha, Vrishnoo, and Siva were somehow drawn from Brahm's +essence. The three hundred and thirty millions of the gods of the +Hindoos were also drawn from this essence; as were all the atoms which +compose the earth, the sun, moon, and stars. At first, these atoms were +all in disorder. For the purpose of reducing them to order, Brahm +created what is called the great mundane egg. Into this egg he himself +entered, under the form, of Brumha, taking with him all these atoms. +After remaining in this egg four thousand three hundred millions of +years, to arrange these atoms, he burst its shell and came out, with a +thousand heads, a thousand eyes, and a thousand arms. With him, he +brought out all those harmonized atoms, which, when separated, produced +this beautiful universe that we see above and around us. + +The universe, as it came from the mundane egg, is generally divided into +fourteen worlds: seven inferior or lower worlds, and seven superior or +upper worlds. The seven lower worlds are filled with all kinds of wicked +and loathsome creatures. Our earth, which is the first of the upper +worlds, it is said, is flat. The following figure will give you some +idea of it. + +[Illustration: Concentric circles with labels on each from outermost to +innermost: Sea of Sweet Water. Sea of Milk. Sea of Sour Curds. Sea of +Clarified Butter. Sea of Spirituous Liquors. Sea of Sugar Cane Juice. +Sea of Salt Water. Earth.] + +That part of the earth which is inhabited consists of seven circular +islands, or continents each of which is surrounded by a different ocean. +The island in the centre, where we dwell, is surrounded by a sea of salt +water, the second island is surrounded by a sea of sugar-cane juice, the +third island is surrounded by a sea of spirituous liquors, the fourth is +surrounded by a sea of clarified butter, the fifth is surrounded by a +sea of sour curds, the sixth is surrounded by a sea of milk, the seventh +is surrounded by a sea of sweet water. + +In all the worlds above ours are mansions where the gods reside. In the +third is the heaven of Indra. This is the heaven to which it is said the +widow goes, after she has burned herself to death on the funeral pile of +her husband Its palaces are of the purest gold. And such are the +quantities of diamonds, and jasper, and sapphire, and emerald, and all +manner of precious stones there, that it shines with a brightness +superior to that of twelve thousand suns. Its streets are of the +clearest crystal, fringed with gold. In the seventh, or the highest of +the upper worlds, is the heaven where Brumha chiefly resides. This far +exceeds all the other heavens in point of beauty. + +In the inferior worlds it is stated that there are one hundred thousand +hells. These are provided for such as have been great criminals. The +Hindoos say, that those who have not been very wicked, can make an +atonement for their sins in this world. Should they neglect to do this, +they must suffer for it in another birth. They believe in what is called +the transmigration of souls, or the passing of the soul, after death, +into another body. The soul must suffer in the next birth, if not +purified in this. Hence it is asserted, that if a man is a stealer of +gold from a Brahmin, he is doomed to have whitlows on his nails; if a +drinker of spirits, black teeth; if a false detractor, fetid breath; if +a stealer of grain, the defect of some limb; if a stealer of clothes, +leprosy; if a horse-stealer, lameness; if a stealer of a lamp, total +blindness. If he steals grain in the husk, he will be born a rat; if +yellow mixed metal, a gander; if money, a great stinging gnat; if fruit, +an ape; if the property of a priest, a crocodile. + +Those persons whose sins are too great to be forgiven in this world, +must be sent to one of the hells to winch I have alluded. Weeping, +wailing, shrieking, they are dragged to the palace of _Yama_, the king +of those doleful regions. On arriving there, they behold him clothed +with terror, two hundred and forty miles in height, his eyes as large as +a lake of water, his voice as loud as thunder, the hairs of his body as +long as palm-trees, a flame of fire proceeding from his mouth, the noise +of his breath like the roaring of a tempest, and in his right hand a +terrific iron club. Sentence is passed, and the wretched beings are +doomed to receive punishment according to the nature of their crimes. +Some are made to tread on burning sands, or sharp-edged stones. Others +are rolled among thorns and spikes and putrefying flesh. Others are +dragged along the roughest places by cords passed through the tender +parts of the body. Some are attacked by jackals, tigers, and elephants. +Others are pierced with arrows, beaten with clubs, pricked with needles, +seared with hot irons, and tormented by flies and wasps. Some are +plunged into pans of liquid fire or boiling oil. Others are dashed from +lofty trees, many hundred miles high. + +The torment of these hells does not continue for ever. After criminals +have been punished for a longer or shorter time, their souls return to +the earth again in the bodies of men. Here they may perform such good +acts as may raise them to one of the heavens of the gods; or commit +crimes, which may be the means of their being sent again to the abodes +of misery. + +Things will go on in this way until the universe comes to an end, when +every thing is to disappear, and to be swallowed up in Brahm. + +The Hindoos say, that it is now more than one hundred and fifty billions +of years since the world was created. After it has continued about one +hundred and fifty billions of years more, it is to come to an end. Then +Brumha is to die, and to be swallowed up with the universe in the sole +existing Brahm. + +By what you have heard, you will learn that the Hindoos expect, by their +sufferings, to make an atonement for their sins. But there is no +atonement for sin, except through the blood of Jesus Christ. We must +come as lost sinners to our heavenly Father, confess our transgressions +to him, and plead for his forgiveness, only through the sufferings and +death which Christ endured. My dear children, have you done this? If +not, do it speedily, or the regions of the lost must soon be your +everlasting abode. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +HINDOO CASTES. + + +My dear Children--The people of India are divided into castes, as they +are called. Their sacred books declare, that after Brumha had peopled +the heavens above and the worlds below, he created the human race, +consisting of four classes or castes. From his mouth proceeded the +Brahmin caste. Those of this class are the highest and noblest beings on +earth, and hold the office of priests. At the same time there flowed +from his mouth the _Vedas_, or sacred books, of which the Brahmins are +the sole teachers To their fellow-men, they were to give such parts of +these books as they thought best. From Brumha's arm proceeded the +military caste. The business of this class is to defend their country +when attacked by enemies. From his breast proceeded the third caste, +consisting of farmers and merchants. From his feet, the member of +inferiority, proceeded the Sudras, or servile caste. Carpenters, +braziers, weavers, dyers, and the manual cultivators of the soil, are +included in this class. + +Caste is not a civil, but a sacred institution. You must get some one +older than yourself to explain what this means. Caste is a difference of +_kind_. Hence, a man of one caste can never be changed into a man of +another caste, any more than a lion can be changed into a mole, or a +mole into a lion. Each caste has its laws, the breaking of which is +attended with great disgrace, and even degradation below all the other +castes. For instance, if a Brahmin should, by eating any forbidden +thing, break his caste, he would sink below all the other castes. He +would become an outcast, or pariah. For beneath the fourth, or lowest +caste, there is a class of people belonging to no caste--a class of +outcasts, held in the utmost abhorrence. + +By the system of castes, the Hindoos have been divided into so many +selfish sections, each scowling on all the rest with feelings of hatred +and contempt. The spirit which upholds it, is similar to that spirit +which says, "Stand by thyself, for I am holier than thou," and, of +course, is nothing but pride. This is one of the greatest obstacles to +the spread of Christianity in this dark land, and for the exhibition of +which we were lately obliged to cut off many of the members of our +churches. + +The Brahmins, in consequence of their being of the highest caste, and of +their having been taught from their infancy to regard all other classes +of men with the utmost contempt, are very proud. They make great efforts +to keep themselves pure, in their sense of the word, both without and +within. They are exceedingly afraid of being defiled by persons of other +castes. They have the utmost dread even of being touched by a pariah. +For them to eat with any of these pariahs, or to go into their houses, +or to drink water which they have drawn, or from vessels which they have +handled, is attended with the loss of their caste. A Brahmin who should +enter their houses, or permit them to enter his, would be cut off from +his caste, and could not be restored without many troublesome ceremonies +and great expense. The pariahs are considered to be so low, that if a +Brahmin were to touch them, even with the end of a long pole, he would +be looked upon as polluted In some districts they are obliged to make a +long circuit, when they perceive Brahmins in the way, that their breath +may not infect them, or their shadow fall upon them as they pass. In +some places their very approach is sufficient to pollute a whole +neighborhood. + +The Brahmins carry their ideas of purity very far. Should a Sudra happen +to look upon the vessels in which they cook their food, they would be +considered as defiled. They can never touch any kind of leather or skin, +except the skin of the tiger and antelope. The most disagreeable of all +American fashions, in their eyes, is that of boots and gloves. They +rarely eat their food from plates; and when they do so, it is only at +home. They use the leaf of the plantain or other trees as a substitute. +To offer them any thing to eat on a metal or earthen plate which others +have used, would be considered a great affront. For the same reason, +they will neither use a spoon nor a fork when they eat; and they are +astonished that any one, after having applied them to their mouths, and +infected them with saliva, should repeat the act a second time. They +have a great abhorrence of the toothpick, if used a second time. When +they eat any thing dry, they throw it into their mouths, so that the +fingers may not approach the lips. + +They do not drink as we do, by applying the cup to the lips. This would +be considered a gross impropriety. They pour the water into their +months. The reason why they do these things is, because they consider +the saliva to be the most filthy secretion that comes from the body. It +is on this account that no one is ever permitted to spit within doors. + +The use of animal food they consider to be defiling. Not only will they +not eat animal food, but they will eat nothing that has the principle of +life in it. On this account, they cannot eat eggs of any kind. I was +once breaking an egg in my medicine-room at Panditeripo, while a Brahmin +was present. He told me that, under such circumstances, he could not +remain with me any longer. In his view, I was committing a great sin. To +kill an ox or a cow, is considered by them as a crime which can never be +atoned for, and to eat their flesh is a defilement which can never be +washed away. To kill a cow is, by _Hindoo_ law, punishable with death. + +The touch of most animals, particularly that of the dog, defiles a +Brahmin. Should a dog touch them, they would be obliged instantly to +plunge into water, and wash their clothes, in order to get rid of such a +stain. Notwithstanding this, the dog is one of the gods worshipped by +the Hindoos. + +The Hindoos consider themselves to be unclean if they have assisted at a +funeral. When the ceremony is over, they immediately plunge into water +for the sake of purification. Even the news of the death of a relative, +a hundred miles off, has the same effect. The person who hears such news +is considered unclean until he has bathed. In unison with this feeling, +a person is no sooner dead, than he is hastened away to be buried or +burned; for, until this is done, those in the house can neither eat nor +drink, nor go on with their occupations. + +A Brahmin who is particular in his delicacy, must be careful what he +treads upon. He is obliged to wash his body or bathe, if he happens to +tread on a bone, or a broken pot, a bit of rag, or a leaf from which one +has been eating. He must also be careful where he sits down. Some +devotees always carry their seats with them, that is, a tiger or +antelope's skin, which are always held pure. Some are contented with a +mat. They may sit down on the ground without defilement, provided it has +been newly rubbed over with cow-dung. This last specific is used daily +to purify their houses from the defilement occasioned by comers, and +goers. When thus applied, diluted with water, it has unquestionably one +good effect. It completely destroys the fleas and other insects, with +which they are very much annoyed. + +There is one thing more which I wish to mention. It is, that all the +high castes consider the use of intoxicating drinks to be defiling. I +hope that you, my dear children, will always have the same opinion, and +never touch them any sooner than you would touch arsenic or other +poisons. + +A person may be restored to his caste, provided he has not committed an +unpardonable offence. This is done as follows. After he has gained the +consent of his relations to be restored he prostrates himself very +humbly before them, they being assembled for that purpose, and submits +to the blows or other punishment which they may think proper to inflict, +or pays the fine which they may have laid upon him. Then, after +shedding tears of sorrow, and making promises that, by his future +conduct, he will wipe away the stain of his expulsion from caste, he +makes the shaashtaangkum before the assembly. This being done, he is +declared fit to be restored to his tribe. + +When a man has been expelled from his caste for some great offence, +those who restore him sometimes slightly burn his tongue with a piece of +gold made hot. They likewise apply to different parts of the body redhot +iron stamps, which leave marks that remain for ever. Sometimes they +compel the offender to walk on burning embers; and to complete the +purification, he must drink the punchakaryam, which literally means the +_five things_; these all come from the cow, and must be mixed together. +The first three of these I will mention, namely, the milk, butter, and +curds. The other two, for the sake of delicacy, I must not mention. +After the ceremony of punchakaryam is finished the person who has been +expelled from his caste must give a grand feast. This finishes all he +has to do, and he is then restored to favor. + +There are certain offences which, when committed cut off all hope that +the offender will ever be restored to his caste. For instance, should he +eat the flesh of the cow, no presents which he might make, nor any fines +which lie might be disposed to pay, no, not even the punchakaryam +itself, would be of any avail for his restoration or purification. + +I will make a remark here, which I might have made before. It is, that +in Christian countries, there is a spirit of pride which much resembles +the spirit of caste. Many are to be found who are very proud that they +have descended from rich and honorable _ancestors_, and who look down, +almost with disdain, upon those in other situations. I need hardly tell +you that this is a very wicked spirit, and entirely opposed to the +spirit of the Gospel. No matter what may be our high thoughts of +ourselves, we appear but very low in the sight of Him who created us. We +are all sinners, and, as such, are offensive in his sight. If we would +go to heaven, the first thing which we have to do, is to humble +ourselves for the pride of our hearts, and become as little children +before him. We must have that spirit of which the apostle speaks, when +he says, "Let each esteem others better than themselves." With a humble +spirit we may approach a holy God, with the assurance that he will, for +Christ's sake, forgive all our sins. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +HINDOO TEMPLES--CARS--PROCESSION OF IDOLS. + + +My dear Children--I will proceed to give you a description of the Hindoo +temples. These are very numerous. One is to be found in almost every +village. They are to be found, also, in out-of-the-way places, distant +from villages, in woods, on the banks and in the middle of rivers; but, +above all, on mountains and steep rocks. + +This latter practice, of building temples on mountains, is very ancient. +The Israelites were accustomed to choose a mountain when they offered up +their sacrifices to the Lord. Solomon, before the building of the +temple, chose Mount Gibeon on which to offer his burnt-offerings; and +when the ten tribes separated themselves, in the reign of Jeroboam, they +built their altars on the mountain of Samaria. This practice may have +come from the circumstance, that Noah offered to God a great sacrifice +of thanks on one of the highest mountains of Armenia. Probably Mount +Ararat continued long to be remembered, by him and his descendants, as +the scene of their deliverance. + +Besides the temples of the idols, there are various objects of worship, +made of earth and stone. Some of the idols are carved. Some consist +merely of the rough stone. These are to be seen on the high-roads, at +the entrance into villages, and, above all, under lofty trees. Some of +these are covered; but generally they are exposed in the open air. + +You will read in Genesis, 28th chap, and 18th verse, that Jacob, after +his dream, rose up early in the morning and took the stone that he had +put for his pillow, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the +top of it. Whether it has happened from this circumstance or not, that +the heathen universally pour oil over their idols, I cannot tell. All I +know is, that they do it. No idol can become an object of worship until +a Brahmin has said his muntrums, or prayers, for the purpose of bringing +down the god to live, as it is said be does, in the image, and until he +has drenched it with oil and liquid butter. + +The idols, in the great temples, are clothed with rich garments, and +adorned with jewels, which are enriched with precious stones of immense +value. Sacrifices are constantly made to these idols, consisting of +boiled rice, flowers, fruits, etc., but, above all, of lamps, of which +many thousands are sometimes seen burning. They feed them with butter, +in preference to oil. + +The priests of the temples offer up sacrifices twice every day, morning +and evening. They begin the ceremony by washing their idol. The water +which is used is brought from a river or tank. Every morning a +procession, with music, passes before our door, with this water. + +Every priest who offers up sacrifices, must have several lighted lamps +with a bell, which he holds in his left hand. With his right hand he +makes an offering to the idol, adorns it with flowers, and rubs its +forehead and various parts of its body with sandal-wood and holy ashes. +While all this is going on, he is alone in the temple, the door of which +is closed. The unholy multitude remain without, silently waiting till +he has done. What he does, they cannot know, only hearing the sound of +the bell. When he has done, he comes out and distributes among the +people a part of the things which have been offered to the idol. These +are considered as holy. If they consist of rice and fruit, they are +immediately eaten; if of flowers, the men put them in their turbans, and +the girls entwine them in their hair. + +Next to the priests, the most important persons about the temples are +the dancing girls. These are persons of the vilest character. They +perform their religious duties in the temple twice a day. They also +assist at the public ceremonies, and dance. At the same time they sing +the most abominable and filthy songs. Of these wicked creatures, +however, I must not tell you any thing further. + +The next order of persons employed in the temples, are players on +musical instruments. Every temple of note has a band of these musicians +who, as well as the dancers, are obliged to attend the temple twice a +day. They are also obliged to assist at all the public festivals. Their +band generally consists of wind, instruments, resembling clarionets and +hautboys, to which they add cymbals and drums. They have a bass, +produced by blowing into a kind of tube, widened below, and which gives +an uninterrupted sound. Part of the musicians sing hymns in honor of +their gods. + +The expenses of the temples are borne by the voluntary offerings of the +people, consisting of money, jewels, cattle, provisions, and other +articles. In order to induce them to make such offerings, the Brahmins +use all kinds of deception. Sometimes they will put their idols in +irons, chaining their hands and feet. They exhibit them in this sad +condition, declaring that they have been brought into it by creditors +from whom their gods had to borrow money, in times of trouble, to supply +their wants. They declare that their creditors refuse to set the gods at +liberty, until the money with the interest is paid. The people, seeing +the deplorable condition into which they have been brought, come forward +and pay off the debt; when the chains are taken off, and the god is set +at liberty. + +Another way in which the Brahmins sometimes deceive the people, is as +follows. They say that the god is afflicted with some dreadful disease, +brought on by the distress which he has had, because the people do not +worship him as much as they should. In such cases, the idol is sometimes +placed at the door of the temple where they rub his forehead and temples +with various kinds of medicine. They also set before him all sorts of +medicines, pretending in this way to do all they can to cure him. But as +all their efforts prove to be vain, and the disease becomes worse, the +Brahmins send out persons to tell the sad news. The people, believing +the report, hasten to bring in their gifts and offerings. The god, on +beholding such proofs of their attachment to him, feels himself cured of +his disease, and immediately returns to his throne within the temple. + +The Brahmins use another kind of deception, in order to procure +offerings for the temples. They declare that their gods are angry with +certain individuals who have offended them, and that they have sent some +evil spirit or devil to take possession of their bodies and torment +them. Accordingly, persons appear wandering about in different parts of +the country, showing, by their dreadful convulsions, their writhings +and twistings, every symptom of being possessed with the devil. The +people who see them are filled with dismay, fall down before them, and +offer gifts and sacrifices, for fear of being injured by them. Whatever +they ask is granted. The people give them to eat and drink abundantly; +and when they leave a place, accompany them with instruments of music, +till they arrive at some other place, where the same deception is +practised. + +There are various other ways in which the Brahmins deceive the people; +but I have told you enough. + +At every large temple, there is at least yearly one grand procession. +The idol is brought out from its inclosure, and placed in a great car or +chariot, prepared for this express purpose. This stands upon four wheels +of great strength, not made like ours, of spokes with a rim, but of +three or four pieces of thick, solid timber, rounded and fitted to each +other. The car is sometimes forty or fifty feet high, having upon it +carved images of a most abominable nature. I must not tell you any thing +about them. The car, when finished, presents somewhat the shape of a +pyramid. + +[Illustration] + +On the day of the procession, it is adorned with painted cloth, garlands +of flowers, green shrubbery, and precious stuffs. The idol is placed in +the centre, loaded with jewels, etc., to attract the attention of the +people. Having fastened ropes to this enormous car, eight or nine +hundred or a thousand people catch hold of the ropes and slowly drag it +along, accompanied with the awful roaring of their voices. At certain +periods they stop; when the immense crowds, collected from all parts of +the country, set up one universal shout, or rather yell. This, with the +sound of their instruments and numerous drums, produces much uproar and +confusion. Sometimes the weighty car comes to a stand, from the dampness +of the ground or from the narrowness of the streets, when the tumult and +noise are redoubled. + +[Illustration] + +Perhaps you know that on some occasions, when the cars are drawn, people +throw themselves under the wheels, and are crushed to death. This occurs +at the drawing of the car of Juggernaut, as you may learn if you will +read my Sermon to Children, on the Condition of the Heathen. Here is a +picture of Juggernaut, and on the last page you may see a picture of his +car, and two men crushed to death under the wheels. Not long since, five +persons were thus crushed to death. Many dreadful accidents also take +place at the drawing of these cars. A few years ago several persons in +this city had their limbs amputated, in consequence of injuries +received. + +[Illustration] + +When I was in America, I showed to many of the dear children an idol +called Pulliar, which was _formerly_ worshipped by Raamu, one of our +native helpers, when he was a heathen. I gave a particular description, +of the I manner in which he daily worshiped it, in the sermon above +mentioned Here is a picture, which will give you some idea of this god. + +You will see that it is partly in the shape of a man, and partly in the +shape of a beast. You, my dear children, would put no confidence in such +vain idols; but this people do, as you may know from what I am now going +to tell you. + +Some months ago, a woman was brought to me with a cancer in her breast. +It had made sad ravages. On the morning after her arrival I took it out. +Before she was brought to me, her brother went to the temple of the +goddess Meenaache, to ascertain what was her will respecting his +bringing her to me, or taking her to a native doctor. In order to +ascertain it, he had recourse to the following expedient. He prepared +several bundles of red and white flowers--the red to represent the red +or Tamil man, the white to represent the white man. These flowers were +carefully inclosed in leaves, so as to prevent their color being seen, +and then laid down on the ground, at the entrance of the temple. After +this, he called a little child to him, and then proceeded to entreat +Meenaache that, if it were her will that he should bring the sick woman +to me, she would direct the child to take up one of the parcels +containing the white flowers. It so happened that the child took up one +of these parcels. Of course, he brought her to me. Had it taken up a +parcel containing the red flowers, she would have been taken to a native +doctor. May we not hope that, not Meenaache, but Jehovah directed him +to bring her to me, that she might hear of a very different being from +her goddess, even of Jesus. Of him she has fully heard. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +FESTIVALS OF THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear Children--The Hindoos have many festivals. These are all +occasions of joy and gladness. On such days, the people quit their usual +employments. Friends and relations unite in family parties, and give +entertainments according to their means. Innocent pastimes and +amusements of various kinds are resorted too to add to their happiness. + +There are eighteen principal festivals yearly, and no month passes +without one or more of them. + +One of the most solemn of these ceremonies is held in the month of +September, and appears to be principally in honor of Parvathe, the wife +of Siva. At this time every laborer and every artisan offers sacrifices +and prayers to his tools. The laborer brings his plough, hoe, and other +farming utensils. He piles them together, and offers a sacrifice to +them, consisting of flowers, fruit, rice, and other articles. After +this, he prostrates himself before them at full length, and then returns +them to their places. + +The mason offers the same adoration and sacrifice to his trowel, rule, +and other instruments The carpenter adores his hatchet, adze, and plane. +The barber collects his razors together and worships them with similar +rites. + +The writing-master sacrifices to the iron pen or style, with which he +writes upon the palm-leaf the tailor to his needles, the weaver to his +loom, the butcher to his cleaver. + +The women, on this day, collect into a heap their baskets, rice-mill, +rice-pounder, and other household utensils, and, after having offered +sacrifices to them, fall down in adoration before them. Every person, in +short, in this solemnity sanctifies and adores the instrument or tool by +which he gains a living. The tools are considered as so many gods, to +whom they present their prayers that they will continue to furnish them +still with the means of getting a livelihood. + +This least is concluded by making an idol to represent Parvathe. It is +made of the paste of grain, and being placed under a sort of canopy, is +carried through the streets with great pomp, and receives the worship of +the people. + +Another festival of great celebrity is observed in October. At this +time, each person, for himself, makes offerings of boiled rice and other +food, to such of their relations as have died, that they may have a good +meal on that day. They afterwards offer sacrifices of burning lamps, of +fruit, and of flowers, and also new articles of dress, that their +ancestors may be freshly clothed. + +At this festival, soldiers offer sacrifices to their weapons, in order +to obtain success in war. On such occasions, a ram is offered in +sacrifice to their armor. + +In November, a festival is observed, which is called the feast of lamps. +At this season, the Hindoos light lamps, and place them around the doors +of their houses. This festival was established to commemorate the +deliverance of the earth from a giant, who had been a great scourge to +the people. He was slain by Vrishnoo, after a dreadful battle. In many +places, on this day, a sacrifice is offered to the _dunghill_ which is +afterwards to enrich the ground. In the villages, each one has his own +heap, to which he makes his offering of burning lamps, fruit, flowers, +etc. + +The most celebrated of all the festivals, is that which is held in the +end of December. It is called the feast of Pongul, and is a season of +rejoicing for two reasons: the first is, because the month of December, +every day of which is unlucky, is about to end; and the other is, +because it is to be followed by a month, every day of which is +fortunate. For the purpose of preventing the evil effects of this month, +the women every morning scour a place about two feet square before the +door of the house, upon which they draw white lines, with flour. Upon +these they place several little balls of cow-dung, sticking in each a +flower. Each day these little balls, with their flowers, are preserved, +and on the last day of the month, they are thrown into tanks or +waste-places. + +The first day of this festival is called the Pongul of rejoicing. Near +relatives are invited to a feast, which passes off with mirth and +gladness. + +The second day is called the Pongul of the sun, and is set apart to +worship that luminary. Married women, after bathing themselves, proceed +to boil rice with milk, in the open air. When the milk begins to +simmer, they make a loud cry, "Pongul, O Pongul." The vessel is then +taken from the fire, and set before an idol. Part of this rice is +offered to the image, and, after standing there for some time, it is +given to the cows. The remainder is given to the people. This is the +great day for visiting among friends. The salutation begins by the +question, "Has the milk boiled?" To which the answer is, "It has +boiled." From this, the festival takes the name of pongul, which +signifies to boil. + +The third day is called the _Pongul of cows._ In a great vessel, filled +with water, they put saffron and other things. These being well mixed, +they go around the cows and oxen belonging to the house several times, +sprinkling them with water. After this, the men prostrate themselves +before them four times. The cows are then dressed, their horns being +painted with various colors. Garlands of flowers are also put round +their necks, and over their backs. To these are added strings of +cocoa-nuts and other kinds of fruit, which, however, are soon shaken +off, when they are in motion, and are picked up by children and others, +who greedily eat what they gather, as something sacred. After being +driven through the streets, they are suffered, during the day, to feed +wherever they please, without a keeper. I have, however, told you +enough. Are you ready to exclaim, Is it possible that a people can be +guilty of such utter folly? But you, my dear children, would be guilty +of just such folly, if you had not the Bible. Should not the gratitude, +then, which you owe to your heavenly Father, for your distinguished +mercies, constrain you to do all that you can to send this blessed book +to this dark land? + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE WORSHIP OF THE SERPENT. + + +My dear Children--If you have never heard much about the Hindoos, you +will be astonished to learn how numerous are the objects of their +worship. They worship many living creatures, such as the ape, the tiger, +the elephant the horse, the ox, the stag, the sheep, the hog, the dog, +the cat, the rat, the peacock, the eagle, the cock, the hawk, the +serpent, the chameleon, the lizard, the tortoise, fishes, and even +insects. Of these, some receive much more worship than others, such as +the cow, the ox, and the serpent Cobra Capella. I will speak at present +only of the worship of the serpent. + +Of all the dangerous creatures found in India, there are none that +occasion so many deaths as serpents. The people are very much exposed to +their bite, especially at night, when they are walking. They tread upon +them, and, as they generally do not wear shoes, the snakes turn their +heads, and strike their fangs into those parts of the feet which are +nearest to the place where the pressure is made upon their bodies. +Sometimes the bite is followed with instant death. The Cobra Capella is +one of the most common snakes, and one of the most poisonous. It is +said, that it has a thousand heads, one of which holds up the earth. It +has a peculiar mark on its back, just behind the head. This mark very +much resembles a pair of spectacles, without the handles. If you should +go near it, it would raise the fore part of its body about six inches, +widen out its neck, so as to be about double its common width, and +prepare to strike you. The reason why the Hindoos offer sacrifices and +adoration to it above all the other serpents is, because it is so +frequently met with, and is so much dreaded. + +In order to induce the people to worship this dangerous enemy, the +Hindoos have filled their books with tales concerning it. Figures of it +are often to be seen in the temples, and on other buildings. They seek +out their holes, which are generally to be found in the hillocks of +earth which are thrown up by the white ants; and when they find one, +they go from time to time and offer milk, plantains, and other good +things to it. + +[Illustration] + +The Hindoos, as I before observed, have eighteen annual festivals. One +of these festivals is held for the purpose of worshipping this serpent. +Temples in many places are erected to it, of which there is one of great +celebrity in Mysore. When the festival occurs at this temple, great +crowds of people come together to offer sacrifices to this creeping god. +Many serpents besides the Cobra Capella live within it, in holes made +especially for them. All of these are kept and well fed by the Brahmins +with milk, butter, and plantains. By such means they become very +numerous, and may be seen swarming from every crevice in the temple. To +injure or to kill one would be considered a great crime. + +Many of the natives call the Cobra Capella nulla paampu, that is, good +snake. They are afraid to call it a bad snake, lest it should injure +them. The following is the prayer which is offered before the image of +this snake. O, divine Cobra, preserve and sustain us. O, Sheoh, partake +of these offerings, and be gracious unto us. + +Can you think of any thing, my dear children more dishonoring to a holy +God, than such worship? And what have you ever done to prevent it? Have +you, every morning and evening, prayed that the Gospel might be sent to +this people? Did you ever give any money to send it to them? Did you +ever think whether it may not be your duty, by and by, to come to them, +to tell them of this Gospel? + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE RIVER GANGES. + + +My dear Children--If you will look at the map of Asia, and find the +country of Hindostan, you will see running through it a very celebrated +river--the river Ganges. It is called the Ganges, after the goddess +Gunga. The Hindoos say that the goddess Gungu--who was produced from the +sweat of Vrishnoo's foot, which Brumha caught and preserved in his +alms-dish--came down from heaven, and divided herself into one hundred +streams, which are the mouths of the river Ganges. All classes and +castes worship her. The sight, the name, or the touch of the river +Ganges is said to take away all sin. To die on the edge of the river, or +to die partly buried in the stream, drinking its waters, while their +bodies are besmeared with mud, is supposed to render them very holy. On +this account, when it is expected that a person will die, he is hurried +down to the river, whether willing or unwilling. Sometimes the wood +which the people bring to burn their bodies after death, is piled up +before their eyes. O, how inhuman is this. After it is supposed that +they are dead, and they are placed on the pile of wood, if they should +revive and attempt to rise, it is thought that they are possessed with +the devil, and they are beaten down with a hatchet or bamboo. + +Were you standing on the banks of the Ganges you might, perhaps, in one +place see two or three young men carrying a sick female to the river. If +you should ask what they are going to do with her, perhaps they would +reply, We are going to give her up to Gunga, to purify her soul, that +she may go to heaven; for she is our mother. In another place you might +see a father and mother sprinkling a beloved child with muddy water, +endeavoring to soothe his dying agonies by saying, "It is blessed to die +by Gunga, my son; to die by Gunga is blessed, my son." In another place +you might see a man descending from a boat with empty water-pans tied +around his neck, which pans, when filled, will drag down the poor +creature to the bottom, to be seen no more. Here is murder in the name +of religion. He is a devotee, and has purchased heaven, as he supposes, +by this his last good deed. In another place you might see a person +seated in the water, accompanied by a priest, who pours down the throat +of the dying man mud and water, and cries out, "O mother Gunga, receive +his soul." The dying man may be roused to sensibility by the violence. +He may entreat his priest to desist; but his entreaties are drowned. He +persists in pouring the mud and water down his throat, until he is +gradually stifled, suffocated--suffocated in the name of +humanity--suffocated in the name of religion. + +It happens, sometimes, in cases of sudden and violent attacks of +disease, that they cannot be conveyed to the river before death. Under +such circumstances, a bone is preserved, and at a convenient season is +taken down and thrown into the river. This, it is believed, contributes +essentially to the salvation of the deceased. + +Sometimes strangers are left on the banks to die, without the ceremony +of drinking Ganges water. Of these, some have been seen creeping along +with the flesh half eaten off their bones by the birds; others with +their limbs torn by dogs and jackals, and others partly covered with +insects. + +After a person is taken down to the river, if he should recover, it is +looked upon by his friends as a great misfortune. He becomes an outcast. +Even his own children will not eat with him, nor offer him the least +attention. If they should happen to touch him, they must wash their +bodies, to cleanse them from the pollution which has been contracted. +About fifty miles north of Calcutta, are two villages inhabited entirely +by these poor creatures, who have become outcasts in consequence of +their recovery after having been taken down to the Ganges. + +At the mouth of the river Hoogly, which is one of the branches of the +Ganges, is the island Sauger, which I saw as we approached Calcutta +after having been at sea for one hundred and twenty-eight days. Now, my +dear children, if you come out to India as missionaries, you will have +to sail nearly one hundred and thirty days before you can reach it. +Sauger island is the island where, formerly, hundreds of mothers were in +the habit of throwing their children to the crocodiles, and where these +mothers were wont to weep and cry if the crocodiles did not devour their +children before their eyes. Think what a dreadful religion that must +be, which makes mothers so hard-hearted. Did you ever take any corn or +Indian meal and throw it to the chickens? And what did these chickens +do? Did they not come around you and eat it? Well, just in this way the +crocodiles would come near those mothers, and devour their children. +Here is a picture of a mother throwing her child to a crocodile. + +[Illustration] + +I am glad to tell you, that the British have put a stop to the sacrifice +of children at that place; but mothers continue to destroy their +children elsewhere, and will continue to destroy them until Christians +send the Gospel to them. It is not improbable that vast numbers of +children are annually destroyed in the Ganges. Mothers sacrifice them, +in consequence of vows which they have made. When the time to sacrifice +them has come, they take them down to the river, and encourage them to +go out so far that they are taken away by the stream, or they push them +off with their own hands. + +I just remarked, that mothers will continue to destroy their children +until the Gospel is sent to them. That the Gospel does prevent such +things, the following circumstance will show. Several years ago, a +missionary lady went from New England to India. As she was walking out +one morning, on the banks of the Ganges, she saw a heathen mother +weeping. She went up to her, sat down by her side, put her hand into +hers, and asked what was the matter with her. "I have just been making a +basket of flags," said she, "and putting my infant in it--pushing it off +into the river, and drowning it. And my gods are very much pleased with +me, because I have done it." After this missionary lady had heard all +she had to say, she told her that her gods were no gods; that the only +true God delights not in such sacrifices, but turns in horror from them; +and that, if she would be happy here and hereafter, she must forsake her +sins, and pray to Jesus Christ, who died to save sinners like herself. +This conversation was the means of the conversion of that mother, and +she never again destroyed any of her infants. + +Such is the power of the blessed Gospel. And what the Gospel has done +once, it can do again. If Christians will send it to them, with the +blessing of God, the time will soon come when heathen mothers will no +more destroy their children. And have you nothing to do in this great +work, my dear children? When you grow up, cannot you go and tell them of +the Saviour? Here is a very pretty hymn about a heathen mother throwing +her child to a crocodile. + + See that heathen mother stand + Where the sacred currents flow, + With her own maternal hand, + 'Mid the waves her infant throw. + + Hark, I hear the piteous scream-- + Frightful monsters seize their prey, + Or the dark and bloody stream + Bears the struggling child away. + + Fainter now, and fainter still, + Breaks the cry upon the ear; + But the mother's heart is steel, + She unmoved that cry can hear. + + Send, O send the Bible there, + Let its precepts reach the heart; + She may then her children spare, + Act the mother's tender part. + +I have heard of a little boy who learned this hymn. He was deeply +affected by it, and wanted very much to give something to send the +Gospel to India. But he had no money. He was, however, willing to labor +in order to earn some. Hearing that a gentleman wanted the chips removed +from the ground near his woodpile, he hired himself to him, removed the +chips, got his money, and, with glistening eyes, went and delivered it +up, to be sent to the heathen, repeating, as he went, + + Send, O send the Bible there, + Let its precepts reach the heart; + She may then her children spare, + Act the mother's tender part. + +About one hundred miles above the mouth of the Hoogly is the city of +Calcutta, and about five hundred miles above that city is the city of +Benares. In these cities, as well as in other places, we see how much +the heathen will contribute to support their wretched religion. A rich +native in Calcutta has been known to spend more than one hundred +thousand dollars on a single festival--the festival of the goddess +Karle--and more than thirty thousand dollars every year afterwards +during his life, for the same purpose. Not long since, a rich native +gave at one time to his idols more than one million two hundred thousand +dollars. And what have Christians ever done to honor their Saviour, +which will bear a comparison with what the heathen do for their idols? +Alas, alas, few Christian men or Christian women, in all the church, are +willing to give even one-tenth of their annual income to the Lord. Most +of those who are rich, hoard up their money, instead of spending it for +the purpose of saving souls. And there are many persons who have never +given a farthing to send the Gospel to the heathen. O, what will such +say, when they must meet the heathen at the bar of God? + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE GODDESS DURGA. + + +My dear Children--From what I said, in my last chapter, about the +goddess Gunga, you see that the Hindoos worship goddesses as well as +gods. There is another goddess much worshipped the wife of the god Siva. +She has appeared in a thousand forms, with a thousand different names. +Of all these thousand forms, Durga and Karle are the most regarded by +the people. I will speak of Durga first. Of all the festivals in Eastern +India, hers is the most celebrated. She has ten hands, in which she +holds an iron club, a trident, a battle-axe, spears, thunderbolts, etc. +Thus armed, she is ever ready to fight with her enemies. + +Were you to be present in the city of Calcutta in the month of +September, you might everywhere see the people busy in preparing for the +yearly festival of this goddess. Images representing her you would find +in great numbers for sale, as bread or meat is sold. In the houses of +the rich, images are to be found made of gold, silver, brass, copper, +crystal, stone, or mixed metal, which are daily worshipped. These are +called permanent images. Besides these, multitudes of what are called +temporary images are made--made merely for the occasion and then +destroyed. They may be made of hay, sticks, clay, wood, or other such +things. Their size varies from a few inches to twenty feet in height. If +any persons are too poor to buy one of these images, they can make them +for themselves. When the festival is near at hand, people are seen in +every direction taking the images to their houses. After they are thus +supplied, the festival commences. It lasts fifteen days. The greater +part of this time is spent in preparing for the three great days of +worship. Early on the morning of the first of the three great days, the +Brahmins proceed to consecrate the images, or to give them, as they +suppose, life and understanding. Until they are consecrated, they are +not thought to be of any value. They are looked upon as senseless. A +wealthy family can always receive the services of one or more Brahmins, +and a few of the poor may unite and secure the services of one of them. +At length the solemn hour arrives. The Brahmin, with the leaves of a +sacred tree, comes near the image. With the two forefingers of his +right hand he touches the breast, the two cheeks, the eyes, and the +forehead of the image, at each touch saying the prayer, "Let the spirit +of Durga descend and take possession of this image." By such ceremonies, +and by repeating various _muntrums_, it is supposed that the Brahmins +have the power to bring down the goddess to take possession of the +image. Having been thus consecrated, it is believed to be a proper +object of worship. Having eyes, it can now behold every act of worship +which is made; having ears, it can be delighted with music and with +songs; having a nose, it can smell the sweet perfumes which are offered; +having a mouth, it can be delighted with the rich food which is prepared +for it. + +After the image is consecrated, the worship begins. The devotee comes +near the image, and falls down before it. He then twists himself into a +great variety of shapes. Sometimes he sits on the floor, sometimes he +stands, sometimes he looks in one direction, sometimes in another. Then +he sprinkles the idol with holy water, rinses its mouth, washes its +feet, wipes it with a dry cloth, throws flowers over it, puts jewels on +it, offers perfumes to it, and finishes by performing shaashtaangkum. + +The worship of the idol is succeeded by a season of carousing, joy, and +festivity. On this occasion, large offerings are made to the idols. A +rich native has been known to offer eighty thousand pounds of +sweetmeats, eighty thousand pounds of sugar, a thousand suits of cloth +garments, a thousand suits of silk, a thousand offerings of rice, +plantains, and other fruits. + +Bloody sacrifices are offered up on such occasions. The king of Nudiya, +some time ago, offered a large number of sheep, goats, and buffaloes on +the first day of the feast, and vowed to double the offering every day; +so that the whole number sacrificed amounted to more than sixty-five +thousand. You may remember that king Solomon offered up on one occasion +twenty-two thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. If +all the animals slain throughout Hindostan, at the festival of the +goddess Durga, were collected together, they would amount to a much +larger number than Solomon offered. + +After the worship and offerings have been continued for three days, the +festival closes. As the morning of the first day was devoted to the +consecration of the images, the morning of the fourth is spent in +unconsecrating them. This work is done by the Brahmins. They profess, by +various ceremonies, to send back the goddess to her heaven, concluding +with a farewell address, in which they tell her that they expect her to +accept of all their services, and return and pay them a visit again in +the coming year. Then all unite in bidding her a sorrowful adieu, and +many seem affected even to the shedding of tears. + +Soon afterwards the images are carried forth into the streets, placed on +stages or platforms, and raised on men's shoulders. As the procession +moves onward through the streets, accompanied with music and songs, amid +clouds of dust, you might see them waving long hairy brushes to wipe off +the dust, and to keep off the flies and mosquitoes, which might trouble +the senseless images. But where are these processions going? To the +banks of the Ganges. And for what purpose? For the purpose of casting +the images into the river. When all the ceremonies connected with the +occasion are finished, those who carry the images suddenly fall upon +them, break them to pieces, and then throw them with violence into the +river. After this the people return to their homes. + +I have now given you a specimen of the image-worship of the Hindoos; and +how different is it from the worship which the Bible enjoins. "God is a +Spirit; and they who worship him, must worship him in spirit and in +truth." The very reverse of this, as you have seen, marks the worship of +the heathen. They are not satisfied, unless they can have some object +before them, to which they can make their offerings and their prayers. +Thus daily are they engaged in a service which, above all others, is the +most offensive and provoking to a holy God--a service which has caused +him to declare, that idolaters shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. +This, too, is the service in which every person, who has never given +himself to the Saviour, is engaged; and, of course, in which you are +engaged if you have not given your hearts to him. Those who think more +of their money than they think of Christ, just as certainly worship the +image which is stamped on a dollar or a cent, as the heathen worship +their idols. Those who love their fathers and mothers, and brothers and +sisters more than Christ, make these their idols. And are you, my dear +children, yet out of Christ? If so, you have your idols. And what are +these idols? Are they the world and its vanities? Then God is as angry +with you as he is with the heathen, and unless you give up these idols, +you too must be lost. + +In a tract of mine, published by the American Tract Society, entitled, +"Knocking at the Door"--a tract which I _most earnestly_ entreat you to +get and read--you will find an account of the death of a young lady, who +had chosen the world and its vanities as her idols. I was her physician. +After having attended her for about a month, I perceived, one morning, +that her disease must soon prove fatal. I told her that she could not +live. She then exclaimed, "Doctor, can I not live a month?" I informed +her that she could not. Again she exclaimed, "Can I not live two weeks?" +She was told that she could not live two weeks. And such a scene of +horror followed as I never before witnessed, and may God be pleased to +grant that I may never witness such another. Until laid upon a dying +bed, I fear that she had neglected to think about her soul's concerns. +Now she requested to be taken from it, and placed upon her knees, that +she might call upon God to have mercy upon her. As her case excited much +attention, some of the youth came to see her. These she warned, in the +most solemn manner, not to put off repentance, as she had done, to a +dying hour. Looking up at me, on one occasion, she exclaimed, "Doctor, +cannot you save me?" Alas, what could I do for the poor sufferer. +Witness, now, how anxious she was to obtain the favor of that God whom +she had hitherto neglected. Yes, so anxious that she requested her +friends not to allow her to sleep, that she might spend every remaining +breath in calling upon God to have mercy upon her. One very affecting +circumstance occurred. She requested her trunk either to be brought to +her bedside, or to be opened. From this a ring, which was set with red +garnets, was taken out by herself, or by another, and handed to her. She +then called a young friend to her bedside, put the ring upon her finger, +and said to her, "Don't you put off repentance, as I have done, until a +dying hour." That ring is now in my possession. In less than forty-eight +hours after I told her that she could not live, she passed into +eternity. Would that I could show you that mournful countenance, which +continued long after the last spark of life had become extinct; yes, +even up to the moment when the lid of her coffin for ever hid it from +our view. Never, never shall I forget it. It was a sad monument of the +wreck within. + +Now, my dear children, you would not like to die as, I fear, this young +lady died. Well, then, if you would die differently, you must live +differently. You must live for Christ, if you would die in Christ. And +are you Christ's, or are you yet gay and thoughtless--as gay and as +thoughtless as this young lady was, until laid upon her dying bed? If +you are so, and if you continue to remain in this sad condition, your +season of sorrow too will certainly come, and it will come when you +expect it not. As the little insect which flies round and round your +candle is dazzled with its brightness, and feels nothing but pleasure, +until it unconsciously strikes the blaze with its little wings, and is +swallowed up in the flame; so you are dazzled with the pleasures of the +world, thinking nothing of the flames which may swallow you up in a +moment, and put a stop to all your joys for ever. O, that the death-bed +scene of Miss Matthews might have a happy effect upon you. O, that the +solemn warning which she gave to her young friend, not to put off +repentance as she had done, until a dying hour, might continue to sound +in your ears, until you would no longer delay repentance. My dear +children, this young lady, though dead, yet speaketh. She speaks to you. +She calls upon you from her tomb--from the eternal world, to delay +repentance no longer. Will you, then, be so mad as to turn a deaf ear to +this call? Will you ever take another sip from the cup of unhallowed +pleasure? Will you ever direct your little feet to the ballroom, or +other places of sinful amusement? Will you hereafter prefer your worldly +joys to Christ? O, you must not, you must not. It will not do for you to +be lost. Who, O who can lie down in everlasting burnings? Who can dwell +for ever with devouring flames? + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE GODDESS KARLE. + + +My dear Children--In the preceding chapter I spoke of Karle. She, as I +there mentioned, is the wife of Siva, and, like her husband, has the +power of destruction. From the images made of her, it would appear that +she is a female, of a black or dark blue color. She has four arms. In +one hand she holds a sword, and in another a human head. Her hair is +dishevelled, reaching down to her feet. Her countenance is most +ferocious. Her tongue comes out of her mouth, and hangs over her chin. +She has three eyes, red and fiery. Her lips and eyebrows are streaked +with blood. She has two dead bodies for ear-rings, and wears a girdle +around her loins--a girdle made of bloody hands, which she cut off from +the bodies of her enemies. She has a necklace of skulls, which she took +from the bodies of the giants and others killed by her. + +[Illustration] + +Of all the Hindoo divinities, this goddess is the most cruel and +revengeful. Such is her thirst for blood, that being unable at one time +to procure any giants for her prey, in order to quench her thirst, she +cut her own throat, that the blood issuing thence might spout into her +mouth. Different acts of worship are performed to appease her. If, for +example, a devotee should burn his body, by applying a burning lamp to +it, it would be very pleasing to her. If he should draw some of his +blood and give it to her, or if he should cut off a piece of his flesh +and offer it as a burnt-offering, she would be still move pleased. If he +should present _whole_ burnt-offerings upon the altar, saying, "Hrang, +brang, Karle, Karle! O, horrid-toothed goddess, eat, eat; destroy all +the malignant: cut with this axe; bind, bind; seize, seize; drink this +blood; spheng, spheng; secure, secure; salutation to Karle," she would +be much delighted. It is said that she will be pleased for three months, +if the people offer her the blood of a crocodile--for a thousand years, +if they offer her the blood of one man, and a hundred thousand years, if +they offer her the blood of three. + +This goddess is the patroness of thieves. To her they pay their +devotions, to obtain help to carry on their wicked delights. Gangs meet +together, and, after having offered bloody sacrifices, and worshipped +their weapons, and having drunk some intoxicating liquor, and rubbed +their bodies with oil, they go forth to rob. They have a prayer, which +they offer when they worship their weapons. It is as follows: "O, +instrument formed by the goddess, Karle commands thee to cut a passage +into the house, to cut through stones, bones, bricks, wood, the earth, +and mountains, and cause the dust thereof to be carried away by the +wind." Scattered throughout India, there is a lawless set of men whose +profession it is to get their food by murder. They are called +Phansiagars, or Thugs. They owe their origin and laws to Karle. They say +that she told them to become murderers and plunderers. They are called +Phansiagars, from the name of the instrument which they use when they +murder people. Phansiagar means a strangler, and they use a phansi, or +noose, which they throw over the necks of those whom they intend to +plunder, and strangle them. These Phansiagars are composed of all +castes, Hindoos, Mahommedans, pariahs, and chandellars. This arises from +the circumstance that they never destroy the children of those whom they +rob and murder. These children they take care of, and bring up to their +own horrible mode of life. They always murder those whom they rob, +acting upon the maxim that "dead men tell no tales." A gang of these +robbers varies from a dozen to sixty or seventy persons. These divide +into small parties. Those whom they murder are travellers, whom they +happen to meet on the road. Sometimes two or three of a gang will take +up their station in a choultry, or place where the traveller stops, and +while he sleeps, they rouse him from his sleep, and cast the noose over +his head and kill him. It takes two persons to kill a man. One casts the +noose over his head, and immediately tightens it with all his strength; +the other strikes him on the joint of his knees as he rises, which +causes him to fall forwards. After he has fallen, they kick him on the +temples till he dies, which is usually in a minute. They never commit a +murder until they have taken every precaution not to be found out. They +will follow a traveller for weeks, if necessary, before they destroy +him. After they have murdered him, they gash the body all over and bury +it. They gash it, that it may not swell, and cause cracks to take place +in the ground, which might cause the jackals to dig down to the body, +and thus expose their guilt. If a dog accompanies the person, they +always kill it, lest the faithful creature should lead to the discovery +of his master. They think it to be a very good act to give a part of the +plunder, which they get when they murder a person, to their goddess. If +they fail to put him to death according to their rules, they suppose +that they have made her angry, and they make offerings to her, that she +may be appeased. Thus, you see that their religion teaches them to +commit the blackest of crimes. + +The reason why this people gash and bury the bodies of those whom they +murder, is as follows. They say that the goddess used to save them the +trouble of burying the corpses of their victims by eating them, thus +screening the murderers from all chance of being found out. Once, after +the murder of a traveller, the body was, as usual, left unburied. One of +the Phansiagars employed, unguardedly looking behind him, saw the +goddess in the act of feasting upon it. This made her so angry, that she +vowed never again to devour a body slaughtered by them; they having, by +this one act of curiosity, forfeited her favor. However, as an +equivalent for withdrawing her patronage, she plucked one of the fangs +from her jaw, and gave it to them, saying that they might use it as a +pickaxe, which would never wear out. She then opened her side and pulled +out one of her ribs, which she gave them for a knife, whose edge nothing +could blunt. Having done this, she stooped down and tore off the hem of +her garment, which she gave to them for a noose, declaring that it +would never fail to strangle any person about whose throat it might be +cast. She moreover commanded them to gash and bury the bodies of those +whom they destroyed. + +The Phansiagars bring up their children to their own profession. To +learn this, the boy is placed under the care of a tutor. Sometimes his +father is his teacher. By him he is taught that it is just as proper to +murder a man, as it is to kill a snake which lies in his path and would +bite him as he passes. He is not permitted at first to see the murders, +but merely a dead body; his mind being gradually prepared for the sight. +After this, the dreadful secret of his trade is, by degrees, told him. +When he expresses a wish to be engaged in this horrid business, they +tell him all about it. In the meantime he is allowed a small part of the +plunder, in order that his desire to commit these murders may be +increased; since it is only by murder that the plunder is obtained. He +is from time to time allowed to assist in some things, while the murder +is taking place, or allowed to be present to see how the business is +managed. It is not, however, until he becomes a man, that he is +permitted to apply the noose. To attain this privilege, he usually +devotes eight or ten years. Before he can commit a murder, his tutor +must present him with a noose. This sets him loose upon the world, as a +licensed murderer. When the tutor is about to give him the noose, he +takes him apart, and solemnly enjoins it upon him to use it with skill, +as it is to be the means of his earning his food, and as his safety will +depend upon the skill with which it is used. After he receives it, he +tries his skill in strangling a person the first opportunity that +offers. + +By the course of education which the Phansiagars undergo, they become so +fond of their dreadful occupation, that nothing can induce them to quit +it. Some who have been employed in the East India Company's service, +have always returned to their business when an opportunity offered of a +successful enterprise. + +When the Phansiagars become old, they do not quit the service, but act +as watchers, and decoy the traveller, by some false tale of distress, +into some distant place, where he is murdered. + +Women are sometimes admitted to the society of these plunderers, and, +on some occasions, are allowed to apply the noose. They select a +handsome girl, and place her in a convenient spot, where, by her beauty, +or by a false story of distress, she may decoy some unsuspecting +traveller, and be the means of his destruction. Should he be on +horseback, she will induce him to take her up behind him; after which, +when an opportunity offers, she throws the noose over his head, leaps +from the horse, drags him to the ground, and strangles him. I will +mention an instance. It happened that a horseman of Coorg, in the Madras +presidency, was passing by a spot where one of these interesting-looking +girls was stationed. She told him a piteous story of having been robbed +and badly treated, and begged him to assist her. Feeling sorry for her, +he offered to take her behind him, on his horse, and thus assist her a +few miles on her journey. She expressed much gratitude for his kindness, +and mounted. Soon afterwards she suddenly passed a noose over his head, +and, drawing it with all her might, endeavored to pull him from his +saddle. At this moment, a number of Phansiagars started from the +neighboring thicket and surrounded him. The murderess then slipped from +the horse; but the Coorg striking his heels into the horse's sides, it +threw out its hind legs with great violence, and struck to the ground +the girl, who immediately let go the cord. He then drew his sword, and, +cutting his way through the robbers, effected his escape. He wounded two +of them severely. These men were shortly afterwards taken, and, through +their means, twelve others fell into the hands of the judicial officers +of the king of Coorg, including the girl who attempted the murder. They +were all put to death. + +And is it possible that such persons can go to heaven? How could such +ever relish its pure joys? What would they do, could they be admitted +there? My dear children, it is a charity which has no foundation, to +suppose that the heathen can go to heaven. I have preached the Gospel to +tens of thousands of them, but I never saw one who had the least atom of +a qualification for that holy place. "They have all gone out of the +way." Every crime which the apostle Paul speaks of in the latter part of +the first chapter of his epistle to the Romans, they commit, and crimes +of so dreadful a nature that I cannot mention them--crimes which, should +they be written in the Bible, would cause the Bible to be a sealed book +for ever. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +SELF-TORTURES OF THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear Children--As the heathen have no Bible to direct them, they have +devised various means by which they expect to obtain the favor of their +gods, and get to heaven. I will mention some of these. + +Some burn a lamp in a temple. They think that this is a very meritorious +act. Some roll on the ground after the god, as he is carried in a great +car or chariot around the temple. It is customary for the people to +build very high cars or chariots, and cover them with very beautiful +cloths. They also tie the cocoa-nut blossom and plantain-tree within +them, and attach great ropes to them. When they are ready to drag these +cars, or chariots, they bring their gods of gold or of brass from the +temples, and place them on them. Then one, two, three, six, nine +hundred, and even a thousand persons, when the cars are very large, +catch hold of these ropes and drag them around the temple. While they +are doing this, many of the heathen, to fulfil vows which they made when +in sickness, and at other times of distress, throw themselves on the +ground, and roll over from side to side, and frequently much injure +themselves. + +Some swing on great hooks, which are passed through the tender parts of +their backs. Sometimes they swing for half an hour; sometimes an hour. +The longer they can bear the torture of the swinging, the more +acceptable they suppose it will be to their goddess. It occasionally +happens, that the flesh in which the hooks are fastened gives way, in +which case the poor creature is dashed to the ground. When this occurs, +the people hold him in the greatest abhorrence. They judge him to be a +great criminal, and suppose that he has met a violent death in +consequence of sins which he committed in a former birth. + +Not long since, I attended one of these hook-swingings, not far from the +city of Madura. It took place on the morning of June 8th, 1848, just +twenty-nine years after I first left America for India. It should have +taken place on the preceding afternoon; but one of the axle-trees of the +car, which was to support the machine on which the man was to be +elevated in the air, was broken. Nothing, of course, could be done until +it was repaired. The carpenters and others worked with great diligence +until about eleven o'clock at night, when every thing was prepared for +the swinging. I expected immediately after this to witness the ceremony. +It however did not take place until the morning. While waiting for the +man who was to be swung to make his appearance, I took a pencil and made +a drawing of the machine to which he was to be fastened. The picture on +the first page of the book will give you some idea of it. + +Yon have, perhaps, often seen a well-sweep. The long beam in the picture +is swung in the same manner as is the well-sweep, with a single +exception. In addition to its usual motion, it is made to turn +horizontally. The cuts which you may have seen, in two or three of my +little books, differ much from the above; of course different machines +are used at different times. There are stationary swingings, as well as +swingings of the kind to which I just alluded. + +Between six and seven o'clock in the morning, the man who was to be +swung made his appearance for a few moments, and then disappeared. The +hooks by which he was to be swung, as well as the iron rods with which a +number of devotees were immediately to pierce their sides, were carried +through the streets, and held up that they might be seen by the people. +Soon afterwards the man again appeared with the hooks in his back, and +went up to the end of the beam to which he was to be fastened. This, of +course, was lowered. Notwithstanding the dense multitudes of people, I +made my way to the same spot, determined to be satisfied whether or not +there was any deception in the application of the hooks. There was no +deception. They passed through the skin, on the sides of the backbone. +To these hooks were attached yellow ropes, by which he was fastened to +the beam, as you will perceive in the picture. This being done, the men, +five or six in number, who had hold of the ropes fastened to the end of +the beam which you see resting on the ground, and which was then, of +course, high in the air, drew him up until the beam lay horizontally. +Then, after making him perform one circular motion around the car, they +elevated him, as you see in the picture. When thus elevated, it was +thought that he was forty feet from the ground. All being ready, the +people seized the ropes which you see in front of the car, and began to +draw it. Mr. Chandler and myself accompanied it through the streets, +until it came to the place from which it set out. The distance of ground +passed over was at least half a mile, and the time in which the journey +was accomplished exceeded an hour. Of course he was swinging more than +an hour. As the car passed through the streets, the people threw +plantains from the tops of the houses to the crowds below. + +The man who was swung was adorned with flowers and other ornaments. He +had a tinselled turban on his head. His body was rubbed over with a +yellow paste, made, most probably, from the sandal-wood. Around his +ankles were rings, hung with little bells, which he made to tinkle, as +he was swinging, by striking his legs together. He wore a dark or black +pair of pantaloons, which came a little below the knees, and which had +a border of gold around them. He held a handkerchief in one hand, and a +knife somewhat resembling a dagger, in the other. These he kept in +constant motion, by moving his arms. On one occasion, a bunch of +plantains was tied to one of the long ropes which you see hanging down +by the side of the swinger. These he drew up, and afterwards scattered +over the people on a house opposite to him. [Illustration.] + +After following the car for a quarter of a mile or more, we went before +it, and there witnessed another appalling sight. There were five or six +men, who had the rods of iron which I just mentioned passed through the +skin of their sides. They were dancing along, and, as they danced, they +made these rods go backward and forward through the skin. + +After the car had reached the place from which it set out, the end of +the beam from which the man was swinging was then lowered and he was +untied. Again I looked very carefully at the hooks in the back. The +people say that no blood is shed by their introduction, and consider +this to be a miracle. The falsity of this assertion was shown by the +blood which I saw on the side of one of the wounds. + +I have been long in this country, and consequently have become so +familiarized with heathenism, that my feelings, though deeply wounded at +this sight, were not so keenly affected as were those of my new +associate, Mr. Chandler. He has been on heathen ground but a short time. +When they tied the man to the beam, he was unnerved and wellnigh +overcome; and he told me, that during all the time he was following the +car, he felt like shedding tears. + +While following the car, the young men of America came into my mind. +They refuse to come, said I, to help these miserable creatures. O, they +will not come--they will not come. I thought, that if many of the dear +children of that land--children to whom I lately preached, as well as +others, could witness this poor creature swinging from the end of a long +beam, far above the tops of the trees, and that, too, by hooks passing +through the tender parts of his back, they would say, we will, by and +by, become missionaries, and, by the help of God, proclaim to the +heathen that there is a Saviour. + +On the evening of the day on which the swinging takes place, another act +of great cruelty is practised. Devotees throw themselves from, the top +of a high wall, or a scaffold of twenty or thirty feet in height, upon a +bed of iron spikes, or on bags of straw with knives in them. Many are +often mangled and torn. Others are quickly killed. + +At night, many of the devotees sit down in the open air, and pierce the +skin of their foreheads, by inserting a small rod of iron. To this is +suspended a lamp, which is kept burning till daylight. + +Sometimes bundles of thorns are collected before the temple, among which +the devotees roll themselves without any covering. These thorns are then +set on fire, when they briskly dance over the flames. + +Other devotees swing before a slow fire; some stand between two fires, +as you see in this picture. + +[Illustration:] + +Some have their breasts, arms, and other parts stuck entirely full of +pins, about the thickness of small nails, or packing needles. + +Another very cruel torture is practised. Some of the devotees make a +vow. With one hand they cover their under lip with wet earth or mud. On +this, with the other hand, they place some small grains, usually of +mustard-seed They then stretch themselves flat on their backs, exposed +to the dews of night, and the blazing and scorching sun by day. Their +vow is, that from this position they will not stir, that they will not +move nor turn, nor eat nor drink, till the seeds planted on their lips +begin to sprout. This usually takes place on the third or fourth day. +After this they arise, and then think that they are very holy. + +There is a class of devotees in this country called Yogis, whose object +it is to root out every human feeling. Some live in holes and caves. +Some drag around a heavy chain attached to them. Some make the circuit +of an empire, creeping on their hands and knees. Some roll their bodies +from the shores of the Indus to the Ganges. + +The Rev. Mr. Heyer, in one of his letters from India, says, that an +Indian devotee has spent more than nine years on a journey from Benares +to Cape Comorin, that is, from the 27th to the 7th degree of north +latitude. The whole journey is made by rolling on the bare ground, from +side to side. When he comes to a river, of course he cannot roll over +it. He therefore fords it, or passes over it in a boat, and then rolls +on the banks of the river just as far as the river is wide. By doing +this, he supposes that his determination to roll all the way is fully +carried out. + +[Illustration] + +Some devotees hold up one or both arms, until the muscles become rigid, +and their limbs become shrivelled into stumps. In the above cut, you +have a representation of a man with one of these shrivelled arms. See +how long his finger-nails have grown. One has run through his hand and +back through his arm. Some stretch themselves on beds of iron spikes. +Some wear great square irons on their necks. I have seen not only a man, +but a woman, with these great square irons around their necks, each +nearly two feet in length and two feet in breadth. These they put on for +the purpose of fulfilling some vow which they have made. For instance, +if a mother has a very sick little boy, she will say, "Now, Swammie, if +you will cure my little boy, I will have a square iron put on my neck, +and wear it all my life." After this vow is made, if the little boy gets +well, the mother thinks that her Swammie has cured him, and to fulfil +her engagement she will have one of these irons put on her neck. + +[Illustration:] + +[Illustration:] + +Other devotees throw themselves from the tops of precipices, and are +dashed to pieces; some bury themselves alive in holes, which their own +relatives have dug; some bind themselves with ropes or chains to trees, +until they die; some keep gazing so long and so constantly at the +heavens, that the muscles of their neck become contracted, and no +aliment but liquids can pass into the stomach. + +But I will not continue this subject. You perceive, my dear children, +what a wretched religion that must be which encourages its followers to +perform such acts. And how vain are all these acts--how utterly +destitute are they of any merit. Those who practise them are not made +better by them, and they are just as far from the kingdom of heaven +after having performed them, as they were before. The Christian religion +encourages no such things. It tells us to perform no pilgrimages to holy +places, to inflict no self-tortures. But it has its requirements, and +these are very simple, and may easily be performed by all who are +willing to do their duty. These requirements are, repentance, forsaking +sin, faith in Christ, and a supreme devotedness to his service. Have +you, my dear children, attended to these requirements? If not, you are +in a much worse condition than these poor heathen of whom you have been +reading. They are not as guilty before God as you are. They know not +their Master's will. Still, they must perish, unless the Gospel is sent +to them. But though they perish, their punishment will be lighter than +the punishment of those who refuse to love and obey the Saviour. That +servant who knows his Lord's will, and prepares not himself, neither +does according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he +that knows not, and does commit things worthy of stripes, shall be +beaten with few stripes. Should it be your sad lot to perish at last, it +would be far better for you to go down to hell enveloped in all the +darkness of a heathen land, than to go down to hell from a land of such +gospel light and privileges as you enjoy. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE SUTTEE, OR BURNING OF WIDOWS. + + +My dear children--From what I have already told you, you know that the +Hindoos are a cruel people. But I have not told you of the extent to +which they carry their cruelty. Perhaps it is shown to the highest +degree in their practice of the suttee, or burning of widows. The +British have abolished this rite throughout their dominions in India. +They have also made great exertions to have it abolished in the +territories of the native princes, but I am sorry to say, that in some +of these territories it is still practised. Within the last three years, +twenty-three of the princes just alluded to, have issued orders for its +abolishment throughout their dominions. These orders have probably been +issued solely in consequence of their fear of the British power, for it +is a practice which is riveted in the affections of the people. This +power they know that it will be dangerous to resist. + +In my "Sermon to Children, on the Condition of the Heathen," I +mentioned, that the sacred books of the heathen encourage the suttee. I +also mentioned several instances, in which widows had been burned to +death with the corpses of their husbands. Even though you may have seen +that book, it will be well for me to give you two or three other cases, +to impress your minds more fully with the horrors of the Hindoo +religion. The first took place in a village of Tanjore. A merchant +having died, his wife, who was about thirty years old, determined to +burn herself with his corpse. The news of what she was going to do, +quickly spread in every direction, and large numbers of people collected +to witness the burning. After she was adorned with jewels and dressed in +her best clothing, and after her body was tinged with the yellow +infusion of sandal-wood and saffron, bearers arrived to take away the +corpse with the wretched woman. The body of the man was placed on a car, +ornamented with costly stuffs, flowers, etc. There he was seated like a +living man, elegantly decorated with all his jewels, and clothed in rich +attire. + +The corpse being carried first, the wife followed in a rich palanquin. +As she went along, the surrounding multitudes of people stretched out +their hands towards her to show how much they admired her conduct. The +women in particular went up to her to wish her joy, apparently desiring +to receive her blessing, or at least, that she would pronounce over them +some pleasing word. She tried to satisfy them all, saying to one, that +she would long continue to enjoy her worldly happiness, and to another, +that she would be the mother of many beautiful children. Another was +informed, that she would soon arrive at great honor in the world. These, +and similar expressions, she made to all who came near her, and they +departed with the full belief that they would enjoy all the blessings of +which she had spoken. She also distributed among them some betel-leaves, +which they gladly received as relics, or something of blessed influence. + +During the whole procession, which was very long, her countenance was +serene and even cheerful, until they came to the pile upon which she was +to die. Then she suddenly became pensive. She no longer attended to what +was passing around her. Her looks were wildly fixed upon the pile. Her +face grew pale. She trembled with fear, and seemed ready to faint away. + +The Brahmins, who took the lead in this ceremony, with her relations, +seeing her sad condition, ran to her, and endeavored to restore her +spirits, but she seemed not to know what they said, and answered not a +word. + +They made her quit the palanquin, and her nearest relatives took her to +a pond of water which was near the pile, where they washed her. They +then attended her to the pile, on which the corpse of her husband had +already been laid. It was surrounded with Brahmins, each with a lighted +torch in one hand, and a bowl of melted butter in the other, all ready, +as soon as the poor victim was placed on the pile, to envelope her in +fire. + +The relatives armed with muskets, sabres, and other weapons, stood +closely around in a double line, for the purpose, it was said, of making +her afraid, if she might wish to draw back, or of frightening any body +who might pity her, and endeavor to rescue her. + +At length the time for firing the pile being proclaimed, the young widow +was stripped of her jewels, and led on towards the pile. She was then +commanded to walk three times around it, two of her nearest relations +supporting her by the arms. The first round she accomplished with +tottering steps; but in the second, her strength forsook her, and she +fainted away in the arms of those who were holding her. They were +obliged to drag her between them for the third round. Then senseless, +she was thrown upon the corpse of her husband. At that instant, the +multitude made the air to ring with their shouts of gladness, while the +Brahmins poured the butter on the dry wood, and applied the torches. +Instantly the whole pile was in a blaze. + +As soon as the flames began to rage, the poor woman, now in the midst of +them, was called upon by name, from all sides; but as insensible as the +corpse on which she lay, she made no answer. She entered eternity, +suffocated at once, most probably, by the flames. + +The second case of suttee which I shall mention took place at the death +of the rajah, or king of Tanjore. He left behind him four wives. + +The Brahmins having determined that two of these four should be burned +with the corpse of their husband, and having selected the two whom they +thought best to sacrifice, they told them of what awaited them. They +received the information with apparent joy. A refusal would have been +attended with their utter disgrace. + +One day only was necessary to get ready for the funeral ceremonies. They +were conducted as follows: In a field somewhat distant from the palace, +the people made a hollow, not very deep, but about twelve or fifteen +feet square. Within it they made a pyramid of the sweet-smelling +sandal-wood. On the middle of the pyramid, a scaffold was built in such +a manner that the posts could easily be taken away, by which means the +scaffold would fall at once. On the four corners of the platform, large +jars were placed, filled with melted butter, to besmear the pyramid, +that it might be the more easily set on fire. + +The following was the order of the procession. It was headed by a great +number of soldiers under arms. They were followed by a multitude of +musicians, chiefly trumpeters, who made the air reecho with their +melancholy sounds. Next came the body of the king upon a splendid +palanquin, richly adorned. This was surrounded by the nearest relations +and by the priest of the king. They were all on foot, and without their +turbans in token of mourning. A large party of Brahmins formed around +them as an immediate escort. The two wives who were to be burned with +the corpse came next, each borne on a palanquin. During the journey they +appeared calm and cheerful. The troops kept off the immense crowds who +were assembled from every direction. + +The two queens, loaded with jewels, were attended by their favorite +women, with whom they occasionally conversed, and by their relations of +both sexes. To many of these they had made presents before leaving the +palace. They were also accompanied by thousands of Brahmins, collected +from different quarters. These were followed by an innumerable multitude +of persons of both sexes. When they arrived at the ground where they +were to be burned, the two victims were made to descend from their +palanquins, for the purpose of performing the preparatory ceremonies. +They went through the whole without showing any fear until towards the +close, when their countenances began to change, and their three circuits +around the pile were not performed without considerable effort to +maintain calmness. + +In the meantime, the body of the king had been placed on the scaffold +over the platform. The two queens were also laid down beside the corpse, +one on the right hand, and the other on the left, and they joined hands +by stretching them over the body. The astrologer having then declared +that the happy moment was come for firing the pile, the Brahmins +repeated several prayers in a loud voice, and sprinkled the pile with +holy water. When these ceremonies were finished, a signal was given, and +the pillars which supported the pyramid and the scaffold were suddenly +taken away. Immediately the women were covered with the falling mass of +timber, which tumbled over them with a crash. At the same instant the +pile was fired in all its parts. On one side, the nearest relative of +the king applied his torch, and on the other side, the priest; while the +Brahmins, in every quarter, were pouring jars of melted butter on the +flames, creating so intense a heat as must instantly have consumed the +victims. Then the multitude shouted for joy, and the relations +approaching the pile also set up a loud cry, calling them by their +names. They supposed that they heard a voice in answer pronouncing +_Enna?_ that is, _What_? but the fall of the platform, and the immediate +bursting out of the flames, must have stifled them at once. + +Such was the miserable cud of these poor unhappy queens--unhappy victims +of the most cruel religion that ever disgraced the earth. + +Not unfrequently the sons take a prominent part in destroying their +mothers. This will appear from the following case. A Brahmin died, and +was brought to the place of burning. His wife was fastened to the pile, +and the fire was kindled, but the night was dark and rainy. When the +fire began to scorch the poor woman, she contrived to disentangle +herself from the dead body, and creeping from under the pile, hid +herself among some brushwood. In a little time it was discovered that +there was but one body on the pile. The relations immediately took the +alarm, and searched for the poor creature. The son soon dragged her +forth, and insisted that she should throw herself on the pile again, or +drown or hang herself. She pleaded for her life at the hands of her own +son, and declared that she could not embrace so horrid a death; but she +pleaded in vain. He urged, that he should lose his caste if she were +spared, and added, that either he or she must die. Unable to persuade +her to hang or drown herself, the son and the others present tied her +hands and feet, and threw her on the funeral pile, where she quickly +perished. + +[Illustration: BURNING OF WIDOWS] + +I observed that the rite of suttee is riveted in the affections of this +people. The following communications from two of the native princes who +lately consented to put a stop to this rite, will show you that this is +the case. The rajah of Oorcha declares, that "no subject of his state +shall in future be permitted to become a suttee, though according to the +Shasters, it is no doubt very meritorious for a widow to die of grief +for the death of her husband." The rajah of Sumpthem says, "The practice +of suttee is so very old, and has been countenanced and encouraged by +the wise men of so many generations that I have never thought myself +justified in interposing to prevent it; but my anxiety to meet the +wishes of the governor-general in this and in all things, is so great, +that I have waived all other considerations, and forbidden suttee." + +If the British were to lose their power in India, the suttee would +immediately be reestablished. Power has put it down, but power alone +will never root it out of the affections of the people. Nothing but the +Gospel can do this. O that Christians would think of this, and hasten, +yea, with great haste, to send this blessed Gospel to them. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE REVENGEFUL NATURE OF THE HINDOO RELIGION. + + +My dear Children--The sacred books of the Hindoos encourage revenge. In +the Vedas, which are the most sacred books, are laid down forms of +religious service, or acts of worship, which are designed to injure or +destroy their enemies. When a person wishes to have his enemy +destroyed, he goes to a Brahmin or priest, and secures his supposed aid. +The Brahmin, before he proceeds to his work, clothes himself with a +black garment. He also makes four images of the foe, and clothes these +with black garments. He then kindles a sacrificial fire, and after the +performance of various ceremonies, he takes pieces of some animal which +has been consecrated for the purpose, and throws them into this fire. On +every occasion when he makes this burnt-offering, he touches the mouth +of the image of this enemy, uttering one or other of the forms of prayer +which are written in the sacred books. Of these, the following are a +few: "O Agni," god of fire, "thou who art the mouth of all gods, do +thou destroy the wisdom of my enemy." "O Agni, fill with distraction the +mind of this my enemy." "O Agni, destroy the senses of this my enemy." +"O Agni, make dumb the mouth of this my enemy." "O Agni, fasten with a +peg the tongue of this my enemy." "O Agni, reduce to ashes this my +enemy." + +How different, my dear children, is the religion of Jesus from the +religion of which I have been giving you a description. No precepts +teach us that we may injure or destroy our enemies. On the contrary, +they teach us to love them, and do them good. Let me repeat to you some +of the words which our Saviour spoke on this point. "Ye have heard that +it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy; +but I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do +good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you +and persecute you, that ye may be the children of your Father which is +in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, +and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." + +One of the young Hindoos in Dr. Duff's school in Calcutta, when reading +the above and similar passages, was so struck with the difference +between these precepts and the precepts of his Shasters, that he could +not but exclaim "O, how beautiful, how divine. Surely this is the +truth--this is the truth--this is the truth." The consequence was, that +he never could rest until he had thrown aside his sacred books and his +idols, and embraced that Saviour whose precepts appeared to him to be so +beautiful. And was this heathen so struck with the beauty of the +precepts of the Bible--so struck, that he had no peace until he gave +himself to his Saviour? And have you ever, my dear children, been struck +with the precepts of your Saviour--so struck with them, that you could +never rest until you had given up your hearts to him? If not, how great +is the contrast between you and that young Hindoo. He gave his heart to +the Saviour. You withhold yours. He, through grace, will dwell for ever +with Christ in heaven. You, if you continue in your present awful +condition, must be banished from his presence, and cast into hell, where +you shall be tormented day and night for ever, with the devil and his +angels. Flee, my dear children, flee to the Saviour now, if you have +never yet done so. Flee to him, and then you also shall dwell for ever +with him. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +THE DECEPTION OF THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear Children--From what I have previously stated, you are aware that +the Hindoos are a very deceitful people. Let me give you another +instance of their deception. A late head catechist of one of my +missionary brethren was, before his conversion, the priest of a temple. +A man from whom about one thousand rupees' worth of jewels and similar +things had been stolen, came to this priest, and promised to reward him +well, if he would detect the thief, and secure to him the restoration of +his property. The priest promised to comply with his wishes; and in +order to effect his purpose, he had drums beaten through the village, +and proclaimed, that at a certain time he would hold a meeting and +detect the thief. At the appointed time, a large concourse of people +assembled, the priest appearing in the midst of them with a cocoa-nut +bound around with saffron-cords. He then told them, that if, after +putting down the cocoa-nut, it should move of its own accord towards +him, they might know that he would be able certainly to detect the +thief; and added, that after it had thus moved, it would pursue the +offender, and follow him until it would break his head. He then +performed certain ceremonies calculated to awaken superstitious feelings +in the minds of the people, and laid the cocoa-nut down at a little +distance from him. To the great amazement of all present, it began to +move towards the priest, and continued to move until it reached his +feet. This being done, he told the people, that they might conclude from +what they had seen, that the cocoa-nut would follow the thief until it +would break his head. He consented, however, to give him a little +grace--to spare his life until the next day; adding his advice, that the +thief, whoever he might be, had better come to him privately, and tell +him where the property was. In the dead of the night, a tap was heard at +the door of the priest; the thief presented himself, and delivered up +the property. The priest received a present from the owner of the +property, and rewarded the thief for his promptness. After this man was +converted, he was asked how he contrived to make the cocoa-nut move +towards him. "Why, sir," he answered, "if you will carefully divide a +cocoa-nut, scoop out the kernel from one-half of it, enclose a strong, +lively rat, put the parts of the cocoa-nut together, and bind the whole +with saffron-cords, to prevent the crack being seen, and then place it +on a declivity previously prepared, it is clear, that if you place +yourself at the foot of this declivity the rat will twirl the cocoa-nut, +and cause it to descend until it reaches your feet." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +SUPERSTITION OF THE HINDOOS. + + +My dear Children--In my Sermon to Children, before alluded to, I +mentioned a few particulars to prove that the people of India are very +superstitious. Let me mention a few more. It is said that no act, +however good it may be, if performed on Sunday, will succeed. Some will +not eat at all on Sunday, until they have seen a certain bird--the bird +on which the god Vrishnoo rides. If a man rubs oil on his head on +Monday, and bathes, he will commit a sin equal to the sin of destroying +a temple of Siva. If he has his hair out on Tuesday, he will become +poor. Even to worship the gods on Wednesday, is bad. If a person takes +medicine on Thursday, his sickness will be increased. Should he lend any +thing on Friday, he will lose his property. If he should buy a new cloth +on Saturday, take it home, and keep it there, death may be the +consequence. Should he die on this day, some other member of the family +will die on the following week. + +If the foundation of a house is laid in June, the destruction of that +house will follow. Should a family enter a new house in March, some +member of the family will die. If a marriage is celebrated in September, +the husband and wife will fight with each other. + +Should a thunderbolt fall on a house, or a vulture alight on it, some +evil will befall the people living in it. If a crow should strike any +person on the head with its wings, some of his relations will die. +Should a cat or a snake cross his path, it would be an indication of +evil. In the latter case, one of his relations will die. If, when +returning home, a person should meet him bearing a light, a quarrel will +be the result. + +After a person has left his house, should he meet a single Brahmin, or a +woman who has had her head shaved, or a dumb or a blind man, or a +washerman or a barber, the object for which he left would not succeed. +Or, when going out, should he hit his head against the top of the +door-frame, or should any one ask him where he was going, or should he +happen to sneeze, he would consider these things as hinderances to his +going, and reenter the house. + +Should a son or a daughter be born on the new moon in April, they will +become thieves. If a person is born under the planet Saturn, he will be +slandered, his riches will be dissipated, and his wife, son, and friends +will be destroyed. He will also be at variance with others, and endure +many sufferings. Should he be born under the planet Mars, he will be +full of anxious thoughts, be imprisoned, and oppressed with fear from +robbers, fire, etc. He also will lose his lands, trees, and good name. + +If a person dreams that a monkey has bitten him, he will die in six +months; or if he dreams that bedbugs, in large numbers, are creeping +over his body to bite him, he will die in eight days. Should he dream +that a dog has bitten him, he will die in three years; or should he +dream that a dead person has appeared to him and spoken to him, he will +die immediately. + +If a man has a little head, he will become rich. If he has a large head, +he will be poor. If his forehead is wide, he will live a hundred years. +If he has a small neck, he will be a murderer. If the second toe is +long, he will be a bad man. If a woman has curly hair, she will not +prosper. If her nose is long, she will have a good disposition. If her +ear is wide, she will tell falsehoods. If she has a mole on her nose, +she will be subject to anger; if on her lips, she will be learned; if on +the eyebrows she will be cunning. + +I could continue to fill a number of pages with things of the same +description, but it will be unnecessary. I will merely mention one +instance more. On a certain night in the month of November, the people +will not look at the moon. The reason assigned for this, is as follows. +Once, when the elephant-faced god Pulliar was dancing before the gods, +the moon happening to see him, laughed at him, and told him that he had +a large stomach, an ear like a winnowing-fan, etc. This so enraged him, +that he cursed her. This curse was inflicted on the night above +mentioned. + +How does the wretchedness of a people, both in reference to the things +of this world and of the world to come, show itself where the Bible is +unknown. If this blessed book was not an inspired book--if it did no +more than remove the temporal miseries of men, how invaluable would it +be! Of how much more value then, is it, in reference to the removal of +their spiritual miseries? + +O, why is it that Christians have not long since sent this Bible to +them? Why is it that they do not send it to them _now_? This is a +mystery, which we must leave to be unravelled at the judgment-seat of +the last day. My dear children, you are to stand before that +judgment-seat. Shall any of these heathen among whom I dwell, rise up at +that awful season--stretch out their hands towards you, and say, There +stand the children who might have sent us the Bible, but they did not +send it; and now we must be lost--_lost for ever!_ + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +BURMAH, CHINA, ETC., ETC. + + +My dear children--If you will look on your map of Asia, you will see, +adjoining Hindostan, at the east, a country called Burmah. This is +another land of idols. Here the "Baptist General Convention for Foreign +Missions" have one of the most interesting and flourishing missions in +the world. The people of Burmah are, if possible, still further removed +from divine knowledge than the people of India. They are in reality +atheists, or, in other words, people who do not believe in a creator or +preserver of the world. But still they worship gods, who, they say, have +become so by acts of religious merit. He whom they now worship is called +Gaudama, or Boodh. He is reputed to be the son of the king of Benares, +and, if their history be correct, was born six hundred years before +Christ. The Boodhists are all idolaters. They have many temples erected +to the honor of Boodh and his image. Before this image they present +flowers, incense, rice, betel-nuts etc. Like all other idolatrous +nations, the Burmese are very wicked. They do not respect their females +as they should do. They treat them as an inferior order of beings. They +often sell them. + +A very singular custom prevails in that country. It consists in paying a +kind of homage to a white elephant. This elephant is sumptuously dressed +and fed. It is provided with officers, like a second sovereign, and is +made to receive presents from foreign ambassadors. It is next in rank to +the king, and _superior_ to the queen. + +Burmah is the country in which Drs. Judson and Price, and Messrs. Hough +and Wade suffered so much, during the war with England several years +ago. Messrs. Hough and Wade were the first to suffer. As the ships which +were to make the attack upon Rangoon approached the city, they were +seized and cast into prison. Their legs were bound together with ropes, +and eight or ten Burmans, armed with spears and battle-axes, were +placed over them, as a guard. They were afterwards put in irons. The +next morning, as the fleet approached still nearer the city, orders were +sent to the guard, through the grates of their prison, that the instant +the shipping should fire upon the town, they were to kill them, together +with the other prisoners confined with them. The guard, on receiving +these orders, began to sharpen the instruments with which they intended +to kill them, and moved them about their heads to show with how much +skill and pleasure they would attend to their orders. Upon the floor +where they intended to butcher them, a large quantity of sand was spread +to receive the blood. The gloom and silence of death reigned among the +prisoners; the vast ocean of eternity seemed but a step before them. At +length the fleet arrived, and the firing commenced The first ball which +was thrown into the town passed, with a tremendous noise, directly over +their heads. This so frightened the guard, that they seemed unable to +execute their murderous orders. They shrunk away into one corner of the +prison, where they remained quiet, until a broadside from one of the +ships made the prison shake and tremble to its very foundation. This so +alarmed them, that they burst open the doors of the prison and fled. The +missionaries, with the other prisoners, were then left alone. Their +danger, however, was not at an end; but as God had protected them thus +far, he continued to protect them until they were set at liberty, and +allowed to preach the Gospel again to those perishing heathen. Drs. +Judson and Price were also imprisoned, and suffered much; but they, too, +were preserved and delivered. The accounts of their sufferings are so +long, that I cannot now relate them all to you. You will find them in +the life of Mrs. Judson. + +After the war was over, the missionaries were permitted to go everywhere +to proclaim the name of the Saviour; and their efforts have been very +much blessed, especially among the Karens. It will be impossible for me +to give you an account of their many labors, and of the many tokens +which they have received of God's favor towards multitudes who have +become followers of the Redeemer. Suffice it to say, that more than six +thousand have been received into the Christian church. One of the native +teachers not long since baptized, on one occasion, three hundred and +seventy-two persons. + +Adjoining Burmah, is China, a country containing more than three hundred +millions of people, about twenty times as many as there are in the +United States of America. It is a country filled with idols. Many of the +people earn their living by making and selling these idols. There are +many shops where they are sold, or repaired when they become broken or +defaced. + +The females in that country are in a very degraded state. They are the +slaves of their husbands, and live and die in the greatest ignorance. +Any attempt to raise themselves to the level of females in Christian +lands, is considered as very wicked. The little female child is tortured +from her birth. You have, perhaps, heard that the women of China have +small feet. These are made small by a very cruel practice--by putting +bandages of cloth so tightly around them, that they cannot grow. Many +women have feet not larger than those of an American infant of one year +old. Mr. Doty, missionary to China, says, that he was acquainted with a +little girl whose mother had bound up her feet so tightly, that she +cried two or three hours every day, on account of the great pain which +she suffered. + +With such little feet, you may well suppose that it would be very +difficult for the women to walk. It is so. They limp and hobble along, +just as if their feet had been cut off, and they had to walk on stumps. + +The Chinese do not count their daughters among their children. Mr. Doty +says, he one day asked his Chinese teacher how many children he had. He +replied, that he had several. "How many of these," he then inquired, +"are daughters?" "We do not count our daughters among our children," he +answered. "I have three daughters, but we Chinese count our sons only as +children." + +When this missionary was in a Chinese village where he had never been +before, a man called to see him, bringing with him two pretty little +girls, neatly dressed, about six and seven years old. He said that they +were his daughters and that he wished to sell them. Mr. Doty refused to +buy them, as it was wicked to buy and sell children; but he told him, +that if he would commit them to him, he would take them home with him, +and educate them, and that they might return home after they had grown. +To this proposal he would not consent but said, that if he would buy +them, they should be his for ever. He could have bought them both for +about twenty-six dollars. + +The Chinese have many schools, but none for their daughters, as they do +not teach them, to read. When they are about thirteen years old, they +shut them up in what are called "women's apartments," where they remain +until the time of their marriage. Then the parents sell them to those +who wish to have wives for their sons. In this way, they are frequently +married to persons whom they never before saw. + +Many parents in China destroy their little girls soon after they are +born, or while they are very small. This they frequently do by throwing +them into rivers, or into the sea, after they have wrapped them up in +coarse mats. There is a little Chinese girl, named Ellen, now living in +Newark, New Jersey, whose father was about to kill her when she was +three weeks old. An English lady heard of his intentions, and sent a +person with ten dollars to see if she could not be bought. He was +offered the ten dollars, but refused to take them. She sent ten dollars +more. He consented to take the twenty dollars. This little girl was +brought by this English lady to America, when she was about six years +old. The friends who have her under their care, are educating her with +the hope that she may go back to China, to tell its females of the +Saviour. + +Did you ever, my dear girls, think why it is that your parents love you, +and educate you--why it is that they try to make you happy, instead of +cramping your feet, shutting you up, and, perhaps, at last selling you? +It is because they have the Bible. Then, how anxious should you be to +save what money you can, to buy Bibles to send to those poor heathen. + +As I am now speaking of the destruction of infants, I would observe, +that this crime is common in other heathen countries. It was quite +common, until lately, in the island of Tahiti, and other places in the +South Pacific Ocean. When the missionaries of the London Missionary +Society went there, many years ago, they found the females in a very +degraded situation. Mr. Nott, one of these missionaries, declared that +three out of four of the children were murdered as soon as they were +born. He met a woman soon after this dreadful crime had been abolished +to whom he said, "How many children have you?" "This one in my arms," +was her answer. "And how many did you kill?" She replied, "Eight." +Another woman, who was asked the same question, said that she had +destroyed _seventeen_. Infanticide, or, in other words, the destruction +of infants, says the Rev. Mr. Williams, was carried to an almost +incredible extent in Tahiti, and some other islands. He writes, "During +the visit of the deputation, G. Bennet, Esq., was our guest for three or +four days; and on one occasion, while conversing on this subject, he +expressed a wish to obtain accurate knowledge of the extent to which +this cruel practice had prevailed. Three women were sitting in the room +at the time, making European garments, under Mrs. Williams direction; +and, after replying to Mr. Bennet's inquiries, I said, 'I have no doubt +but that each of these women has destroyed some of her children.' Mr. +Bennet exclaimed, 'Impossible; such motherly, respectable women could +never have been guilty of so great an atrocity.' 'Well,' I added, 'we +will ask them.' Addressing the first, I said to her, 'Friend, how many +children have you destroyed?' She was startled at my question, and at +first charged me with unkindness, in harrowing up her feelings, by +bringing the destruction of her babes to her remembrance; but upon +learning the object of my inquiry, she replied, with a faltering voice, +'I have destroyed _nine_.' The second, with eyes suffused with tears, +said, 'I have destroyed _seven_;' and the third informed us that she had +destroyed _five_. Had the missionaries gone there but a few years +before, with the blessing of God, they would have prevented all this. +These mothers were all Christians at the time this conversation was +held." + +"On another occasion," says Mr. Williams, "I was called to visit the +wife of a chief in dying circumstances. She had professed Christianity +for many years, had learned to read when about sixty, and was a very +active teacher in our adult school. In the prospect of death, she sent a +pressing request that I would visit her immediately; and on my entering +her apartment she exclaimed, 'O, servant of God, come and tell me what I +must do.' Perceiving that she suffered great mental distress, I +inquired the cause of it, when she replied, 'I am about to die.' 'Well,' +I rejoined, 'if it be so, what creates this agony of mind?' 'O, my sins, +my sins,' she cried; 'I am about to die.' I then inquired what the +particular sins were which so greatly distressed her, when she +exclaimed, 'O, my children, my murdered children! I am about to die, and +shall meet them all at the judgment-seat of Christ.' Upon this I +inquired how many children she had destroyed, and to my astonishment she +replied, 'I have destroyed _sixteen_, and now I am about to die.'" After +this Mr. Williams tried to comfort her, by telling her that she had done +this when a heathen, and during the times of ignorance, which God winked +at. But she received no consolation from this thought, and exclaimed +again, "O, my children, my children." He then directed her to the +"faithful saying, which is worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ +came into the world to save sinners." This gave her a little comfort; +and after visiting her frequently, and directing her to that blood which +cleanseth from all sin, he succeeded, with the blessing of God, in +bringing peace to her mind. She died soon after, rejoicing in the hope +that her sins, though many, would be forgiven her. Well may you exclaim, +my dear children, + + "Holy Bible, book divine, + Precious treasure, thou art mine." + +Infanticide still prevails in India, but as I have given a particular +description of this crime in my Sermon to Children, on the Condition of +the Heathen, I will here say nothing farther on the subject. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +THE DUTY OF PRAYING AND CONTRIBUTING FOR THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL. + + +My dear children--There is another story connected with India, which I +might have mentioned in my last chapter while writing about the +destruction of infants. I will relate it now, in order that you may be +constrained to pray more frequently for the heathen. Some time ago, the +wife of a native prince had a little daughter. The father ordered it to +be put to death, immediately after it was born. Had it been a son, an +heir to the throne, he would have taken great care of it. A second, a +third, a fourth, a fifth little daughter was born. All these were also +put to death by the command of the father. When a sixth little daughter +was born, the mother's heart yearned over it. "I cannot part with it," +said she; "I will have it taken away and hid, so that the king may know +nothing about it." This was done, but the poor mother never dared to +send for her little girl. She never saw her again, but died sometime +after. + +Many of the little girls in India are very pretty. They have dark eyes, +and sweet, expressive countenances. This little child grew to be a very +beautiful girl; and when she was eleven years old, some of her relations +ventured to bring her to her father. They thought that he would be +struck with the sight of his sweet child, and that he would love her for +the sake of her mother who had died. The little girl fell at his feet +and clasped his knees, and looked up in his face and said, "My father." +And what do you think that father did? Do you think that he took her up +in his arms, and kissed her? No. He seized her by the hair of her head, +drew his sword from his belt, and with a single blow took off her head. + +Now, my dear children, do you not think that you ought to pray for the +poor heathen--to pray that God will send the Gospel to them? I want to +tell you of a little boy who heard me preach some time ago about the +heathen. One night he said his prayers, and went to bed. After he got +into bed, he said to the nurse, "I have forgotten to pray for the +heathen, and I must get out of bed and pray for them." The nurse then +told him that it would not be necessary for him to get up, as he could +pray for them while in bed. "No," said he, "I must get out of bed and +pray for them." And the dear little boy would not rest until he got out +of bed and prayed for them. Now I want all of you, my dear children, +every morning and evening, to kneel down and pray for the heathen, as +this little boy did. And I want you to do something more. I want you +always to be punctual in attending _the usual monthly concerts of +prayer,_ provided there are no juvenile monthly concerts to which you +can go. I have long wished to see juvenile monthly concerts of prayer +established. They would be very interesting if I am to judge from the +account of one which I some time ago received from a friend of mine, the +Rev. Mr. V----. I will give you some extracts from his letter. He +writes, "According to promise, I send you an account of the first +children's monthly concert, so far as I can learn, held on Long Island. +As notice was not given either in the church or Sabbath-school, the +attendance was smaller than it otherwise would have been. Still, about +sixty interesting children attended. After a few remarks concerning the +object of the meeting by the superintendent of the Sabbath-school they +sung with melting eyes the hymn that describes the wretched heathen +mother casting her lovely babe into the jaws of the monster of the +Granges. Prayer then was made, of about two or three minutes in length. +Then I gave some of the most affecting accounts of the cruelties and +ignorance of the heathen, as related by the devoted Williams, that +martyr missionary. Their silent attention and subdued countenances told +that their hearts were with the wretched idolaters. After having thus +spent about ten minutes, the children sung in a sweet manner, a hymn--a +prayer for those laboring amid the heathen: + + "When worn by toil, their spirits fail, + Bid them the glorious future hail; + Bid them the crown of life survey, + And onward urge their conquering way." + +"After which, two resolutions were passed, unanimously, by the children. +First, that they will each one attend the monthly concert of prayer +regularly, when able, and bring with them all their companions whom they +can persuade to come. + +"Secondly, that they, with the children of the various schools of W----, +will constitute ---- a life member of the W---- Bible Society. Some of +the smaller children had brought their little Bibles to give them to +----, that he might carry them to the poor children of the heathen. But +when informed that the heathen could not understand English, they +determined to raise money, and send it out to purchase Bibles for the +children. This interesting meeting was closed by prayer, the doxology, +and benediction." + +But not only can you pray for the heathen, you can give _something_ to +send the Gospel to them. Do you say that you have no money to give? But +cannot you earn some? Many young persons have done so. One of whom I +have read, says, "Besides supporting a school in Ceylon, we are going to +support five Chinese boys. I earn six cents a week for not using tea, +one for not using sugar, and three for not using coffee." + +Another says, "I, with three others, have been making matches to the +amount of ten dollars, and should have made more, but the people are +pretty well supplied. I am going to dig my father's garden, and my +mother is going to give me a quarter of a dollar for digging it, which I +shall give to the missionaries. I am going to do all I can, and to earn +all I can, and save all that I have, to support the missionaries." + +Another says, "I am going to leave off buying candy." What is that? Can +little girls and boys do without sugar-candy? I am afraid that many of +you, my dear children, would find it difficult to go without it. But let +me quote all that this child wrote. "I am going to leave off buying +candy and such little notions, unless it is necessary, and save every +cent that I can get and give it to the missionaries." + +Now, my dear children, I do think that if you would save some of those +cents which you spend in buying candy, fire-crackers, and similar +things, and buy Bibles and tracts for the poor heathen, you would do +much more good with them. + +I want to tell you about a little boy who belonged to one of my schools +in Ceylon, who has, as I hope, gone to heaven through the means of a +tract which cost only two or three cents, and which was the cause of his +coming under my care. After he had attended preaching for some time, he +begged me to admit him to the church. As he was quite young, not eleven +years old, I was afraid to receive him. This feeling, perhaps, was +wrong. He never joined the church on earth. He has, however, I hope, +gone to join the church in heaven. When he was about eleven years of +age, he was attacked with the cholera and died. In this country, when +children are very ill, the father or mother will catch up a cocoa-nut or +a few plantains, and run off to the temple, and say, "Now, Swammie, if +you will cure my little boy or little girl, I will give you this +cocoa-nut, or these plantains." The mother of this boy saw that he was +very ill, and she told him that she wished to go to make offerings to +one of her idols, in order that he might get well. But he requested her +not to do so. "I do not worship idols," said he; "I worship Christ, my +Saviour. If he is pleased to spare me a little longer in the world, it +will be well; if not, I shall go to him." The last words he uttered +were, "I am going to Christ the Lord." + +Now when you think about this little boy, I want you to ask yourselves, +whether it is not better to give two or three cents to try and save the +soul of some poor little heathen boy or girl, than to spend them in +buying candy, and other useless things. + +But I must tell you about a little girl whom I saw some time ago, who +refused to buy candy while there are so many heathen without the Bible. +Her father is a sea-captain. Being absent from home, he sent her five +dollars to buy candy, or any thing else which she wished. As this little +girl had heard about the heathen, she determined to throw all her money +into the missionary-box, instead of spending it for her own pleasure. +The mother, on learning her intentions, asked her if she would not like +to spend a part of it for candy, and similar things. She replied, that +she would not, and in due time she put her five dollars into the +missionary-box. Not long after this, she was attacked with a severe +toothache. The mother proposed that the defective tooth should be +extracted. The little creature, for she was only about eight years old, +dreaded the operation, and seemed at first to be backward about having +it performed. To encourage her to submit to it, her mother offered her +twenty-five cents. This little girl did not then begin to reason, Now, +if I can only get those twenty-five cents, I can buy a doll, or I can +buy some sugar-candy; but she reasoned thus, Now, if I can get those +twenty-five cents, I can go and put them into the missionary-box. So she +said to her mother, I will go and have the tooth taken out. The tooth, +however, ceased to ache, but still she wished to have it extracted. Her +mother then interfered, and told her that, as it had ceased to ache, it +might be well for her not to have it drawn until it ached again. The +little girl, however, persisted, saying, that if it were not taken out, +she could not get the twenty-five cents to devote to the missionary +cause. She therefore went to the dentist's, submitted to the operation, +received her twenty-five cents, and went and threw them into the Lord's +treasury. Was not that a noble little girl? Doubtless you will all say +she was. + +I must tell you about a noble little boy also. Some time ago, I was +preaching to the children of Canandaigua, in the western part of New +York. After I had preached there, I went on to Rochester. Returning from +that place, I met with a lady in the cars, who told me as follows: +"After you had preached in Canandaigua," said she, "a young lady there, +who had lost her mother, and who had six or seven or eight of her +brothers and sisters under her care, formed them into a missionary +society." Oh, I wish that all the dear children in America were formed +into missionary societies. After she had done this, she asked her little +brother how he was going to get money to put into the missionary-box. +"By catching mice," said he. His sister gave him two or three cents for +every mouse he caught. Thus it appears, that this dear little boy was +going to throw all his earnings into the Lord's treasury. + +But let me tell you a little more about the children to whom I before +alluded. Another says, "In some of the day-schools of this city, the +girls have formed sewing societies, and make pin-cushions, needle-books, +emery-bags, and the like, and send the money that is raised from the +sale of them to the missionaries, to be used for the heathen. There are +seven Sabbath-schools in this town, and in each of them there is a +missionary association; so that in all about five hundred dollars are +sent from the Sabbath-schools every year." + +Now, my dear girls, I want you to think of what has now been said about +the formation of sewing societies; and I want you to ask your mothers +whether they will not allow you to form such societies, to meet once a +week, or once in two weeks, or once a month to sew, to get some money to +send the Gospel to the heathen. Many societies of this kind have been +formed. After I had preached to the children in one of the churches in +Third-street, New York, the little girls who attend that church formed +such a society. The account which I received of it is as follows. "You +may remember, that in your address to our Sabbath-school, you related +instances of little girls knitting, sewing, etc., to earn something for +the missionary-box The examples which you related were not lost to the +girls of the Sabbath-school. Immediately they began to talk about +forming themselves into a sewing society, and making small articles, and +giving the proceeds to the missionary society. They did not stop here, +but went right to work, and soon formed their society, which they styled +the Juvenile Sewing Society. They are in a very prosperous and +flourishing condition at present. I know not the amount of funds they +possess--they pay a cent a week into their treasury--but they have a +large assortment of articles already made. I understand, also, they meet +once a week to sew." + +After I had preached at a place called Little Falls, New York, the girls +formed a sewing society there. The following account of this society I +received from one of its little members. "When you were here last fall, +and told us how much good little girls had done in having sewing +societies, we thought we would see if _we_ could not do some good in the +world, as well as they; and, since October, we have met weekly, and by +holding a fair, we have succeeded in raising sixty-two dollars. We +hope it will be the means of saving some poor heathen children." + +Now, as I said before, I want you, my dear girls, to ask your mothers if +you may not form such societies also. Will you think of it? I hope you +will. + +Another of the children to whom I have twice referred, says, "I can try +and save their souls, if I am not there. I can work for them, and send +some money to you to buy them Bibles, and I can pray for them; and if I +should save some souls, O how would they thank me. But if I did not send +my money, nor care any thing about them, and I should not go to heaven, +and they should not, how would they rise up in judgment against me, and +say, If we had had the privileges that you had, we should not be here. +O, how thankful we ought to be, that we were not born in heathen lands. +O, if the poor heathen could only have such privileges as we have, how +thankful would they be; and if we were born in heathen lands, I have no +doubt that they would come and tell us about a Saviour." + +I have received many letters from children, breathing the same spirit +which is manifested in the notes I have copied. + +One writes, "Last winter I brought in the wood for mother, and she gave +me fifty cents. I now am very glad that I have not spent it, as I can +give it to you to buy tracts for the little heathen children of India." + +A second writes, "The enclosed fifty cents my grandmother gave me when I +was a very little boy, for sitting still one hour. Will you please to +use it to furnish the Bible and missionary to the heathen." + +A third writes, "I have always spent my money for candy and other +trifles, but since I have heard about the darkness and misery of the +heathen, I intend to save it all, and put it into the missionary-box." + +A fourth writes, "The enclosed I earned by knitting. I intended to save +it, till I had sufficient to carry me a short journey to see some of my +friends; but when I heard you tell about the little heathen girls, I +thought I would give it to you, for the poor heathen children." + +A fifth writes, "I have enclosed twelve and a half cents, which my +father gave me to go and see General Tom Thumb. When I heard you +lecture last evening, I came home and concluded to give it to you, and +let you buy Bibles for the poor heathen." + +A sixth writes, "I remember, before my mother died, she used to tell me +a great deal about the children of India, and now she is in heaven. I +think she would like to have me give my heart to the Saviour, and go and +teach those poor children. I give you some money that was given to me to +see an exhibition, which I saved to give for such things, rather than +go." + +A seventh writes, "You told us that two cents were the means of +converting a young man. I would give two cents every week, if it would +convert souls to Christ." + +An eighth writes, "My mother told me, some time ago, that every day I +recited my lessons without missing a word, she would give me a penny; +and not being desirous to spend it, I do wish you would take it--fifty +cents--to the heathen. It may buy some tracts at the bazaar or market." + +A ninth writes, "We feel sorry for those poor heathen children. We will +try to earn some money to buy Bibles for the heathen. Father has +promised us some land to work next summer, and we think we can raise +something and sell it to get the money." + +A tenth writes, "Since you were here last spring, I have saved what I +could--one dollar--for the heathen children, and should be glad if I +could do more." + +An eleventh writes, "The money which you will find enclosed, I earned by +working for my mother on Saturday, which I intended to keep to buy a +microscope; but when I heard you preach on Sabbath, I concluded to give +it to buy Bibles for the poor heathen children." + +A twelfth writes, "The enclosed, five dollars, was a birthday present +from my father, but I want to give it to Dr. Scudder, for the poor +little boys in Ceylon." + +A thirteenth writes, "Please accept my mite, by the hand of my brother. +I have been keeping it for the purpose of buying a geography; but when I +heard you preach yesterday, I thought I had better send it to you, for +the poor heathen." + +A fourteenth writes, "I would like much to become a missionary, as I am +named after one; I hope I shall be one. I have been saving a dollar to +buy myself some books, but concluded to give it to buy some books for +the heathen." + +The last two children, whose letters you have been reading, gave to the +missionary cause the money which they had been earning to buy books. +When you have been earning money for the express purpose of giving it to +the missionary cause, then you should devote it all to that cause; but I +would advise you not to do as did the two children last mentioned. Had +my opinion been asked, relative to the disposal of their money, I would +have recommended them to give _one-tenth,_ or perhaps a little more, of +the sums they had been earning, to their Saviour, and to keep the rest +to buy their books. The giving of not less than one-tenth of all you +earn, for charitable purposes, is the principle which I wish to have +impressed fully on your minds, and I hope you will grow up under the +influence of this principle, and _never, never_ depart from it. But +while I thus speak, you must not suppose that I wish you to confine +yourselves to the giving of one-tenth, when you can give more; I hope +you will not give merely this, but one-half, or more, if you can afford +it. Indeed, if you do not go as missionaries to the heathen, I want you +to make it your great object _to make money for Christ, and to spend it +for Christ_. O, if the generation which is grown, were as anxious to +make money for Christ, and to spend it for Christ, as they are to make +it for themselves, and to spend it for themselves, or to hoard it up--it +may be for the everlasting destruction of the souls of their +heirs--there would be no complaints that money could not be had to send +the Gospel to the destitute, both at home and abroad. + +In my twelfth chapter, I spoke of the liberal donations which the +heathen of India make for the support of their religion. In the city of +Calcutta alone, it is supposed that two millions of dollars are spent +every year on the festival of a single goddess--a festival which lasts +only a few days. A single native has been known to give, as I before +said, more than one hundred thousand dollars at one time to this +festival, and afterwards thirty thousand dollars yearly. How vast, then, +must be the sums which are spent upon all the different festivals of +their gods. Would that we could see such liberality among Christians. +Would that we could see the generality of them willing to give even +one-tenth of their annual income to the Lord. Alas, what would the +heathen say, if they were to learn how much greater are the sums of +money which they give to their idols, than Christians give to honor +their Saviour? Would they not exclaim, It is because Christianity is +false, and heathenism is true, that Christians give so little for +Christ, while we give so much for our gods? My dear children, I hope +that you will never allow the heathen to say that the Christian religion +is false, because you do not give your money for the spread of the +Gospel. Will you not resolve now, that you will, so long as God prospers +you in worldly goods, give _at least_ one-tenth of all you earn to the +Lord? Do, my dear children, do make the resolution now. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +PERSONAL LABORS AMONG THE HEATHEN. + + +My dear children--You have, perhaps, often seen Campbell's missionary +map of the world. If not, I want you very carefully to look at it. I +want you to look at the red spots on it, and think how many millions of +people embrace the religion both of the Greek and Roman Catholic +churches--a religion which is nothing more nor less than paganism, with +a few Christian doctrines added to it. After this, I want you to look at +the green spots, and think of the hundred and twenty millions of +Mohammedans, who spurn the name of Jesus as a Saviour, and who have set +up Mahomet as their prophet. I want you also to look at all the dark +spots, where, with comparatively a few exceptions, the people are in +pagan darkness, without any knowledge of God and the only Saviour of +sinners Jesus Christ. And in view of all this darkness--in view of the +need of more than half a million of ministers of the Gospel to preach +the news of salvation to them, I want you, my dear boys, to ask +yourselves whether it may not be your duty, after you grow up, to +become ministers, and go and preach the Gospel to them. You know that +you are bound to do all the good to others which you can; and even if +you do not love the Saviour, you are not released from your obligations +to do good. I would by no means have you become ministers without giving +your hearts to Christ; but this you are as much bound to do, as you are +bound to do all the good you can to others. If you are not Christians, I +want you, through grace, to become such, and I want many of you to +become ministers and missionaries. Two of my sons are now missionaries +in India, and four others, I hope, are preparing to come. And why should +not you also come here, or go to other heathen lands? If you can be +excused from coming or going, why may not all who are now little boys +also be excused? In such a case, there will be no missionaries at all. +And you know that this would be very wrong. But I do not merely want +many of you, my dear boys, to become missionaries, I want many of you, +my dear girls, to become missionaries also. Many little girls and boys +have expressed a desire to become missionaries. Several little boys who +wrote to Mr. Hutchings, one of my missionary brethren, and several +little boys and girls who have written to me, have said that they would +like to be missionaries. + +One writes, "I should like to go and be a missionary, and instruct the +poor heathen children to love God." + +A second says, "I have been selling matches that I made. I got five +dollars--just as many dollars as I am years old. I think I shall become +a missionary, and come and help you. I hope I shall see you again when I +come to Ceylon. Tell the heathen children they must love God, and be +good children. They must not give the children to the crocodiles, nor +throw them into the water; and they must not worship wooden and brass +gods. They must worship the true God, and keep his commandments." + +A third says, "I like to send money to help the poor heathen to learn to +read the Bible, and other good books. I think it will be pleasant to +sail across the ocean, and teach them to turn from their idols. I would +teach them not to lay themselves down before the car of Juggernaut, and +be crushed to death; and I would teach them not to burn themselves to +death on the funeral pile." + +A fourth says, "I mean to save something to send to you, to help support +one school. Should my life be spared, and the way be opened at some +future day, I think I should be willing to leave my native home, to go to +some distant land to tell the heathen of a Saviour, whom I hope I have +found." + +A fifth says, "If you are ever in want of money, just please to send on +to me, and I will endeavor to raise all that you want. If I live to be a +man, I hope be a missionary to Ceylon or China." + +One little boy wrote to me as follows: "I have for a long time been +saving three shillings, for the purpose of buying a little racoon, which +I intended to do on Monday. On Sunday I heard you preach, and thought I +would give it to you to save some poor heathen soul; and I hope you will +pray for me, that I may become a minister, and go to India, and preach +to the heathen." + +Another writes, "This is to certify that I, Charles D.H. Frederick, +pledge myself, if God spares my life, when I get to be a man, and he +pardons me through Christ Jesus, I will go and preach to the heathen." + +A little girl wrote me as follows: "According to my present feelings, I +should like to engage in so glorious a cause," as the missionary cause, +"and I hope, when I arrive at an age to be of use to God, and the poor +heathen, to embrace so glorious a cause." + +Another little girl writes, "I felt very bad when I heard you tell about +the poor heathen who worship the idols. I could not keep from weeping, +when you told us about the man who came so far to get a teacher to come +and tell the Gospel to his friends, and was disappointed. I felt very +bad Sunday evening; and on Monday evening I felt that the Lord had given +me a new heart. I felt happy, and sang some beautiful verses that I +learned in one of mother's little books. I have read the Day-springs, +and thought a great deal about the heathen for two years. + +"I used to think a great deal about having nice clothes, before I +thought so much about the heathen. My mother told me some time ago, that +she thought she would get me a white dress when I was ten years old. I +am now ten years old, and this evening mother gave me two dollars to +get the dress, or dispose of it in any way I thought best; and I wish +you would take it to have the poor heathen taught about the Saviour. If +I live, and it is the Lord's will, I hope I shall come and help you +teach the poor heathen about the Saviour." + +There is a little boy in the city of New York, who formerly used to tell +his mother, that he meant to be a cab-driver, and all she could say to +him was of no avail in making him think differently. This little boy +came with his mother to hear me preach about the heathen. + +After he had left the church, as he was going home, he burst into tears, +and exclaimed, "Mother, I mean to be a missionary to the heathen;" and +so far as I know, he has never talked about being any thing else since. +And I hope that many of you will never talk about being any thing else +than missionaries to the heathen. + +I am acquainted with a little girl in Ohio, who has resolved to become a +missionary. She is a niece of Mr. Campbell, late missionary to Africa. +She was not quite four years old when I saw her. When she was eighteen +months of age, she saw the picture of a heathen mother throwing her +child into the mouth of a crocodile She was deeply impressed with the +sight. When she was two and a half years old, she resolved to be a +missionary, and follow her uncle to Africa. From this resolution she has +never drawn hack. When I was at her father's house, she was asked if she +would not go to India. She replied, that she would not go to India, but +to Africa. She was asked why she wished to go to Africa. "To teach the +heathen," was her answer. "Why should you teach the heathen?" "Because +they worship idols." Her mother told me, that ever since she began to +get money, she has contributed to the missionary cause; and this money +has generally, if not always, been earned by some act of self-denial on +her part. I hope that many of you will feel just as this little girl +felt, and do just as she did. + +When I was in America, I used continually, when preaching, to ask the +dear children whether they would not become missionaries. I used also to +beg them to write down what I had asked them. Many complied with my +request. While I was at the Avon Springs, one of the daughters of a +physician there, not only wrote it down, but gave me what she had +written. The following is a copy of what she wrote, + + _August 18, 1844._ + + _Dr. Scudder requested me to come to India to help him when I am + grown._ + + S. P. S. + + _Avon Springs_ + +Could I raise my voice loud enough to reach America, I would beg of +_you_ to write down the following sentence: Dr. Scudder asks me, to-day, +whether I will not hereafter become a missionary to the heathen. Perhaps +you will write it down _immediately_. + +Now, my dear boys, if you will come out to India, or go to Burmah or +China, to tell the heathen of the Saviour, you may, with the blessing of +God, do as much good as Swartz and Carey, and others have done. And if +you, my dear girls, will do the same, you also may do much good. This +will appear from what I am going to tell you about a little girl in +Ceylon. This little girl belonged to the boarding-school at Oodooville. +She early gave her heart to the Saviour, and joined the church when she +was thirteen years old. I should like to know if there are any of you +who have not followed her example. If so, this is not right. My dear +children, it is not right. Shall this little girl, in a heathen land, a +land filled with idols, give her heart to Christ; and you, in a +Christian land, a land of Sabbaths, and Sabbath-schools, and Bibles, not +give your hearts to him? This is not right. You know that it is not +right. + +But let me go on with my account of the little girl. After she had +joined the church, she wanted to go and see her mother, who was a +heathen, for the purpose of conversing with her about her soul's +concerns. Now, in this country, when children who have been absent from +their parents for any length of time go home, the mother spreads a mat +down on the floor, and tells them to sit down upon it, adding that she +will go and cook rice for them. They have no seats to sit on, as you +have in America. Well, this little girl went home. When her mother saw +her, she was very glad; and after she had spread a mat for her, and told +her to sit down, she said that she would go and cook rice for her. The +little girl told her that she was not hungry, and did not wish to eat, +but wanted to talk with her. "You cannot talk with me," said her mother, +"until I have cooked rice for you." "Mother," said the little girl, "you +worship idols, and I am afraid that you will lose your soul, and I want +to talk with you about Jesus Christ." The mother became quite angry with +her, and rebuked her. But still the little girl continued to talk with +her about her soul. The mother then became so angry, that she told her +to be silent, or she would punish her. The little girl replied, "Mother, +though you do whip me, I must talk to you about Jesus Christ," and she +burst into tears. The mother's heart was broken. She sat down on the +mat, and her little daughter talked with her, and prayed with her. After +this the little girl was so troubled, fearing that her mother's soul +might be lost, that she was heard praying for her during all parts of +the night. And God heard her prayers. Her mother forsook her idols, and +became a Christian, and her conversion was followed by the conversion of +one or two others. Now, my dear little girls, if you will give your +hearts to the Saviour, and in due time come here, or go to other heathen +lands, and tell the people of a Saviour, you may, with the help of the +Holy Spirit, be as useful as this little girl was. + +Female missionaries have done much good among the heathen. I mentioned +an instance on page 88, to prove this. Let me mention another instance +more. + +In the year 1838, an English lady, Miss Aldersey, went to the East, at +her own expense to promote female education among the Chinese. At that +time, she could not go to China, as that country was not open to +missionaries She therefore went to Java, where there was a colony of +Chinese. Here she hired a house, and collected about twenty-five girls, +whom she clothed, and boarded, and taught. The Lord blessed her labors, +and several of these girls were hopefully converted. When their parents +saw that they would no longer worship idols, they became much opposed to +the school, and some of them took their daughters from it. In the year +1842, God opened the door for the entrance of the Gospel into China. +This missionary then broke up her school in Java, went to that country, +and resided in the city of Ningpo. Of the girls who had become +Christians while under her care, two were much persecuted by their +parents. They were whipped and beaten, with the hope that they would +again return to their idols; but all the efforts which were made to +induce them to forsake the Saviour were in vain. They declared that they +would sooner die than forsake him. When their parents saw that stripes +and blows were of no avail, they determined to marry them to men who +were much devoted to their idols. This stratagem, they thought, might +succeed in destroying all their interest in their new religion. Here, +however, they were again foiled. The girls became alarmed, and fled from +their parents. An English gentleman, but who was not a professor of +religion, felt deeply interested for them, and assisted them to get on +board a ship going to Batavia. Here they were pursued but escaped from +the pursuers by going on board of a ship which sailed for Singapore. +From Singapore they sailed for China, where they were permitted to join +the old friend who had been the means of their conversion. This lady +collected a school at Ningpo of more than thirty girls. Thus you see how +much good female missionaries have done by going to heathen lands. And +are none of you willing to follow their example? Are none of you willing +to say, Here am I, Lord, send me? + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +SUCCESS OF THE GOSPEL IN INDIA AND CEYLON. + + +My dear Children--I have told you that India is a very dark land, but +there are a few bright spots in it. Through the blessing of God upon the +prayers of his people in Christian lands, and upon the prayers and +labors of his missionary servants, many of the heathen of India and +Ceylon have forsaken their idols, and are now enlisted under the banner +of Jehovah Jesus. In the Travancore and Tinnivelly districts to say +nothing of the success of the Gospel in other places, thousands and tens +of thousands of the people have embraced Christianity. In hundreds of +villages where but a few years ago the name of Jesus had never been +heard, it is now known and adored. + +You have often heard of Ceylon. If you will look at the map of +Hindostan, you will find it close to that country. Here Christianity has +begun to prevail. This island is two hundred miles long, and in some +places quite wide. A large part of it is covered with what is called +jungle. Jungle and wilderness mean the same thing. In this jungle there +are many wild beasts, such as elephants, bears, wild hogs, and +buffaloes. In it also, there are men, women, and children, running wild, +just like the wild beasts. This people are called Verders, or wild +people. They wear scarcely any clothing. They have no houses. When it +rains, they creep into holes, or go under overhanging rocks. Their beds +consist of a few leaves. Sunk almost to the level of the brute, they +live and die like their shaggy companions of the forest. Even upon these +the Gospel has tried its power. More than fifty families have settled +down, forming two pleasant, and now Christian villages. They have +schoolmasters and Christian teachers. + +I must give you a description of two revivals of religion which +occurred while I was in the island of Ceylon, in the year 1833. Before +those revivals took place, there was no particular manifestation of much +seriousness at any of our stations. It was in the month of October of +that year, that we began to feel that we must labor more, and pray more +for the conversion of perishing souls. A protracted meeting was spoken +of, and it was determined that one should be held at our seminary in +Batticotta--a seminary which was established for the purpose of raising +up a native ministry. On the morning of the day in which the meeting was +commenced, Mr. Spaulding and myself went to that station to assist Mr. +Poor, the principal of the seminary, in laboring with the students. In +these labors we spent five days. It was good to be there. No sooner had +we begun our exercises, than a blessing from on high was experienced. +The windows of heaven were opened, and the Holy Ghost descended. This +was evident from the spirit of prayer which was poured out upon the +pious students of the seminary. They were heard "a great while before +day" pleading, in their social circles, that God would have mercy upon +their impenitent companions, and bring them into the kingdom of his +grace. We trust, also, that a spirit of prayer was given to those of us +who took a prominent part in the meeting. At the termination of our +exercises, with the exception of a few lads belonging to a Tamul class, +who had lately been admitted to the seminary, there was not, so far as I +know, an individual connected with it, who was not humbled at the foot +of the cross, either to lie there until healed of his wounds, or to +show, if he perished, that he must perish under circumstances of a very +aggravated nature. + +After we had finished our meeting at Batticotta we went to the female +seminary at Oodooville, to hold similar meetings. Before we reached that +station, the church-members there, after having heard what God was doing +at Batticotta, became very much aroused to pray for the influences of +the Holy Spirit to descend upon the impenitent in their seminary also. +Soon after we reached the station, we held a meeting with the girls. +Some of them were then deeply concerned for the salvation of their +souls; but it was not until Wednesday afternoon, that we knew how +powerfully the Spirit of God had been at work. The meeting which we held +with the seminarists at that time was one of the most solemn meetings +which I ever attended. One of them, a girl of high caste, and of a very +good family, said to her companions in that meeting, "My sisters, I have +been a proud one among you. I hope that if you ever see me proud again, +you will tell me of it. I used to tell the missionaries, that I had +given myself to the Saviour, but I had not done it." Another of the +girls burst into tears, and cried out aloud. As she could not restrain +her feelings, and did not wish to disturb the assembly, she arose and +left it. She retired to one of the prayer-rooms adjoining the seminary, +there to weep alone. She, however, was not left alone. Mr. Poor, one of +my missionary associates, followed her, and endeavored to administer the +consolations of the Gospel to her; but she refused to be comforted. All +her distress seemed to arise from a single source. "I told you a +falsehood," said she, "last Monday, in saying that I had dedicated +myself to the Saviour, when I had not." Perhaps she thought at that +time, that she had thus dedicated herself to the Saviour, but +afterwards found that she had deceived herself. In this wretched state +of mind, she continued until half-past ten o'clock that night, when she +came into Mr. Spaulding's house, where I then was, and wished to know +what she must do to be saved. She was told, as she had often been told +before, that she must dedicate herself entirely to her Saviour. She went +away, and returned the same night at about half-past eleven o'clock, +saying, that she had found HIM. + + "Friends, is not my case amazing? + What a Saviour I have found." + +My dear young friends, are there any of you who have never given your +hearts to Christ? If so, let me entreat you to follow the example of +that dear little girl of whom I have now been speaking. She found it to +be necessary to give her heart to the Saviour, and I hope that she did +give it to him. O that you too might give up your hearts to him. Alas, +if you do not, you must soon go down to eternal burnings where you will +be constrained to cry out, Lost, lost, lost for ever! Be careful, my +dear children, O be careful that this young girl does not rise up +against you in the last day, and condemn you. She must do so--she will +do so, if you do not, like her, choose Christ as your portion. But I am +digressing, and must go back to the point I left. + +The next day, one of our missionary sisters, who had lately reached +Ceylon from America, came to Oodooville, to witness the nature of the +work which she heard was in progress at that place. As she was entering +Mr. Spaulding's house, she was met by one of the most consistent +church-members of the seminary, who declared that she had lost her hope +of being a Christian. Perhaps this church-member was disposed to write +bitter things against herself because she did not feel all that warmth +in religion which marked the conduct of those who, at that time, were +indulging the hope that they had passed from death to life. After the +sister to whom I alluded had been in the house a little while, she +requested Mrs. Spaulding to allow her to have an interview with such of +the girls as were entertaining a hope of their interest in the Saviour. +These were twenty-two in number. This interview was granted. As she +knew nothing about the Tamul language, I acted as her interpreter. +Through me, she requested the girls to give a statement of their +feelings. One of them arose, and said, "I feel as happy as an angel. I +feel joys that I can express to no one but my Saviour; and I am just as +certain that my sins are forgiven, as if I had sent up a karduthaase," +that is, a letter to heaven, "and received an answer to it." Another of +the girls said, that the missionaries had often talked with her about +her dedicating herself to the Saviour, but that she did not then know +what it meant. "I now know," added she, "what it means, for God has +taught it to me." Another of the girls said, "Though they put me in the +fire, I will never forsake the Saviour." + +Now, my dear children, I must bid you farewell Probably I shall never +see you, unless you come to this heathen land, until I meet you at the +judgment-seat of Christ. If you do not become missionaries, most of you +will probably die, and be buried where you now are. Probably I shall die +in this heathen land. But we shall not always sleep in our graves. After +a little season, the archangel's trumpet will sound, and you in +America, and I in India, shall hear his voice proclaiming, "Awake, ye +dead, and come to judgment." And we shall all at once rise from our +graves, and stand before our Judge. And where shall I then see you? +Shall I see any of you on the left hand of Christ, and hear him say, +"Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and +his angels?" O, if I should hear that dreadful sentence pronounced +against you, how would my heart die within me. How could I bear to hear +it. Oh, I could not--I could not bear to hear it. My dear children, if +you are yet out of Christ, I entreat you, _at this very moment_, to lay +down this book, and throw yourselves at the feet of your Saviour. Tell +him, that you are lost sinners, deserving to be cast into everlasting +burnings. Tell him, that though you have been wicked children, you will +leave off your wickedness, and be his for ever. Plead with him, with as +much earnestness as a _drowning_ man would plead with you to save him, +to give you the influences of his Holy Spirit, to create within you a +clean heart, and renew within you a right spirit, without which you are +eternally undone; and continue to plead, until he pardons you, and +receives you as his children. By all the sufferings of the Son of God, +by all the joys of heaven, by all the torments of hell, by the +solemnities of your dying bed, by the value of your immortal souls +_which, if once lost, must be lost for ever_, I beseech you thus +_immediately_ to throw yourselves at his feet, and plead with him to +make you his. Neglect this duty--neglect giving yourselves to Christ, +even for one minute, and it may be, that you will be lost, yea, LOST FOR +EVER. + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Dr. Scudder's Tales for Little +Readers, About the Heathen., by Dr. John Scudder + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DR. SCUDDER'S TALES *** + +***** This file should be named 13539.txt or 13539.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/5/3/13539/ + +Produced by Stephen Schulze and the PG Online Distributed Proofreaders +Team + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/old/13539.zip b/old/13539.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..bbb26b1 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13539.zip |
