Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-12-10

- ~ s~~sses ~ W A"Os~sUy
Dysssa h he Ess Indies. are copied from 40
uAslbs MaesSiss. and we're written BY . gen.
Slsnss whs hes long 6llsd = Distinguished sta
sisa u shs civil service Of he East India Com
psay. Hs sssarks on the state Of society in
shs Eas. tsvs bssa much read and admired.
Tia ptsssss which hs has drawn Of the utter
hspsIessusw and Quixotic sbsurdity Of any re-
Gxjsu cruDades for the coavsrsioa Of the Hin
49,. , striking, aud ] should think, c~onvinc-
NJ 10 ~ impartial m'nd. When We rscollsct
wAst vest sums have been whsedlsd from "sil-
y weasn.'' or sxtorted from the reluctant grasp
sfssssa6sd and dying sinners By these svangsi-
IssI hssviss. ws can only wonder at the guilt
bik&y and stupidity Of . people who call ,hem-
sslvss enlightened. and still permit themselves
- be periodically pluadsred. by such . ridicu-
le~ and absurd pssssncs. a. the Christianixing
shs Hiadoos. Ny ow" observations on the
ia~psebsbhay efths attempt 10 convert The ma
tisas ef ths East whom our Missionaries seem
- ssks particular delight in calling ''ben,ght-
I'd bsstAssn.'') are confirmed BY tho writer
whose ss@srks I have copied, and il il with no
snsll degree VI pride and pleasure. that ] per-
ssivs myself supported by such an sficien, and
j.aseious advocate. A.. J.
"Whst 10 IL thu; tho Missionaries and many
hsndrsds Of misiaken but welI-moaning people
bssidss, who are dreaming Of making ths Hin
6ses Christians. what is II in the moral or civil
character OF tina, people. thai they look to for
AA~~s~:~s.~ >u.<..- a. sk~.v -.-.- E.-.- -
u bic ssnsss will admit. that q circle Of years,
81 centuries perhaps, must prscode it, accom-
Plbhsasnt.
''Ts talk Of imrpediate conversion 10 foolish
go. -foolishness sublimsd into Madness
There . one fallacy that has contributed to
0slssd them. They have taught themselves
- eonssder hindOOism as q system that does
eet telsrato merely, Il encourages every spe-
siss Of ssnsuality. and the most odious and bru-
vai Vices. arguing and very consistently from
sheir Premises, that every element Of such an
ssssssral theology, must melt away before the
nsht sf reason and true religion. But the Hin
Zoe rsIigisa y no such thing. II holds cut no
ellsssamt .. sssh passions. II deals in No in.
esIosnss1. II 10 fas. very far. from being .
bed 81 sesss. Il 10 tho NEST asestie religion
Ne wesbd ever saw. II 70 the thornies, path
q heaven that mankind can DO invited to en-
~ "" " bOsxtOu tuo otIIStcbs 1O0tupOuCo
, snfsSeed, not preached, not recommended.
PROM beginning 10 end there is no preeept in
h, oil 10 i0sD; stern. adamantine, unyielding
Ssss, from which there 10 no appeal. Other
systems deSsonaee ntomperance, Hmdooism
renders u impvssibie. Il assures permitted en-
~jeyrnsnt 70 b equal to hcentious abuse, and il
ps~sibifs snjsyment.-The authority Of ouch
religion may ipe estimated by its contempt for
the common fselirgs Of mankind. for that must
DO . fabric of no ordinary strength, which has
eutliscd the lapse Of so many ages, and with
Rood the shook Of 20 many revolutions, in spite
Of the musn'urs and protests Of nature, under
The psivatioD or all that 10 wont to sOOthe and
refresh her. Vet with al these chances in our
favor, what has been done. In the course Of
tan yeais scar csly ~ many real conversions
have SseA sfisSsd. ChaDdalahs and Parahs,
Indeed without number have become converts,
bat fhsn there was nothing from which they
.sould 10 converted, they were comprehended
h nens Of the religious castles into which Hin.
destan 10 divided. The Hindoos disown them.
The pickaxes Of our evangelical pioneers have
~ stirred a few crumbiing fra gments at the
~ Of the mountain = the mountain rears its
head and smiles at thor obscure snd feeble L.
bours. What 10 il you ask, that renders its
koary mast Of superstition alike immov able to
force and impsnetrsble TO reason! Il is the
division Of caste. lit 10 that stupendous institu.
tina. whether ihs result Of craft or accident as
k~sh. il 10 that which has strobe the whole
country, It once the temple and citadel Of
a. sarerstitio"s. The entire moral c~onstitu.
lloa Of man ~ thus summoned to their sup
pert; eli his feelings Of honorable pride, his
;nsenuous shame. his extinction in this life,
aad his hopes beyond it. are enlisted IN defence
., has religion. No Hindoo car survive the
- Aa.n NnS n tiora in caafR AOv re-.
ia,ion 10 high or low, every caste from the
head Of vIshnoo, to the sole Of his feet. Nor
would any man exchange his ewn caste though
Il con Aemns him to the n,eanest Offices and
.dervadations, for another which carries along
swiih h, the homage aud generation of millions.
fn0yt singular construction of So Scty, IN
336tsdiy, hut an iusuperabls stumbling block
fthe way cfthose who are unwilling to leave
a. Hindoos in quiet possession Of a faith
which has heretofore rendered them a peacea-
Die. and in tho main, a ~virtuous and happy
psopls. As human beings, il behoves Us to
iespsak humanely, and 20 long as Providence
designs only to confer with men through hu-
man agencies, W. think il neither irrational
uos impious to infer the hopelessness Of the
psoiect from tho invincible strength of the i'm
psdimsnts
sAscend, then, the Pisgah Of your pious
spseolssioos. Look down, from it upon the
vhsls multitudinous host, from the Indus to
Csps Com0rin. from Ocean to tho mountainous
range Of Hi,oslaya, all let loose from the cir
subscriptions Of caste. Conceive the fondest
vishss ofbsothsrs Marshman and Carey crown
ID with success. Imagine to yourself. miI-
Hsus, the most sbstinent Of Gods creatures,
It saes made psoselytss to fermen,ed liquors.
- overrun with Sbs same rsbbIe Of vices and
'Sssrdsrs, with which that faied beverage has
sesusssd The population Of your own country.
Wksn Thu esasummation, 20 long and 80 de-
ssssiy wistsA. has taken place. would you val
- yew pewsr In India At a pins feel l have
hssrd. - bind and stupid is zeal, ] have he ard
psspls IN Of c~ivilizine the Hindoos! Civilne