Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-05-30

other inhabitants seemed chiefly to subsist
byfittfe' shops. in which are sold the yari-
ous Articles connected whistle idolatfy'oi
the place. They made no objection to sell
ing meunconsecrated idols, and whatever
else chose.
"A singular aspects giEente the placeby
the scores, if not hundreds, of huge monk
eys, which are seen at every glance They
are held sacred to Hunimaun the divine
ape, who conquered Cevlon for Rama. OF
course, they are not only unrnolested, but
are well fed, and multiply without res.ric-
ton. They looked on US from every wall,
and frolicked among the trees, over the inn
ages, and up the carved sides of the tow
ers, often coming within yard of US, with
out the semblance of fear. Theyare by no
means peculiar to this temple, but abound
in most of the Hindoo sacred places, and
for the same reason.
Pilgrims from all parts of India resort
to this place for dissolution from their sins :;
and as none come without an offering, the
Brahmins live in voluptuous ease. The
establishment receives, also, from the COM
pany, an annual stipend, stated by Hamil-
ton to be $1,000 pagodas, 1927, 3OO.I Still,
their rapacity is nsatiate. A half dozen of
them, pretending to act as guides, followed
us every where, begging with insolent
perinacity. With idoiaters, as with pa
pists, clerical mendicity is regarded as a
virtue, rather than a fault.
Connection ofthe British Government with
IdOlGtry.
The continuance and support given by
Government to the prevailing forms of re-
liglon, is a weighty subject, and calls tor
the solemn consideration ofBritish Chris
tians: [ cannot but sympathize deeply
with the missionaries in the trials and OBJ
they meet on this account they
have little doubt butthat the pernicious in
fuence of the Brahmins would wither, &
and their system lose its power, if Govern
ment did not render its aid, both by open
countenance and direct taxation.
4 An extreme fear of creating political dis
if efforts were made to convert
the natives to Christianity, seems to have
possessed the company's government from
the beginning. Hence the refusal, at first,
to allow missionary effort. Hence Cham
berlain, though in the service of her roy
al highness, the Begaum, was deemed pes
tilent for preaching at a fair, and her ma
jesty reluctantly obliged to send him
down to Calcutta. Happily, the little band
that found refuge under the Danish flag
at Serampore, lived to prove practically,
4 hot lis
But, though the Government now per-
mits and protects missionary effort, it has
not wholly lost its early fears and these,
together with a desire to be strictly neu-
trail, lead to measures directly favorable to
idolatry. 1t Ievies and collects the reve-
nues for supporting brahmins and temples,
as the former rulers did-thus virtually
making idolatry and Mahometanism the
established religions of the country! The
annual allowance from the public treasu-
nv, for the support of the temple of Jugger-
maui, is 900 rupees, Eabout S26,O0O,]
and many v.her temples have allowances
eqally liberal. c.. Butler, in his letter to
the Court of Directors, on this SUBJ ect
says, Large pensions, in land and mon
ev, are allowed by our Government, in all
parts of the country, for keeping up the re-
ligious institutions both of Hindoes and
Mahometans. Lord VIM. Bentick. Gov
ernor General of India, under date of Au
gust, 1885, speaking of the tax laid on pill.
grims, which yields the company hand
some revenue, says, LAS long as we main
tain, most properly in my opinion, the diff
}ferent establishments belonging to the Ma
/ hometan and Hindoo religions, we neet
not much scrupfe about the tax in ques
tion." 80. s..'-
In the district of Tinnevelly, an exami
nation on this subjectwas made by Mr. T.
who found 2783 temples, and 9,799 petty
koviIs, of mate and female deities, & som,
inferior religious stations; making a tota
of I4,85l places of idolatrous Worship
The total charge ofthese, an the Govern
ment, amounts to 100000 sterling, [abou
Sl35,090l per annum. 49,. p.
Besides this regular support, Their are nu
merous other modes in which the nationa
systems are countenanced. Mr.. Rhenius
has stated that, in 1881, GoVern't contrib
uted 10000 rupees towards the perform
ance of certain ceremony in the temple
at Tinnevelly, and to repair the idols car
Atthe principal festivals guns are fired, by
national ships, and by thecompany's troops
and the military bands of music are loan
ed to grace the occasions. Thus Christian
soldiers are compelled tosdo honor to tn,
false prophet and TO dumb idols. Various
temples and gateways have been built.ol
repaired by Government. Vast sums haV'
been spent on colleges and schools, for thu
medication of heather and Maho1netal
doctrines and customs By these. sam,
laws and customs British judges and ma
/ gistrates regulate their decisions, insteado
1.-The pure and equitable laws of their oEl
Hand, and of the Christian. Scriptures