Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1858-01-30
INDIA.

eooolIlU u RVf09n OF It's inne0tantS kNlnst IN
sslee4pk{s britdns and the sanguinasy war tia
Aat fseSlted thersfrofn. Nearly every thing writer
,er aid concerning the Hndoos, therefore, possess
additional interest at this time. The marked ut
tention paid to the lecture at fremont Hall, few
evenings snse this subject, induces to believ
that the following concerning the religion Of tn
Nindcos will b, interesting te our readers. 1t wa
originally published in the Hudson, Ohio,
"Res;.ter and Visitor" in 1853. aud is from Tn
pen Il a~r isilow-eitizer, D.. I. L. Graham:]
The origin Of the religion Of til,
Hindcos is lost in antiquity. The doc.
trine Of transmigration Of souls can be
traced among them back to that early
time wherein We first gain a knowledge
Of their existence as nation, OF theil
religious views, their intellectual habits
and their general knowledge at that an
cient period, we can only Judge from
their treatment of the dead, and from
monuments Of an obscure mythology
which are believed to be as remote from
is as those of Egypt, to which they
year a striking resemblance in form
.ud gigantic size.
The doctrine Of TRANSPORTATION Of
souls was first derived from india, and
Pythagoras is supposed to have first III
reduced it into Europe, where it was
,ever so popular as to be prevailing
elief. The habit of embalming bodies
aEgyptwould seem to prove that their
eligiou. system and that of the Hindoos
we're not identical. The Egyptians
nay possibly have had some vague no.
ion that there was to be final restora-
ion to life. or disbelieving in a soul,
night have adopted this method of pre-
CRYING mortality; but adopting either
lew, embalming the dead is irreconci-
sble with transmigration. g
According to the earliest historic
ecords, there was large trade carried
m between India and Egypt, regulated
nd systemized under Alexander and
he Ptolemies, from which great pro-
,ortion of the wealth of the latter was
derived 1t is a remarkable historic
TACT, that whatever nation has held the
ieys of eastern commerce, has arisen to
,reatness and glory. The long contin-
led commercial intercourse Of these two
countries must have greatly influenced
their intellectual associations. The
system of Castles was adopted in both
Countries, and was probably introduced
INTO Egypt from India.
The East In liam exhibits at the pres
ent day a relation of their ancient myth
ology when he bows with reverence and
veneration before the monuments Of
Egypt, believing that he has found his
own gods.
India when discovered to the Greeks
Effected them with wonderful interest.
They found a mythology and religious
relief in many respects kindred with
heirs. They hailed with enthusiasm
he symbols Of their own polytheism.
The historians Of Alexander and the
eneral view Of the religion Of India by
he Greeks, nearly coincide with the de-
scriptions given us by modern mission
tries. The Indian recluses, or gymno-
.ophysts, whose doctrines and modes Of
life we learn from missionaries, were
found by the soldiers of Alexander ex-
actly as they are at present, the same
abstraction from the world and the ac-
tive duties Of citizenship, the same de-
otion to religious meditation and sys-
Ems Of penance. The general charac-
r of the Hindoos has undergone but
little change for more than twenty cen
turtles.
According to the Greek historians
there were two ruling sects, the Brah-
Minis and Samaneans, both advocating
systems Of Indian origin. The latter
being opposed to the Brahmins and a
belief in castles was not popular, and
for many hundreds Of years its influence
has not been recognized, yet its effects
can be discerned in modern Indian eth
les. The former system prescribing
the worship Of Brahm was most extern
sively adopted, and extends back thro'
all their national history, until its origin
is lost in the mazes of fabulous chron-
ology.
The most ancient book of laws which
has been translated into English is the
code Of Menu, in which is embraced an
account Of Brahm, history of the Gre
alton Of the world and Of man, and also
acode Of morals. The religious system
of this book hangs upon the doctrine of
TRANSPORTATION. 1t teaches that the
present state is only preparatory to a
happier future existence that good in
the present life is foretaste Of another
and better state; and that whatever evil
is suffered is punishment for sin COM
mitted in some former state Of being.
Under such system marriage must be
viewed as more sacred tie, since death
has no powerto dissolve it. Hence, the
voluntary immolation Of widows cxcites
much less contempt than pity and com
passion. At the first view it would seem
astonishing that the English government
has for time sanctioned these human
sacrifices, but it saw the necessity Of
forbesrance in violating their religious
prejudices and of governing them in
manner conformable to their own usa-
ges. The first attempt to suppress them
occasioned serious disturbance. By the
present stringent law this system is en-
tirely abolished. The practice Of wild
ows burning themselves originated
among those of the warlika oasta al