New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-09-17
FROM NEWPORT.
,e ". Y. THbuLe.


Like other historians have been obliged TO an'
tcipste dates, and to skip over the heads OF some
thoughts and events, in order 70 present accounts
of the world while the world was still here. Now
that the exgences of the moment are over, my
faithful TRIBUNE, you viii return with me TO more
meditstve spheres Of observation, for, yol know,
We do not both play the fool every day in the week
Ny sober moments lead me mostly in the dIrec-
ton Of Bfooks's church. It's quiet Tone the com
posed attention of the congregation, are IS
straight Jacket 10 my wild running faDcles: and
when | feel that ] need thst wholesome re-
straint, steal shyly to the doors and seek to be
admitted The Sexton being rarely visible per
hsps he blows the organ, or performs In the chOir)
/ commit the involuntary SIN of sitting N some
body else's pew do this in an attitude of Christ
ian meekness, supported by the conviction that tne
woman who should undertake to turn me out would
have her hands full. The Pre-RsfiaeLte face OF
Brooks appearing above the pulpit cushions sets
10y ombativeuess at Iest. / cease to suspect the
owner of the pew OF latent designs OF assault and
battery. l follow that gentle shepherd through
the peasantnesses OF his spiritual domain, and,
Black Sheep as am, present myself to receive the
benefit Of the weekly washing of the flock. Enter
ing there, the Sunday before the last, |
found the church crowded almost to DIS
comfort Neither were the bonnets altogether
those Of other Sundays. Behind the face
of the pastor, fair and shining saw the outline OF
a,du,ky vissge like the.old moon behind tie new
moon. This was the converted Brshmin, Gan.
gooy, and the world had gathered to hear HIM
preach. But he did not preach. A neophyte IN
the faith of our fathers he did not, like many con-
verts, beabOr with the new broom OF his re-
Gently acquired theology. In an attitude OF true
modtsty, and with voice strange but soft, he mar
rated the circumstances of his birth, youth, and
education; the duties Of his priestly Office, his
early zeal against ChrlstisDlty, his examination OF
its teDets, and his conversion to the Unitarian
faith, after various struggles with orthodoxy, and
in spite of the opposition Of his famiy-ail power
ful over him, according to tie patriarcha customs
of the East.
The account he gave Of the religion in which he
was bred and of the family life with which il was
interviewer, was most interesting. The religious
experience Of most among us Is acquired at little
cost. Nereap where other men have sOwn. Tho
early mart, rs and the later Pilgrims have endured
the agOnies of the faith for and we content our
selves mostly, priests and people, with serene
enjoyment of lis promise, and tSurshys inter
probation of it's p.ecepts. But here was one who
had borne the yoke on his own shoulders, and who
spoke of the suffering of conversion with ths plte
Gus emphasis of its recent experience. The first
disturbance Of doubt the slow yielding TO the pres
sure OF conviction, the torment OF dissiululaton,
the first experiment upon the IDOLS power OF ayeng-
ing neglect or insult, aud the final wrench OF
heart and life from their old belcngings-all
these he narrated as if their wounds were still
fresh ard painful. There was great pathos in the
face of this shadowy man, whose whole language
and gesture spoke of a younger brotherhood than
ours in the human race. The quiet of the church
grew intense; you could have heard pin drop
from end 10 end of the discourse, and as the col
lection in aid of bis studies was taken up inme-
diately after IFS close, have some hope that 1t
proved deoently liberal
But" said a quesliOner t. me shortly after the
above. What has the poor man gained by his con-
versionl Why could not the wretched mis-
sionary have left bin alone, at peace in his own
country The religion Of his birth was pure,
elevated Theism, of the kind which modern philOso
piers in Theology have toiled go hard to restore
lie had the Bnsrad ghuta, the Nishnu.P urana, and
the other books winch Mr.. Emerson thinks supe-
rior to sll our revelations, and which form the de-
light ofthe poe teal snd philosophical mind wherever
they are known. He has exchanged these for our
threadbare Testament and the tracts Of The n
tartan Association. He has given up the blue sky
of India for the ungenisl climate of Boston, his
own family and friends for the Christian Brother /
hood which is often advertised, but rarely found
nav, he must even charge his diet and, bred upon
vegetables, must live IN country where meat Il
the staple Of food snd where (here my friend
This all true" replied; - be has made soue
sacrifices, even some losses; but one buys some
thing with something. not with nothing. You
give 4 beggar neW suit OF clothes, upon con-
dton that he ,ball burn the filth of the Old ones
Very Ike, be VIII sometimes remember how easy
were those sbapeless garments-how cool those
ragged shoes: bat If you would offer 70 exchange
again, be would laugh in your face. Hear Gan
gooly himself on some Of the points Of his early
faith
- II was my business, being Brahnlin, b take
care of the closet in which the idols were kept
and 70 offer 10 them and pray before them. They
are provided with small furniture, something Lac
the baby houses of your children. Once after
praying az night, forgot to replace the cloth that
covered the image 70 which l had prayed. Early
on the reXt morning, the mistress Of the house
came TO inform me that ! had committed great
crime, and taking NE 10 the closet, she showed me
the uncovered IDOL. | iIembled with horror at the
sscrilere. but presently asked her how she h.d
known of il She said she had come home the
evening before. very cod, and hsd been shivering
al tie night. No clothing could warm her, aud at
last she was sure there must be something wrong
among the Gods, co. going 70 their closet, she dis
covered the suffering idol.
And again: The books Of our religion tel Us
that whoever shall wash N the rIyer Gauges shall
be saved. This means every one who Wils, since
all can wash in these waters. BItin our practical
religion, only the sick b. saved, since they alone
can make offerings 70 the Gods, who are 10. other.
wise propitis.ed."
And Yet once: "If any Of you were i'll, your
brother would assist you. But II | Were diving,
low that arr Christian, ny mother would not
take ue into her house, nor pu! medicine upon
my hps. Nay, ii II were in her power, she would
poison ne, since ! am no longer Of her religion
i need not multiply such instances, in which the
narrative aboundsd. II ls 10! likely that your