St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1867-08-30
For the Caledonian.
Letter From India.

Tor awaiting lis, beng no less person.
age than our old friend the s.Caledonian''
which some thoughtful friend had sent
over the great waters 10 give us news of
home. We were glad indeed TO meet
this friend again, a everything contained
in It's columns, even the advertisements,
was of interest TO us What is there
that takes one back home again like get
ting 10 see the old familiar newspaper,
that was regularly read through all the
weeks of childhood and youth How ii
leads one back through the familiar
streets, into the stores, over 10 the post
office, down TO the academy, and on down
10 the busy village of scales, and back
a"in TO the depot. How re;il and naiu-
raj all seems a. We look over the paper
and see some name or notice that recalls
each particular place There Is no place
like home. no place that we would SO re-
ioice TO behold as the green hills of our
aatlvc state. How often at this season
OF the year a. we move about on these
dusty, J'rany plains does the mind 90
back and The heart long for the cool ma
pie groves. AMI green hill-sides of loved
Vermont, Especially do such thoughts
enter our minds to-day, as with all our
doors closed to keep out wind - hot
As 10 nearly blister our faces if exposed
10 ii, We read the newspaper that recalls
all the scenes of hone and youth But
these day dreams of '-Sweet Home" are
soon driven away 10y the real constant
duties OF the ro'k we 80 much love in
this uncongcnial cline, Were we ever
tempted bv our love of home, or 10y these
irwin" Seasons. 10 try and shake off our
love for tins work, and 10 forSakc these
burning plains. one glance At the i.no-
rance and superstition of these people
around u would entirely remove the
temptation The reality of the mental
and moral darkness OF these people Is
strongly forced upon our minds these
DAYS IL We Zee the vast muliiiulrS return
ing from the great IIindoo festival. which
has iu-t been he'll al llurlwar. the place
where the Gau"cs flows out ircm the
mountains Every school boy knows
that the river Ganges i held sacred 10y
the llindooS, and that pil-rimages TO il.
and bathing in it, form "a large part OF
their worship while they live. and that
they desire their bodies TO bc thrown into
II when they die, There ar however
certain place which are believed 10 be
especially sacred. among which i IIurd-
war. During the month oi April great
crowds resort To- this place yearly for
bathing and worship. and once every
twelve wears thcv have what i known n
The ''coomb' fair. which i attended bv 4
much -rcatcr number ut people than at
tend tie yearly iair-- The present i the
twelfth wear. ami the people are now re
turning IN grcat numbers from this won
dcriul ''c;mpmeeiing, The number
thai were a '>c:n5lcl thcrc-i, estimated by
Natives 4 ~ least ten millions. and by
government officers who had charge Of
iiir ground ~ nearly that lumber. This
will seem almost Incredible 10 friends In
Vermont, but II must be remembered
thai IN tLi> little commirv Of lIim,,u>ion.
ahun; one ;hirl as lar-c a. the United
States. one hundred AMI eighty millions
al people lind 4 home. Sill We confess
that Ten millions OF people make a large
c;'mp-m,e.tin..
Ii WIS fore~cyn that there would be
grcat danger OF sickness ia such a crowd.
hence hospitals were arranged ON the fair
ground and every means possible taken
Ia prevent sickness. mut only NJ tie fair.
bUt in all The large cities irr one hundred
and ii!Iy miles around. Sill near the
close vi the iiir cholera broke out and
up 10 The present time i sweeping off IL
thousands. leaving them unburiel ali
along the roa'iS leading from IIurd-
war 10 great l. the peSiilcnce that the
pilgrims are not allowed 10 pass through
the cities on their WAY home, but roads
iIayc been formed Tor them 10 pass through
the open country. The Impression seems
10 be prevalent that the Gan-es Is either
lo>ing IL power or becoming di>,lea>etI
with IL lcvn;ce>. Il the cholera diSturl,s
none except the pilgrims. Many of the
residents ot this ciiy-Over one hundred
miles from The tIir-,liel after thev
reached their homes, Yet there has been
: scarcely ca>c OF the cholera among
those that remained at home
l The llinioo priests have 4 prophesy
that the Gange> Is 10 lose itS Divine
, power within the next thirty years 81
that after that time 1t will be no Longer
| wor,hlppcL | am not sure but chris.
1 .laniIy and education Will cause thi.
, pr"phc>v 10 be fulfilled before that time
But 50 long Is the ignorance and super
2 stlllon ot the masses of the people expos.
them TO The deception OF the religion.
= mcndlcaniS. pilgrlmages viii be mad,
: AMI creature worship continued, Tor from
E this kind of worship the priests receiv,
. their wealth. Should the Gangcs be,
L come unpopular some other wonderful
e river, pond, or mountain will be found
to take It's PLACE, and the new object Will
: lis Divine and wonderful attributes vii
Y require extra offerings.
I The following is an illustration of til,
r deception practiced by these religious
0 mendlcants. At the time that grea
t multitudes Were going 10 IIurdwar,
Q was in one OF the market places in tn,
: city preaching one evening, and in IN,
:. preaching / exposed some OF the foolisl
: worship Of the lIindoos. and remarke,
: that ii could do no good to 20 to Hurd
e war. ii being no better than any othe
d place, as God was everywhere. Upol
: hearing this llurdwar priest, who ha'
+, been sent out 10 entice the people to 20 +
y the fair, interrupted Inc and said ..IIoN
y Is this that you say that Hurdwar IS N
5 better than any other place All kind
:. OF miracles are wrought there, If you
Is religion Is true why don't you work mir
e acles as our great and learned men do 4
: IIurdwar? We have priests there tw
i