Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-09-23
The Indian THESIS.


in Manchester, England, to large con-
gregations. He explained the princi-
pies, objects, and organization of the
Brahmo Somaj, and the following &C
count Of his discourse is given:
Speaking from the 18th chapter OF
St. Johns Gospel, in which Jesus
Christ likens himself to the true vine,
and Gods people to the branches, he
said this was to him q beautiful image,
because it was emblematic of the unity
of Gods Church. The society to which
he belonged had found it necessary to
organize church. This was an idea
which was foreign to Eastern, or at any
rate to Aryan, ideas. 1t was a mistake
to suppose that, the Hindoo races had
| always been given up to superstition.
A time was when a pure and elevating
monotheism was taught by teachers
whose writings had been preserved
through centuries, and were held in
veneration to the present day. But,
through the absence of a church organi-
zation, those beautiful doctrines were
retained as the property of the think
ing few, and did not reach or affect the
million masses of the popula n.
Hence privileged priesthood q
superstitious people arose, and sys
of caste and hideous idolatrous T.. $
were established. The Brahmo Somai,
which was monotheistic, like the Aryan
forefathers of it's members, felt the
necessity of q church in order to the
preservation and extension OF the doc
trines they held. In effecting this or
gan1zatlOn they required to solve the diff
ficult problem of reconciling unanimity
which was necessary for an enthusiastic
aggressive, homogeneous church, and
the preservation Of individuality and
independence Of thought, which was
necessary to it's freedom. Tt was neces-
sary, therefore, to have creed, and he
need not tell Englishmen of the diff
culties and dangers which creed-making
involved. Nothing more tended to
hinder the progress of truth than the
existing complication of theologies.
But they had endeavored to settle the
difficulty on these principles, viz. =
That their creed should be simple, so
that it might be understood of all the
people, the Sudra and the Brahmin
alike; progressive, SO that it might be
adapted to new revelations or accre-
tons of truth; and universal, that it
might not repel or condemn truth as
taught by other churches founded
upon Gods truth, as sectarian creeds
OF necessity did. They were not OPP
posed to Christianity, and much of the
doctrine they taught had been borrow
ed-no, he could not use that word,
which was not the correct one-but had
been joyfully received from the teach
ings of Jesus Christ and his apostles.
But they received truth from whatever
source it came. They received with
patriotic veneration the noble and ele-
waiting teachings of their Aryan fore
fathers, which were chanted to this day
by the Brahmins on the banks Of sacred
rivers. They listened to and accepted
the pure monotheism preached by Mo-
manned in the sandy deserts and rocks
OF Arabia, which taught them to rem
der to the one God sole and undivided
honor. They studied with reverence
the maxims of CONTIGUOUS, and were
ever open to receive with respect the
discoveries of science and the specula-
tions Of philosophy. Truth from all
these diverse sources they were open
Individually to teach and to receive,
but the cardinal principles of their
creed were simple and universal-the
fatherhood of God and the brotherhood
OF all men and all tribes and kindreds
OF men. This creed necessarily forced
them into the advocacy Of moral and
social reform, and engage them in
crusade against idolatry, the system of
owl, o1a4
stitution of suffice or widow burning,
the great dividing institution of caste !;
but this moral and social work was
subordinate to their spiritual work. In
order to carry on their church organi-
cation effectually and extend it, mis-
sionary agency was required and had
been established, and their missionaries
had been received gladly, not only in
Bengal, but throughout India. He
had himself visited as an humble mis-
sionary many districts which had only
been known in history, and where he
had no right to expecta welcome-what
missionary had But when he spoke
to the people he always found from
their flashing eyes that the old
Aryan blood was still coursing in their
degenerated veins, and that their hearts
and their intellects were affected by the
pure and ennobling doctrines taught
centuries ago by their ancestors. There
were now 100 Brahmo Somajas III diff
ferent parts Of India, and every branch
was enthusiastic. This was not owing
to the ability or eloquence Of the mis-
sionaries, who were for the most part
humble unlettered men, but was the
outcome of natural impulse, as he
believed, given by the Spirit of God.
The attitude which the Brahmo Somai
holds to other Churches was that they
we're all manifestations of the one dis
pensation which had been given to
men by the Almighty Father of all.
They claimed to be link in the chain
of the prophets and teachers sent of
God, by which the whole family of
mankind would at last be bound togeth-
or in one brotherhood, even as the
branches were united to the vine.
Chinese Students.
Two Chinese students were recently
admitted to Yale College scientific de-
nartnoant They nassau Tho ovo,ooioo