Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-04-07
4 HIsDoo ON OUR clvIIIzArIos.

The observing reader has for some time
been watching with much interest the
Brahmo Somsj, the church which has re.
turned to the oldest religious literature ex.
tant in India, and which holds to and
teaches the worship of the One God. The
leading mind engaged in this movement is
that of Keshub Chunder Sen, who is also
the foremost man to-day in the Oriental
world. He recently delivered an address
in which he announced his intention of
soon visiting the West, or New World, and
which was substantially as follows:
The axis of thought round which the
world reVolves is spun out of the influences
contributed both by the East and the West.
But as in the economy of Providence the
West dominates over the East, the eastern
elements of the force of thought have de-
cayed so much, and parted from the gen.
eral constitution of things, that it may al
most be said to have ceased to exist. The
law of human progress is to claim ones
birthrights. And the East claims its birth.
rights. Well did the minister say that
Asia was the nstivity, the cradle and nur.
sery of all the greatest prophets and saints
What are the rights they have conferred
upon this birthplace. The right of re-
celving first the law OF faith. The right
OF receiving the law of love and grace.
The right of first receiving the law of self
discipline, and ascetic self-sacritiee. The
result of these rights received and exer.
cised is the transcendent spirituality for
which the land of the rising sun is justly
famous in the annals of the world. This
characteristic of spirituality is what the
Church of the New Dispensation has cult
waited above all things. In our devotions,
disciplines, institutions, writings, we have
tried to keep the fame of Eastern spiritu-
atty ever aglow. During the last fifty.
three years the Brahmo Somaj has humbly,
but steadily, endeavored to mature its
spiritual character, and interpreting the
leading personalities and predominant ideas
of great religions, has invited all the con-
tinents to psrtake of the universal fellow
ship which Gods messengers in all lands
and ages have prophesied. l feel com.
manded to carry this message. But If the
East is famous for its spirituality, Europe
ia famous for it's education. the great cir
cles of thought, civilization, science, the
ology, of manly requirement, inquiry and
research are there. Toe charges of exclu.
siveness, conservatism and stagnation, both
moral and intellectual, are laid at the door
of Asia. Europe has the right of a ca
tholicity of culture. Even the language
and literature of tie East have had revival
there. The religions of the East are re-
ceiving increased investigation and honor.
Europe is paying back its debt to our con.
tinent by freely renting to US its civil.
cation, its science, its spirit of social and
moral life, and exalting us gradually to the
plane of an enlightened and educated ma
tional manhood. | hold the claims of
Eastern spirituality to be transcendental.
l hold the analytic intellect of Europe, its
broad scientific spirit, in equal honor. The
spirituality of the New Dispensation must
pass through the test of the intense and
impartial thoughtfulness of the European
type of character before it is converted
into the souls pabulum for all mankind.
The precision of Europe must be added to
the inspiration of Asia. Western culture
and independent thought must be combined
with Eastern sentiment and loftiness of
devotion. Europe must contribute it's
quota to the character of the New Dispen-
sation. feel commanded to receive into
my nature the elements of that contribu-
ton. Even at the risk of being charged
with egotism must avow that from early
youth have been the child of overpower-
ing impulses. My impulsiveness has been
of the most inveterate type of Oriental
ism. My emotions have been strong but
strongest whenever have approached the
feet of my God. For nearly a quarter of
a century the threshold has been daily
bathed by floods of tears which l have re-
peatedly, but vainly, tried to resist. My
sentimentality has often provoked the sar-
casm of friends. But have often said in
my heart, this flood of tears is not my
fault, but of the nature which my God has
given me. As a preventive against puerile
sentimentality, which l have sincerely alb
horred at all times, have for many years
cultivated the spirit of precise European
thought and culture, such as my cireum-
stances allowed. I have been studying
hard, critical, intellectual books which
ought to nave moved out every redundance
of emotion. l may honestly say my men
tai susceptibilities have been greatly mold
ed by the genius of European thought and
civilization. And not unfrequently have
I stood charged as the apostle of European
lSIIi. L udN6 u6NcE bhhCA budb ObaI " 90 WV
condemnatory, nor as too complimentary.
If it is any fault the fault is not mine, but
his who gave my nature to me. II 1t Is
| honorable the honor is his alone. L admit
there is fair modicum of truth In that
charge. l take no discredit for having Gull
| tivated my devotional, contempiative,
moral faculties like an honest Oriental. L
claim no discredit for having cultivated
my intellectual, analytical, meditatlve FAC
ulties according to the standard OF the Eu-
ropean independence and moral rectltude.
l know l am far from achieving perfection
in either, but have honestly tried to COM
bine the two. Bat l know my education
is not complete. That it may be complete
feel commanded to so in pilgrimage to
the ustermost parts of the great West.
Perfection, like eternity, is represented by
a great circle, and the West naturally leads
to the East again. The West is only for a
short to. morrow, the East is my abode for
evermore. The combination of the East
ern and Western elements which the spirit
of my church has struggled to effect in me
and the others subjectively, it is now my
hearts wish to realize obj ctively in lands
and circumstances far otherwise than what
now surround me. For years together the
religion of the New Dispensatlon has Ia
bored under misrepresentation which must
be removed. For years together friendshaye
been alienated by Misunderstanding which
;; must be explained. That the New Dis.
pensstion can stand the severest tests Of
Western criticism, and form an alliance
t with the most advanced spirit of science in
every part of the globe, must be proved by
the evidence of the eye and ear. That Ii
is the simplest and spontaneous creed, yet
capable of endless complications of devel
opment, must be demonstrated. That il
is enemy to no real religion, no real philos
ophy. no real civilization, must be brought
home to every part of the world, all this
has been sufficiently evidenced in India
1t must be evidenced elsewhere also. Hence
my projected pilgrimage. India claims tc
be more widely known over the world II
I and on