Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-11-24
THE B1spoo VISITOR.
Interesting Interview with Mozoomdar,
the Reformer


the Reformer.
The Hindoo reformer, Mozoomdar, who
has been visiting the United States, sailed
on Thursday from San Francisco on the
City of Picking for Japan, en- route for Cal
cutts. The San Francisco Call says: On
the evening previous to his departure, by
invitation of DR.. Stebbins, at whose house
Mr.. Mozoomdar has been a guest during
his stay in this city, some thirty or forty
business men, clergyman and literators
assembled to hold parting conversation
with the Oriental Apostle concerning his
native land, and bid him farewell The
scene during the interview was very pc.
culiar one for this latitude. After the
chairs placed around the room were all oc.
cupied by the elder gentlemen, the others
sat down on the carpet in the center, East
ern fashion. with legs crossed, and the
swartby Mozoomdar among them. Thus
seated they piled him with questions con-
corning India, which he answered, one after
another, for an hour and half with great
readiness and clearness, interpreting occa.
sional sallies of wit and humor in his re-
plies. The following may be taken as a
specimen of the questions and answers:
"What effect has the British rule had
upon the poorer classes in India ?"
"They have not been benefited as the
middling classes have, but their condition
is rather worse than before. We have
really no pauper class there. There are
those who beg, but it is a profession with
them, and they are not necessarily poor
The best people in India, the scholars,
teachers, ETC., do nothing-they are sup.
ported by the free-will offerings of others,
who consider they are honored by being
allowed to contribute to their support"
How do the people submit to the
heavy exactions laid upon them by the
Government ?"
OVERWHELMINGLY for the most part, as
of an infiction from which there is no pos.
sible way of escape. The native princes,
rsjahs, live very sumptuously and enjoy
that daughter OF Chunder Sen, the head
of the Brahma Soma Ala poor man, having
only for his support such voluntary con.
tributions as might be made by his people
married, not long ago, one of these ma.
tive princes. who has an income amounting
to over 81. DOC, 900 year,
"To what extent has the Act of 1872,
recognizing civil marriages, been taken ad.
vantage of by the people p
"Only by the Brahmas. Before that
their marriages were nominally illegal and
their children, of course, legally illegiti.
mate. The Act was in their behalf and for
their benefit. But it may, and we hope
will, prove the entering wedge for general
civil marriages.
"What can you tell US of the Theosophic
movement in Calcutta. under Madame
Blavatsky and Colonel Olcutt %
Nothing favorable.
''What effect did Joseph Cooke have
upon your people ?"
I" l think they were disappointed in him.
He was very loud" General laughter)
"And how great is the influence of the
Christian missionaries generally upon the
multitudes of India 2"
"Not very much. said this III Chicago,
and DR.. Scudder differed with me, but
think was right. Their attitude, with
few exceptions, and those not among the
most able and talented of them, is too an.
tagonistic and unappreciative to be win
ming and effective. They see no good in
the Hindoo religion, and denounce it
wholesale with bitterness. This excites
opposition. Dr. Duff, one of the ablest
and most Jealous OF them, was also one of
the most denunciatory. They must take
a more courteous and conciliatory course
before they will make strong impression
on the mass of the people. OF course they
count on good many single converts, but
they are but as drop in the ocean. The
masses are not favorably affected as yet.
''What is the magnitude of the Brah-
man reform movement, in its present pro-
portions, compared with the unaffected part
of the population ?"
almost infinitismal-it is but the little
mustard ceed-but may yet develop into
tree which shall be for the healing of the
nation"
DIR. Stebbins-Can Christianity supplant
or overcome Hindooism by aggression:
81" Never, but it may affect it much in the
way OF reform. Hindooism will hold it's
own, but it ought to be, and in the end will
be, modified, lifted up and purified by
Christian influence"
With regard to his countrymen, Mr.. Mo.
zoondar said that for genius and learning
there were many in India who were fully
the peers, in his opinion, of the greatest
men in England or America. The ques.
ton took wide range, and the answers
given were frequently greeted with ex-
pressions of satisfaction on the part of the
auditors. DR.. Stebbins reluctantly brought
the formal conversation to a close by invit-
ing the gentleman into the adjoining room,
where a collation. had been prepared. As
the hour of IL approached they took their
leave of their host and of his Hindoo
guest, wishing the latter a safe and pleas.
ant voyage eastward,