Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-02-26
THE BRAHMANs OF INDIA.
The High Caste People of the Ganges
Now Have to Work for a Living.

The thing that surprises me more and
more every day and month | am in India is
the marvellous progress Christianity has
made and the rapidity and length of the
strides it is now making. 1t is impossible
tQ,understand the progress of Christianity
in India by studying the missionary re-
ports of the various societies or by looking
over the census returns of the government.
One must be here on the ground go in and
out among the people, compare the habits
and customs of today with those of fifty
years ago. One must take into account
the present state of Hindooism, especially
in the upper classes, with what it was 80
or 100 years ago.
Let me, then, begin with the altered
faith of Hindooism under the influence of
Christianity. One hundred years ago Hin
dooism was solid There were practically
no schisms in its vast body. The schools
of the Brahmans were crowded; the tenn
Piles were fourishing, the rites and cere-
monies of their system were practiced uni
versally by the great as well as the small,
the rich as well as the poor The Brahman
reigned supreme everywhere, the spiritual
lords of all the people. Widows were be-
ing burned in the name of Hindooisn, and
the rite was considered one of the most sa-
cred and most pleasing to the gods.
Religious suicide in a dozen forms was
encouraged and practiced. All over India
men were burying themselves alive, drown
ing themselves in the sacred rivers starv-
ing themselves to death and in many other
ways offering themselves in religious self
sacrifice. Child murder was the common
practice all over India, especially the muir
der of girl babies The rites of Jagganath
F.-TN
monty as is popularity supposed, yet it was
true that religious devotees did cast them
selves under the wheels of the cruel car,
and they were encouraged and applauded
for it. This has ceased out of the land.
The cruel rites of the ascetics were every
where practiced
Men were found hanging head downward
from the limbs of trees, lying in beds of
iron spikes, torturing and decorating them
selves in hundred ways, all in the name
of the gods. with the encouragement of
the priests and in entire harmony with the
universal faith of the Hindoo. The thug
practiced his profession under the patron
age Of the gods, and the thief caste was
recognized as really as any other caste
The caste restrictions of India today are
no more what they were fifty years ago
is the same to the commons today as it
was in the days of the Norman supremacy.
Fifty years ago or little earlier the gates
of the cities and towns were closed at in
the evening and not opened again till 9 the
next morning and the low caste people
excluded lest the shadow of some low caste
man under the slant rays of the sun should
fall upon some passing Brahman and so
defile him. Today the low caste boy, even
the son of a sweeper (the very lowest of
the low castes), and the son of the Brahman
sit together in the same schoolroom and
engage with each other in the common
sports of the school or college.
The railway trains are crowded with
thousands Of men of all castles and no
caste, and no thought is taken of it,
whereas at the time of the introduction of
the railway system into India separate
carriages had to be provided for the differ
ent castles. A hundred years ago the
Brahman was the protected and privileged
caste. He did no work, followed no occu-
patton except to receive the gifts and
offerings of the people. He was not only a
favored man and entirely supported by the
people, but he was a god and must needs
be worshiped. Even fifty years ago it was
a common thing for men of other castles TO
PROSTATE themselves on the ground and
openly worship a Brahman. Now Sir
Brahman has ceased both to be god and
a supported man, except in the compara-
lively few cases where he is still the guru,
or household teacher, or a priest actually
serving in a temple.
Brahmans today have to work for their
living like other people, and are by hun
dreds and thousands performing the small
est offices in the employ of the government
and private business establishments on
salaries ranging from six dollars to twenty
five dollars a month, and count themselves
happy if they can secure such positions.
Moreover they have to compete for their
bread with the boys and men of the lower
and even the lowest castles who come up
from school and college as well as they and
demand employment.-Cor New York In
dependent.