The sun., 1894-09-02

COlNtHtlDHN' utu
The Welt OF the swami Nivckaunnda.
From the Chairman Of public meeting
in Madras we have received request to ex
press to the American public, in behalf OF the
Hindus of southern India, their "apprecia-
| ton and admiration for the gracious hos
pitality and largehearted philanthropy
characterizing that great and powerful
community" and for the generous fervor"
with which our people received and attended
the discourses Of Swami NIvEKANANDA.
Swami NtvEKANANDA or. more properly,
Parnmahnmsa Swami VIvER AMANDA, came
to the Parliament OF Religions at the
| Worlds Fair in Chicago to speak for the
philosophy Of the llindus.
This meeting, held in pachaiyappa's Hall,
was evidently very large and full Of enthu-
siasm. 1t was called, not only to thank
the Americans for their kindly and sym
pathetic reception of the distinguished
Hindu, but also to acknowledge the
Swami's signal services " in the cause OF
Eastern religious ideas. There were present,
among others. Rajah SAvALAY RAMAswAMY
MuDELIAR, VI. BHATTACHAEYA, V. KRlsH-
NAswAMY IYEE, T.. X. SUNBEAM IYEH, VI.
VENrGoPAL PILLAY. VI. NESKATARAMAIAH
CHETrY, and b. HANuMANTA RAo. These
gentlemen bore many titles showing their
high standing in the world of education.
The Rajah Of Ramnad also sent telegram
and Raj Bahadur S. SEsHAYYA and few
| other natives of Importance wrote sympa-
thizing with the purpose OF the meeting.
The speech of the Chairman, Dewan Ba-
hadur =. SuBRAMASIA AiYAR, expresses
well the mental attitude cultivated toward
the rest Of the world by the people from
whom this Indian traveller and teacher had
been evolved, and by whom he had been
sent abroad to spread their light. They all
agreed, said the Chairman, in impartial
humility as to worldly matters, that the
Hindus must endeavor to learn and assimi-
late what was good and excellent in the civ
ilizaton OF the West. In almost everything
! OF government, Of social organization,
and social welfare, the Hindus were behind
hand compared with the Westerners. But
there was no need to go to the West for in
formation or for study in philosophy and
religion. The West had no learning for the
Hindus on these great subjects In fact, in
philosophy and religion the East had practi-
cally done all that could be done under the
existing circumstances, and this statement,
thought the Chairman, is coming to be
recognized as true.
People" ;" said he, "have often reproached
the great system of the Vedanta with being
defective in morals, and lower than the i'm
mortal principle Of Christianity, Love
your neighbor as yourself why should
| do this, says the skeptic, since by the
order Of nature feel pain and pleasure only
! in myself, not in my neighbor? The an
swer il not in the Bible but in the great tat
! team dsi of the Eeda. You muse love
! your neighbor because you are your
neighbor, because it is mere illu-
sion the thought that your neighbor
is something different from yourself"
The Vedac system is not only the strong
est support OF pure morality. but the great
est consolation in the suffering of life and
death. Indians, keep to it - cried this firm
minded Hindu. Swami VIvEKASANDA had
placed before the American people the truths
of Oriental genius II it happens that
| from his visit here the nature of the Vedaic
philosophy shal! bc understood and acknowl-
edged In its superiority, then, in the judg-
ment of Dewan Bahadur SUBRAMANIA, will
his work lie of the utmost importance to
| the Americans ana tne fflnuuS,
| The first resolution, moved by Mr.. c. RA-
| MACHENDRA Rao Sahib, was addressed to
| the Swami VIvEKA AMANDA, eXtolling him for
| his personal life and fitness for such pill
grimage as that to the Worlds Fair. IL
might have been possible TO find one who
understood religion as we'll as he, but i'm
possible 10 find another who would SO " rise
above India's superstition of the present
| age" Mr., GoPAL KRIsHSA MUDALIAR
| seconded the motion in Learned
speech seasoned with fine puns and cpl
grams, which kept the hall in roars of
laughter" Then came the resolution which
| we have been requested to copy, namely:
THAT this meeting tenders its thanks to
the American people for the cordial and
sympathetic reception they have accorded
20 the Swami VIvEKASANDA."
The meeting adjourned with last re-
quest that the members should remember,
! even in their own home Of earthly wisdom,
the Swami VIvEKANANDA's message To the
American people: Help and not fight
Assimilation, not destruction. Harmony
and peace, not discussion
We comply with pleasure with the request
to publish TO Americans this record OF Hindu
courtesy To them. The echoes of the Swami
VIvEKANANDA's voice may perhaps he a
little louder in Hindustan than was the
original sound in Chicago. But In respect
of no other Of the great religions OF the
world does there seem to flourish among its
devotees the serene intellectual conviction
OF its truth manifested by the followers of
the great principle OF BRAHMA.