The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-10-07
THE HINDOO BIBLES.
Rev. C. H. Vail Lectures or
the Sacred Literature Of
India--origin Of Our
Scriptures.

- HsLaaaH t1
The Rev. c. H. Vail, pastor of the
First Universalist Church, began last
night an interesting series of sermons or
Bibles" and he began by reading d les
son from the Vedas preparatory to de-
scribing 1.-THE Hindoo Bibles He said,
after the lesson
OF the West concerning the literature OF
the, Orient was very meagre. The great
realm OF Hindoo, Chinese and Persian
genius was as much unknown before the
days of Sir William Jones, as Amer
lea before the time of Columbus. But
made in the study of sanskrit literature,
and tonight | ask YOU attention to some
Of these results. in connection with The
are, four in number. Rig Veda, Yojur
Yeda, Sauna Veda and Atharva Veda.
They purport to be inspired writings OF
prophets, known as Rishir, who received
Lnem dlrectly from The mouth OF the
Great God Brahma. The v,edas trial Of
the human race, his invisibility and
spirituality, his omniscience, omnipresence
lofty and noble p%recepts, and also treat
Of astronomy, medicine and government.
Many things attributed to the Vedas are
not to be found in them-such as the
burning of widows, the marriage of chill
den, the doctrine of caste. None of these
are taught or c-ountenanced in the Vedas.
- 1@0kS -NAA. NA10ASl IA III DG-
leYes IN the Vedas approXimates to a
Christian. The most elaborate arguments
have been framed to establish their all
thority, and in religious argument ap-
peal is always made to them. There is
no doctrine of Christianity which has not
tSenry anticipated ~ BY the Vedas.' The
pushed to sucn extremes as here. and
as for a contradiction in the holy books,
the thought was not to be entertained
for one moment as possible" Mr.. Vail
then described the doctrines contained in
this Bible.
THE INSTITUTES OF MANU-.
''This code constitutes another sacred
volume of the Hindoos. 1t is a code OF
religious and civil laws, and nearly equal
5000 B. G. These books are twelve in
number, theft first treats of Creation sec
9 9lias ana third Of Education and the
Duties Of Rulers: eighth, Owl
eie ee { P senan; a ahd Ex 6iiaffiSes,,
twelfth rMetempsyehosis and FinaIBeati-
that every action, word and thought
bears its appropriate fruit, good or evil.
+haT he hindoos have two great Epies,
each of immense light, and very popular
W Wl I'd the people. The former contains
S g}giged Ii1 ig5o e The latter 10000, ana IS
these books. are looked upon as divineiy
inspired and held inIgreat veneration BY
5000 s. C. There are ae eight aei lsss nhaa
read by the common people. They are
very aneient the very word Signifies
struction, RENOVATION, the geneology Of
me Gods, the history of the Solar and
THE U~PANIsHADs.
."These are $50 in number. TIley treat
81 ana explain the mystic meaning Of
the vedas. There are many other Sacred
| the Golden Precepls.' con+ain5no ninof1-
distinct little treatises; THE Book Of
Dzya n and the Paramaruha.' These
autba ar i0ok %1ba upon Ma as Of the highest
ray. of literature we may we'll ask. What
nation has conceived more ideas, and
discussed more problems? Legislation.
ogy all have been penetrated and fathom-
ed. When we explore these vast monu-
high civilization" After discussing to
some ength the nature and character
and doctrines of the Hindoo literature.
Mr.. Vail presented some analogies be-
tween the teachings of the Bibles of
India and the Bible of the Hebrews.
The following is a synopsis of some rs
~a.nalogEas which were presented
elaborated
Both Judaism and B~rahminism are old
forms Of religion, each having a cere-
momal law prescribing numerous rites:
both nations being forbidden to marry
with others or to eat with them: both
worshlpped by sacrifices and had sacred
animals: one interdicted beef and the
other pork; both prescribed, publication
after touching dead bodies. of which
bathing was one mode; both had an es-
tablished order of priesthood which was
hereditary, and both claimed to be Gods
f~avorite people, styling all others as
barbarians; each had holy places, times.
days, cities. mountains. rivers; India as
well as -Judea was called holy land;
both had molly fasts and feasts; each
had it's holy fire which was kept con
stantly burning on the altar; the priests
in both cases were forbidden to eat meat
and both had mysteries kept saeredly
guarded: the moral code of each con-
dennis murder, stealing, adultery, and
bearing false witness; both peoples kept
holy water for ceremonial purposes, and
Amounted themselves with holy ointment;
both had a holy feast at full moon; one
scape goat; both sprinkled their door
posts with blood; the government of
each was a theocracy; both had holy
the Jewish and Vyasa the Hindoo; in
each temple there was a holy of holies,"
and only one priest in each INSTANCE en-
tered the inner sanctuary" both had a
holy ark Containing something holy;
both have a similar and almost iderlti-
cal story of creation; Brahma as well as
| Jehovah creates sun, moon and stars;
en- into existence, and the spirit of both
moved upon the face Of the waters.
CLOSE ANALOGIES.
The Hindoos had an Adami and
Heva. the Hebrews an Adam and Eve;
and in each story everything produced
after its kind. man being the browning
work of creation, and so set over the
| animals as their ruler; Brahmas and
| dehovah both spoke light into existence
and both occupied six periods in the
work of creation; each story contains
q primitive paradise, a tree of life, and
. seruent: man in both cases partook of
the free of knowledge, and SO both ac-
counts contain a fall, and provide means
of restoration.
labor as the curse of sin; the SOU is the
breath of life in eaoh system: both relate
| a deluge caused by the sin of the people,
from which eight people We're saved.
According to both. Bibles the Brallsnins
to Noah. who was forwarned of the
| flood. n prepared a large vessel, into
which animals were driven by pairs; a
war in heaven is found mentioned in
both systems and the rebeilious angels
driven out" - =.
many Instances the language of both
were nearly identical, even to long par
Continuing Mr.. Vail said:-.."The IN
alogies might be extended but enough
social Judaism was merely a Hindoo
emanation through Egypt and Baby
lonfa. That the whole ecclesiastica1 sys-
tens OF Egypt and Babylon were derived
from india is not doubted, The Ptole-
mics had an immense amount Of Hindoo
made it accessible to the students Ct
| Egypt and Moses. let it be remembered,
was learned in all the wisdom Of the
: ouR HIRLE AN ABRIDGMENT.
Most Of these passages quoted frnm