The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-18
The Oriental Cult Craze

From the New York Christian Advocate
For those who have doubt concern
ing the necessity of the Christian re-
hgion for India, 'or who have a soft
heart towards certain cults of the East,
We present excerpts from a notable ad-
dress, made a few months ago before a
large company of business and profess
sional men by Rustom Rustomgee. edi-
tor of the Oriental Review, Bombay.
India, who Is said to be in this country
raising funds for school. In his ad-
dress he described his first interviews.
on his arrival in America, with persons
who had recently affected oriental
ideas, and said
After a few days a very distinguish
ed society lady came to me and told me
she was a zoroastrian. l asked her
what she meant by being a Zoroastrian.
and she answered that she believed IN
deep breathing and saying prayers In
Adams costume l have been reading
accounts of a society which started some
time ago in this country, and / find that
they are preaching perniciods doctrines
about God, about the doctrines of tho
Immortality of the soul and about PRAYER
and faith. / looked into the question.
visited the society and l found that
they were teaching sham Vedantism-
a mixture of German philosophy, with
little eastern mysticism thrown in. Gen.
tlemen, | have been a careful student of
comparative religions for a number OF
years. and | have come to tell you that
you have a religion which can be set
side by side with any religion of the
east. You have a goodly heritage. Stick
to it.
Do not run after the so-called Swamis.
Who are they Who sent them here!
Are they men Of education Are they
men of high moral principles? Examine
their lives. I am shocked TO see edu-
Gated, cultured American women running
after so-called Swanis, one holding al
Umbrella over his head and another wasf
ing his clothes. The Swamis have the
hardihood to tell you that, just as you
have Christ they have Krishna What
contemplate sacrlege to say that Look
upon the life of Christ. read 1t carefully,
and then compare it with the life of
krishna as 1t is given in authentic rec
ords. 1t is a sacrilege to compare the
two. This is my message to you. You
have a goodly heritage; stick to it; let
your anchor hold. l am not a Christian.
but ] am a student of Christian ethics,
and 7 believe that Christianity supplies
all your spiritual needs and wants.
The first interview I gave in this city
was about the missionaries in India l
came into the closest touch with them.
both the American and European. dur~ls
the famine. The government of India
appointed me a famine commissioner and
had to go among these famine stricken
people in 1902. ! was with the American
missionaries there, and they and their
wives literally took their lives in their
hands and wen. 10 minister 10 these fam
In e-strickcn people, who were dying by
the thousands, and the missionaries were
doing noble work. They are educating
the masses-these "untouchabe'- and
there are 1S.000,000 of them. Tie mis-
sionaries are going among them, teach
ing them and bringing them to live better
and nobler lives. This affords another In
direct influence of Christianity in India.
Gentlemen. again | say you have a
goodly heritage. What classic Is the
Sermon on the Mount, and also the Lord $
Prayer. Let your anchor hold, ] repeat