THE MISSIONARY HERALD.

THE BRAHMO SAMAJ.

Our readers are already acquainted with the existence of a sect of Theists which has of late years sprang up in Bengal, and has extended its ramifications into all parts of Northern India. Its activity is great and increasing, and it finds adherents in large numbers among the men educated in the Government schools and colleges. Ram Mohun Roy may in some sense be said to be its founder. His attempt to prove theism to be a doctrine of the ancient Vedas failed; but the seed he sowed sprang up later, when education had convinced numbers of Hindus of the fallacy and vanity of idol worship, without convincing them of the truth of Christianity. These native gentlemen assumed the title of Brahmos, or worshippers of the Supreme, and gave to the Society they formed the name of Brahmo Samaj, that is, the assembly of Brahmos. At its formation in 1839 it consisted of about one hundred members. Ten years later its numbers were five hundred, divided into four branches in important towns of Bengal. The Rajah of Burdwan was the most eminent member; he built in his palace in Burdwan a chapel for their use. The branch societies now number forty, and the lists of members exhibit a total of two thousand adherents. Fifteen years ago their income amounted to about £300; last year it had risen to £920, and the expenditure was £890. This enlargement is doubtless owing to the increased activity of late years. For some time past three or four members have been employed in visiting the country, and in organizing new societies. The chief preacher among them devotes much time to the propagation of their views, holding frequent meetings in all parts of Calcutta and its suburbs. The press is very largely employed. One periodical, the Patrika, in its monthly issues gives full reports of speeches, addresses, meetings for discussion, and of the progress of the body. Lately it has given copious extracts from the writings of Colenso and Theodore Parker. The latter writer seems to stand the highest of all in their estimation. His doctrines have met with the warmest welcome. For his theories of the absolute religion the sect has abandoned its earlier principles of natural theology, and now rejoices in what it calls the conclusions of the intuitional consciousness. The issues of tracts have of late been very numerous; they embrace both expositions of doctrine and replies to adversaries. On the whole they are remarkably free from any violent attacks on Christianity, though they hold in high esteem the infidel productions of Professor Newman.

From a recent number of the Friend of India we copy the following account of the position and doctrines of the Brahmos :

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"The disciples of this school occupy a position, which has two important aspects. Looking backward, in theory they cut themselves free from the gross idolatries of later Hinduism, though clinging in a measure to the earliest forms of thought contained in the purest hymns and treatises of the Vedas. Their rejection of idolatry however has not been very firm: at one time they defended it as beneficial to the vulgar, regarding it as a stepping-stone to higher truth. Recently they have spoken with more decision against the system, and also against the system of caste, with which they are much compromised. On the other hand they are firm in rejecting all special revelation; a book-revelation, a record of truth, specially revealed by God to the minds of highly favoured men, they hold to be impossible: and the epithet is flung about their publications with a recklessness which rather shocks a scientific mind. For all religious truth, therefore, they fall back entirely on the works of nature, including, as of higher value than others, man's own mind. A simple natural theology was at first developed from this source; and the discourses delivered in their assemblies, descriptive of the power, wisdom, and goodness of God as manifested in the structure and care of His works, have frequently been distinguished by great depth and beauty. Under the guidance of recent Deistic writers, like Newman, Emerson, and Theodore Parker, they have learned to dwell much on the intuitions of the mind as the principal source of religious knowledge; and many pages of their lectures are spent upon proving the truth of these intuitions, while not one of their writers has touched the vital point of the controversy between them and their Christian opponents-the sufficiency of those intuitions for man's religious wants. The doctrines thus deduced form with the Brahmos a simple system, according to which God is a loving Father, and men are His children: to secure happiness men must avoid sin, and subdue the sins to which they are prone. They must fulfil all human duty, and especially devote themselves to works of benevolence among the ignorant and poor. For the wrong they do they will suffer punishment; but their suffering will be remedial, and will purify the soul from all its errors. Meditation and prayer are to be employed for the same end; and to assist their followers in this duty, a little book of prayers has been published, which is extensively used. The whole Society meet every Wednesday evening at sunset for public worship; and one of the most interesting sights which a thoughtful man can witness in Calcutta is that assembly gathered in the Chitpore Road. In a long, narrow hall, sloping from the two ends towards the centre, are collected week after week some three hundred young men. place is well provided with seats, and is lighted with gas. On a marble platform are seated the teachers of the assembly: prayers are read; another prayer is chaunted by all present; discourses are read or spoken; finally hymns are sung by a professional choir, and the assembly breaks up.

The

"Though a great advance on the prevailing system of Hindu idolatry, Brahmoism itself is very deficient. It greatly wants power. Its doctrine is not deep; its bonds of union are few and feeble; it lacks special motives to faith and practice. With justice, therefore, do its leaders complain that their disciples are deficient in moral earnestness. Anxious to some extent to oppose the great evils which oppress native society, few, if any, are prepared to be martyrs even on a small scale. A large proportion of them become Brahmists, not from any thing which the system contains, but from the fact that their education has led them to that position of protest against idolatry from which Brahmism starts. There are myriads of young men in Bengal who have ceased to believe in idolatry; Christianity, by its schools, its preaching, its distribution of religious books, has filled the country with moral truth. Thousands believe much of this truth, yet unable to bear the obloquy of professing it, and unable fully to remain open idolaters, they look for an easier system which may satisfy both elements of their transition state. Brahmism steps in with its simple creed and its compromise with existing customs. Many become Brahmists, but thousands more do not, and large numbers remain in the system a very short time. It is noteworthy that an immense proportion of the students of missionary institutions, who still

nominally remain Hindus, never join the Brahmo Samaj: a few have done so, but only a few. These students have by their constant study of the Bible advanced in knowledge far beyond the position which Brahmism holds. Were the followers of the system to take a more decided stand against surrounding evils, it may well be believed that they would draw around them many of the earnest men of the country, and effect a good which they now seem powerless to secure. The same timidity in even a greater degree exists among men of a similar class in Madras and Bombay. In a recent visit to those cities, the principal teacher of the Calcutta Samaj lectured the young men of education well on their apathy and moral cowardice in contending with the great evils of idolatry. It has been the lot of true reformers to suffer; and so long as the members of the Brahmo Samaj fear to face the social penalties involved in overthrowing Hindu idolatry, so long they must give up the hope of taking any prominent share in that moral reformation which above all things the country needs."

Whatever may be the ultimate issue of this movement on the establishment of Christianity in India, it is most interesting as an illustration of that great awakening of mind which education and Christian missions have succeeded in accomplishing. In some sort it may be said to aid the missionary, and to give him facilities for spreading the truth. Our esteemed missionary, the Rev. R. Robinson, of Dacca, informs us, in a recent letter, that he had accepted an invitation from the Brahmos of Dacca to deliver a lecture in Bengali on the comparative merits of Brahmoism and Christianity. Many were preparing themselves for the discussion which would follow, and it was expected that four or five hundred of the elite of native society, otherwise a most inaccessible class, would be present to witness the combat. By many natives the absence of Christian teaching in the Government institutions is regretted. One writer, Babu Kadernath Dutt, openly avows his desire that "the precepts of Jesus should at once be made a class-book in the Government and aided schools." Such facts as these show that the word of God has not been preached without results, and that the present aspect of things in Northern India, in many respects, is well illustrated by our Lord's parable of the leaven, "which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened." Everything betokens that the Lord's servants have not laboured in vain.

WHERE WE WENT, WHAT WE SAW, AND WHAT WE DID, BEING AN ACCOUNT OF TEN DAYS' MISSIONARY LIFE

IN THE NORTH OF JESSORE, &c.

BY THE REV. W. H. HOBBS.

About six months ago the Providence of God directed my special attention to Magoorah, one of the sub-divisions of the large district of Jessore. At this place resides a pious Indigo planter, who having been recently brought to the foot of the Cross himself, naturally feels a deep sympathy with the ignorant masses around him; and knowing nothing so capable of elevating them as the Gospel, gave me an invitation to come and preach to his ryots (tenants.) Having done so almost continuously for six months, I one day said to the three preachers located here, "Brethren, I must now adopt the language of Jesus, I must go to other cities also, for therefore was I sent.' I understand there is a large tract of country on the banks of the Kalegunga, thickly populated, but whose inhabitants

have scarcely ever heard the words of the great life and salvation in which we rejoice. We will go and visit them, and tell them what we know. Modun, brother, you must stay at home, superintend the school, preach in Magoorah bazaar, get ready for the next conference examination, and take charge of the women and children; and you, Madhob, and you, Mandari, will to-morrow accompany me in my boat upon a ten days' missionary tour. We will proceed slowly, preach often, distribute many tracts, and sell all the Scriptures we can." Accordingly, the next morning (Wednesday, Oct. 14), leaving Magoorah behind us, we proceeded up the broad Koomar river. Our first visit was to a village called Srepore, belonging to the Rajah Proshonno. In a few minutes about a score of persons assembled around us, who eyed me with great suspicion, imaging that I was some government official, who had been sent to arrange some law-suit of the Rajah's; but on ascertaining that I was a missionary, they became quite assured, and laying down their darling pipes, said they were ready to hear our words. We preached to them alternately for about half an hour. Although only ten miles from Magoorah, they knew nothing of the Gospel; in fact, the name of Jesus was quite unknown to any of them, except a young Brahmin, who appeared to have heard it only that he might hate and revile it. As we were returning to the boat, I said to Madhob, "Brother, do you think they have understood us?" To which he replied, "Not much of our discourse has sunk into their minds. Of course they have understood our words, but the ideas we preach are so new to them, that they remember but very little." 'Say you so, Madhob! then let us return and go through the plan of mercy once more. "But, Sir, we shall not be able to get them together again; they will think they have heard enough." Perhaps so; but have you never heard what Paul wrote, 'Being crafty, I caught you with guile?' The devil is crafty enough in a bad cause; we must try and thwart him, by being as wise as serpents in a good one. Run to the boat, and get the big Bible, and depend upon it, when they see me open it, and hear me chant a verse, they will all come together again." It was even so. They listened attentively for half an hour longer, after which we questioned them upon what we had said; but I was grieved to find that they retained but little, save the two facts that Jesus was born of a virgin, and must have been a very excellent man. Only two amongst them could read.

CONVERSATION.

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Oct. 15th. This morning early went on shore at the village of Baitakhale. The men said it was so cold they could not come out of their houses to listen. If we returned in two hours they would hear what we had to say. Hereupon Mandari, getting a little annoyed at their unconcern, told them that perhaps before two hours had passed, some one might be called away from earth; and knowing nothing of the true God, who would judge us for our every deed, was a sad condition in which to die. To this, one man, dropping his pipe for a moment, replied, "I am not afraid to die; what is there in death?" Whilst another remarked, "Let others say what they please, every one has a destiny, and nothing can occur contrary to it. If it is my destiny to be a good man, God will make me good; if He does not do so, it is His fault, and not mine; what can I do?" I began to show them how wicked it was, as well as unreasonto charge God with making them sin, and then punishing them because they did so; but they did not heed me much, and continued to say it was so cold. "Cold!" said I, "to be sure it is. But do you know what people in England do to warm themselves? No, I am sure you do not." The very mention of what happens in England aroused their attention immediately, as I knew it would do, and a volley of questions was at once discharged at me, such as1. "Is it really true that English ladies go to the market and buy things themselves?"-2. "How many quarts of milk used you to get for a rupee in your country?"-3. "Did you have a large farm at home, and how much rice did you grow?"-4. "Have you ever seen the great, great Queen, and is she not very, very beautiful ?”—5. "Do poor people in England live in bamboo houses?" &c.—