590 Seely^s Wonders of Elora, 



of my arsumenf," replied Murranc ; 

 " for if, uiidtr tlio S!iflerinn;s they have 

 endiirofi, and the accomiilisliment of 

 the (jiirses threatened them, they still 

 remain obstinate and sinful, how are 

 we to be convinced, much lessconverted, 

 who know nothing of these si?;ns and 

 wonders of which you speak, and have 

 neither had promises nor threats held 

 out to us, except by mortals like our- 

 selves, who may or may not intend well? 

 at least, they have notliin.r to show us 

 on the contrary but windi/ words." 

 He then referred to Paul, who, he observ- 

 ed, undoubtedly was a prophet, and one 

 whose mission appeared very probable, 

 Iiad made no ellect on King Agrippa, 

 who was as ci\ilizcd as the Hindoos; 

 yet ho was not to be persuaded, even 

 though one of the principal propagators 

 of it was present before him : " then 

 Iiow," lie added, " am J to be persuaded 

 by those who are neithpr saints nor 

 prophets?" 



The conversation now reverted to 

 Catholics (Catholas), and I was asked 

 by one, possessing much information, 

 why those persons who were British, 

 but of that faith, did not adopt the Pto- 

 testant creed ? I replied, that they were 

 Christians, though some difference ex- 



isted in the forms of worsliip. Here 

 my theological reasoning was again set 

 at nought. The Hindoo replied, that 

 the Catholics did not permit the reading 

 of the Bible, for reasons whicii he well 

 knew ; that they worshipped images, 

 which our Scriptures forbid ; that they 

 Lad pilgrimages like tlie Hindoos, and 

 lioly « ater ; but, what was more than 

 all, they had in their history mortal men, 

 who sinfully presumed to have jjcr- 

 formed miracles wiiicli belonged alone 

 to the only God Bhagavaii ! Here he 

 drew his sleeve over bis mouth, and 

 made three low reverences ; and then 

 exclaimed aloud, " Forgive me, forgi\e 

 me, forgive me, for the crime of repeat- 

 ing His holy name ! Now, sir," said 

 lie, "whicli is best: we poor Hindoos, 

 who have not been taugiit other things 

 from on high; or your people, who have, 

 but still disregarrl them ?" Of course I 

 did not think it necessary to remind 

 liim of our Lady of Loretto, and the li- 

 quefactions of St. Januitrius' blood, nor 

 of our burnings in Smilhficld; neither 

 was I then informed of tli<> miracles of 

 Prince Hohciilolie, nor had I heard (hat 

 the waters of (l;e Jordan were Ik Id as 

 sacred by M. Cliateanbiiand as the 

 Hindoos hold those of tlie Ganges. At 

 tiial time, too, the worthy matron, 



Joanna Southcotc, was onknown. I 

 bad no inclination, either, to revert tt> 

 the many gross superstitions prevalent 

 in many parts of Eugland ; of the sale 

 of childrcirs cauls, &c. ; nor had I the 

 impudence to tell bim, that I could tell 

 bis character and disposition by ex- 

 amining his skull! 



Indeed, it was unnecessary to remind 

 him of our superstitions and absurdities; 

 for he slily rejoined, " Now, my young 

 friend, i/ou, who are Protestants — why 

 do you not peribrm your worship duly 

 and zealously ? The nearest temple you 

 have is at Bombay. Your European 

 soldiers have no spiritual instructor. 

 No, sir! I speak it in humility, you 

 care little about your own religion; 

 come to India with a box of clothes, 

 take home a box full of money, and 

 think you do a very meritorious act in 

 sui)scribing a few ru|)ees to convert us, 

 and bring us to salvation, though ap- 

 parently regardlessof your own. This," 

 he continued, " is very pious and very 

 generous ; but, believe me, before we 

 give up the faith of our forefathers, a 

 religion much older than yours, we 

 must see you fulGI the doctrines it in- 

 culcates, and observe its ordinances; 

 neither must you wonder if we require 

 signs and wonders to convince us. Bot 

 who arc the persons sent out, and by 

 whom ? Are they men of great learning-, 

 great science, and great abilities? 1 

 iiave heard not ; and further, that your 

 government (Sircar), and the bishops 

 (Burra Padrecs), do not generally sup- 

 port the attempted reformation. Is tliis 

 true, sir?"' I replied, there was some 

 difference of opinion existing in Eng- 

 land on the subject "Then," rejoined 

 the Hindoo, " if that difference in opir 

 nion exists among Christians them- 

 selves, you may be assured there is none 

 with us. Our lives are moral, the Al- 

 mighty blesses us as he does you ; our 

 Scriptures contain an excellent moral 

 code, and we are taught to be virtuous 

 and good ; we rigidly act up to our 

 faith, and are neither hypocrites, nor 

 deceivers, nor tyrants ; but are good 

 men, and to you, sir, good subjects." 



The generality of missionaries sent f» 

 India have not the smallest chance of 

 success with the learned natives of 

 India. With the Bible in his hand, and 

 abundance of zeal, the missionary stalks 

 forth into fields and villages, expecting 

 thai his well-meaning exhortations, and 

 the pious example he sets, is to convert 

 the heatiicn. Nothing can be more fal- 

 lacious. They arc groat idlers, and 

 would. 



