BRAHMO SOMAJ. 



91 



Bnihmo Somaj. The Prarthana Spraaj of 

 Bombay is, however, more conservative than 

 the Brahmo Soinnj, and was engaged as late as 

 1876 in a discussion of the question whether 

 its members should give up the mark on their 

 foreheads, caste, and idolatry. 



The " Brahnio Public Opinion " reported 

 concerning the condition of the Church at the 

 beginning of 1879, that there had been in the 

 past year an unprecedented revival in every 

 direction. A separate and powerful organiza- 

 tion, the Sadharan Brahmo Somaj a schism 

 caused by difference concerning the marriage 

 of Mr. Sen's daughter, and the use of idolatrous 

 rites and symbols which were insisted upon by 

 the bridegroom had been formed. One week- 

 ly English and a number of Bengalee papers 

 had come into existence; as many as six 

 marriages according to theistic rites had taken 

 place; two new houses of prayer had been 

 consecrated, and subscriptions had been opened 

 for four or five more ; and active and friendly 

 correspondence had been opened with Mo- 

 fussil Somajes. Furthermore, the Somaj had 

 sent its missionaries to the Punjaub and to the 

 most remote corners of Eastern Bengal. Its 

 executive committee had regularly held meet- 

 ings every week, had raised and expended 

 money, issued two journals, secured a press, 

 and bought a piece of ground for the purpose 

 of building a house of prayer of their own. 



An enumeration of the Somajes in India 

 published in July, 1879, gave the whole num- 

 ber as 149, of which 20 were in Calcutta, 54 

 in Bengal, 7 in Assam, 3 in Chota Nagpere, 7 

 in Behar, 2 in Orissa, 8 in the Northwest Pro- 

 vinces, 1 in the Central Provinces, 6 in the 

 Punjaub, 3 in Sinde, 6 in Bombay, and 6 in 

 Madras. Forty-four of them had "mandirs," 

 or places of worship. In connection with the 

 society, 18 periodicals were published, of which 

 6 were in English, 9 in Bengalee, 1 each in the 

 Hindoo and Oriya languages, and 1 in Anglo- 

 Mali ratti. Four schools were kept up by the 

 organization, independently of schools and 

 classes provided by the local Somajes for their 

 own districts. 



The Brahmo Somaj and its affiliated societies 

 have accepted the Bible and the fundamental 

 principles of Christianity as entitled to respect 

 along with the sacred books of other religions, 

 but have placed on nearly the same level master- 

 pieces of literature which have not been re- 

 garded as religiously inspired ; they speak of 

 the Fatherhood of God, and consider Christ as 

 the wisest and best man that ever lived, but 

 superior only in degree to other prophets and 

 great and good men. Gradually the Brahmo 

 Somaj, particularly the section led by Keshub 

 Chimder Sen, has adopted one Christian prac- 

 tice and doctrine after another, has become ac- 

 customed to employ Christian terms, and has 

 made the Bible more prominent among its 

 books and Christ among its leaders. Some of 

 their more recent expressions in articles have 

 been very remarkable in this respect. The " In- 



dian Mirror," the periodical organ of the Brnh- 

 mos, frequently publishes contributions in its 

 devotional department in which admiration and 

 reverence for the character and ministrations 

 of Christ are expressed with Oriental warmth. 

 In one of these articles the wish is expressed 

 that Christ had been an Indian instead of a 

 Jew, because, as Rama is endeared to all Hin- 

 doos by reason of his sufferings, with no bitter 

 mixture of dogmas, "a prophet like Christ 

 would not have fared worse." Creeds and 

 formulas would not have come to disfigure him, 

 but " he should have devoted an epic to his 

 glory, sung his name through every city and 

 village, comforted the weak in their sorrows 

 and the dying on their death-bed, remembered 

 him in every act of daily life, and died finding 

 consolation and strength in his holy example." 

 In one of the prayers which the "Mirror" 

 publishes regularly are the words: "Unspeak- 

 ably consoling unto me is the tender ministry 

 of Jesus, and his blessed memory more dear to 

 me than the empty lives of so many who pro- 

 fess his religion. God of love, bind the souls 

 of the ailing and penitent in holy sympathy 

 with the wondrous life and death of Jesus. 

 Cause us to feel that his glorious ministry is 

 still exercised in the world, and bring us in 

 contact with those men who are truly his 

 ministers." 



On April 9, 1879, the Baboo Keshub Chunder 

 Sen delivered a lecture in Calcutta before a large 

 audience of educated Bengalees, in which many 

 Christians were included. His remarks indi- 

 cated a closer sympathy with Christians than 

 any of the Brahmos had yet shown, and were 

 much commented upon by those who desire to 

 promote the growth of the Christian religion 

 in the country. He opened his address by say- 

 ing : " I desire to speak of Christ. Christ rules 

 British India, and not the British Government. 

 England has sent us a tremendous moral force 

 in the life and character of that mighty Proph- 

 et, to conquer and hold this vast empire 



If, then, India is encompassed on all sides by 

 Christian literature, Christian civilization, and 

 a Christian government, she must naturally en- 

 deavor to satisfy herself as to the nature of this 

 great power in the Christian realm, which is 



doing such wonders in our midst She 



is unconsciously imbibing the spirit of this new 

 civilization, succumbing to its irresistible influ- 

 ence If unto any army appertains the 



honor of holding India for England, that army 

 is the army of Christian missionaries, headed 



by their invincible captain, Jesus Christ 



They have given us the high code of Christian 

 ethics, and their teachings and examples have 

 directly influenced and won thousands of non- 

 Christian Hindoos. Let England know that, 

 thanks to the noble band of Christ's ambassa- 

 dors sent by her, she has already succeeded in 

 planting his banners in the heart of the nation." 

 At the close of his address he said : " The Bride- 

 groom is coming; let India be prepared and 

 ready in due season. And you, my friends, 



