206 AUSTRALIA AND HOMEWARD. 



experimental Christianity effects between those who 

 embrace it and those who retain the belief in and 

 practice of other forms of religion. There may be 

 said to be five forms of religion in Ceylon Pro- 

 testantism, Roman Catholicism, Buddhism, Hindooism 

 and Mohammedanism. 



Ceylon may be regarded as the chief centre 

 of Buddhism. It began in India, but took .refuge, 

 after suffering terrible persecutions from the Brah- 

 mins, in this very lovely and very historic island. 

 When the Emperor Ming of China had dreamed of 

 seeing a golden man flying about his palace, and the 

 dream was interpreted to mean that the Holy One 

 was to be found in the West, having heard (as I think) 

 a description of Jesus and His wonderful words and 

 works, he despatched a deputation westward in search 

 of the Holy One. 



This deputation returned, after many months, with 

 priests and images of Buddha from Ceylon. So going 

 out from this island, that system has long been the 

 widespread religion of China. Of the two, as a merci- 

 ful and equalizing system Buddhism is very much 

 superior to Brahminism. 



There is a grand Buddhist temple in Colombo. 

 There are a little over 1,500,000 Buddhists; Hin- 

 doos, 600,000; Roman Catholic, 200,000; Moham- 



