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NARRATIVE OP A 



of information and anecdote. His illustrations of the In- 

 dian character were highly interesting, and his remarks on 

 the propensity of that people to idolatry, both sensible and 

 amusing. With reference to this subject, he related to us 

 the following, among other anecdotes. 



One of his predecessors in the curacy had detected his 

 parishioners in the adoration of a god of their own. This 

 was no other than an old Indian, whom they had dressed 

 up in a particular way, and installed in a hut, where they 

 went to worship him, offering him the fruits of their in- 

 dustry as a tribute, and performing in his presence cer- 

 tain religious rites, according to their ancient practice. 

 His godship, who had no manner of work to do, and was 

 regaled with all the good things that the village afforded, 

 found this a sufficiently pleasant mode of life, and wil- 

 lingly sustained the character he had been made to as- 

 sume. But such impious proceedings the curate was 

 determined not to suffer. He remonstrated with his 

 flock, and admonished them both in public and in private, 

 but all to no purpose : he was listened to by no one ; he 

 threatened, and was threatened in turn. He now adopted 

 another course, and affecting to approve the conduct of 

 his parishioners, humoured them in the mad whim they 

 had been seized with. It was that time of the year called 

 Passion Week, when certain ceremonies are performed in 

 commemoration of the sufferings of our Saviour on the 

 cross. The curate proposed that the passion and death 

 of Christ should be represented by the Indian deity in 

 person ; that he should have a crown of thorns put on his 

 head, and be whipped and crucified. " After he is dead 

 and buried," said the curate, "he, of course, will rise 

 again, and then we will all believe in him." 



The Indians were delighted with the idea, and, in their 

 simplicity, determined to proceed according to the sug- 

 gestions of their pastor. The old Indian was brought 

 forth, and, nolens volens, was decorated with the thorny 



