though they have been in former times accused of offering human 
sacrifices, it is certain they now very rarely shed even the blood of 
an animal in their religious services. 
I shall not dwell particularly on the religious books of the 
Hindoos, but it would be injustice to omit the following sublime 
description of the Supreme Being, from the writings of Governor 
Hoi well; who was an early investigator of those subjects, before 
the field of oriental literature so laudably engaged the attention of 
the English. 
“ God is One! Creator of all that is! God is like a perfect 
sphere, without beginning, and without end! God rules and go- 
verns all creation by a general providence, resulting from first 
determined and fixed principles. Thou shaft not make inquiry 
into the essence of the Eternal One, nor by what laws he go- 
verns. An inquiry into either is vain and criminal. It is enough, 
that day by day, and night by night, thou seest in his works, his 
wisdom, his power, and his mercy: — Benefit thereby!’' 
As applicable to this subject, I shall transcribe a few passages 
from the Vedas of the Hindoos, translated by Sir William Jones; 
to whose invaluable works we are indebted for so many acquisi- 
tions in oriental literature. 
“ By one Supreme Ruler is this universe pervaded; even every 
world in the whole circle of nature. Enjoy pure delight, O man! 
by abandoning all thoughts of this perishable world; and covet 
not the wealth of any creature existing/’ 
“ To those regions where evil spirits dwell, and which utter 
darkness involves, all such men surely go after death, as destroy 
the purity of their own souls.” 
