24

HE BRAHMUNICAL MAGAZINE.

proofs of their viewing them as spirits connected with
the body ? Do the idolators among Hindoos worship
the assumed forms of their incarnations divested of
their spirit ? Nothing of the kind ! Even in worship-
ping idols Hindoos do not consider them objects of
worship until they have performed Pranprutistha or
communication of divine life. According to the defini-
tion given by the Editor, none of them can be supposed
idolators, because they never worship the body separate-
ly from the spirit ! But in fact any worship through (
either an artificial from or imaginary material representa-
tion is nothing but idolatry.

Moreover, the Editor says that " the Father, Son and
Holy Ghost are also described in scripture, as equally
giving grace and peace to man, as pardoning sin and
leading men in the paths of righteousness, which things
omniscience, omnipotence, infinite love and mercy can
alone perform." I do not kno^ any polytheistical
system more clear than this description of the Editor
as declaring three Beings equally omniscient, omni-
potent, and possessed of infinite mercy. I, however,
beg to ask, whether the omnipotence, omniscience, and
infinite mercy of one person is sufficient or not to
arrange the universal system and preserve its harmony ?
If so, an admission of the omnipotence and omniscience
of the second and the third is superfluous and absurd ;
but if not sufficient, why should we stop at the number
three and not carry on the numeration until the number
of omnipotent Beings becomes at least equal to that of
the heavenly bodies, ascribing to each the management
of every globe. From the skill which Europeans gener-
ally display in conducting political affairs and effecting