DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0502
492 Modern Theism. Rammohun Roy's successors.
set himself to discover a purer system. It was highly credit-
able to his earnestness and sincerity that he took time for
consideration before joining Rammohun Roy's Brahma-Sabha,
or, as it came to be called, Brahma-Samaj (Brahmo-Somaj).
In 1839, he established a society of his own, called the
'Truth-investigating' or 'Truth-teaching Society' (Tattva-
bodhinl Sabha), the object of which, according to its founder,
was to sustain and carry on the labours of Raja Rammohun
Roy, and to assist in restoring the monotheistic system of
divine worship inculcated in the original Hindu scriptures.
This Society lasted for twenty years, and was not finally
merged in the Brahma-Samaj till 1859. It met every week
for discussion at Debendra-nath's house, and had also monthly
meetings for worship and prayer, and the exposition of the
Upanishad portion of the Veda. It had its organ in a monthly
periodical, called the Tattva-bodhim patrika. This journal
was started in August, 1843, and was well edited by Akhay
Kumar Datta, an earnest member of the theistic party. Its
first aim seems to have been the dissemination of Vedantic
doctrine, though its editor had no belief in the infallibility of
the Veda, and was himself in favour of the widest catholicity1.
He afterwards converted Debendra-nath to his own views.
It was not till 1841 that Debendra-nath, without giving
up occasional meetings at his own house, formally joined the
church founded by Rammohun Roy. He soon saw that if
Indian Theists were to maintain their ground in India, they
needed organization, and that if the Samaj was to exist as
a permanent church, it wanted a properly appointed presi-
dent, a regularly ordained minister, a settled form of worship,
and a fixed standard of faith and practice. He himself under-
took the task of preparing what is sometimes called the
Brahma covenant, consisting of seven solemn declarations,
1 The Tattva-bodhinI patrika is still in existence and is now known as
the organ of the Adi Brahma-Samaj.
set himself to discover a purer system. It was highly credit-
able to his earnestness and sincerity that he took time for
consideration before joining Rammohun Roy's Brahma-Sabha,
or, as it came to be called, Brahma-Samaj (Brahmo-Somaj).
In 1839, he established a society of his own, called the
'Truth-investigating' or 'Truth-teaching Society' (Tattva-
bodhinl Sabha), the object of which, according to its founder,
was to sustain and carry on the labours of Raja Rammohun
Roy, and to assist in restoring the monotheistic system of
divine worship inculcated in the original Hindu scriptures.
This Society lasted for twenty years, and was not finally
merged in the Brahma-Samaj till 1859. It met every week
for discussion at Debendra-nath's house, and had also monthly
meetings for worship and prayer, and the exposition of the
Upanishad portion of the Veda. It had its organ in a monthly
periodical, called the Tattva-bodhim patrika. This journal
was started in August, 1843, and was well edited by Akhay
Kumar Datta, an earnest member of the theistic party. Its
first aim seems to have been the dissemination of Vedantic
doctrine, though its editor had no belief in the infallibility of
the Veda, and was himself in favour of the widest catholicity1.
He afterwards converted Debendra-nath to his own views.
It was not till 1841 that Debendra-nath, without giving
up occasional meetings at his own house, formally joined the
church founded by Rammohun Roy. He soon saw that if
Indian Theists were to maintain their ground in India, they
needed organization, and that if the Samaj was to exist as
a permanent church, it wanted a properly appointed presi-
dent, a regularly ordained minister, a settled form of worship,
and a fixed standard of faith and practice. He himself under-
took the task of preparing what is sometimes called the
Brahma covenant, consisting of seven solemn declarations,
1 The Tattva-bodhinI patrika is still in existence and is now known as
the organ of the Adi Brahma-Samaj.