DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0511
Modern Theism. Rammohun Roy s successors. 501
Brahmic form. His second daughter was engaged to be
married to Babu H. N. Mukerjea. The rite was performed
on the 26th of July, 1861, quietly, solemnly, simply, and
without protracted festivities, in the presence of nearly two
hundred co-religionists. This was the first Brahmic marriage.
A still more momentous reform was attempted by Keshab
Chandar Sen when he performed a marriage ceremony
between two persons of different castes in August, 1864.
An innovation so revolutionary gave great dissatisfaction to
Debendra-nath. In fact, Mr. Sen, notwithstanding the real
good he had effected by his influence, example, and personal
efforts, found himself hampered by his connexion with the
too conservative Calcutta Adi-Samaj. He was like a man
working in chains. He felt himself powerless to penetrate
beneath the outer crust of the social fabric. The old caste-
customs, the old superstitious rites, were still practised by
a large number of Theists, while others who professed sym-
pathy with the advanced Reformer, and adopted his opinions
in public, secretly reverted to their old ways. It was not to
be expected that a man of Mr. Sen's temperament would
long acquiesce in merely superficial changes and patchy
half-finished reformations. He was willing to accept half
measures as an instalment. But nothing short of a thorough
reconstruction of the whole religious and social fabric could
afford him permanent satisfaction. He was bent on laying
the axe to the very root of the tree. He felt his own mission
to be very different from that of Debendra-nath. He was to
destroy rather than to renovate the old Vedic system with all
its train of ceremonial rites and observances.
Of course, he no sooner gave up all idea of compromise
than instantly he found himself plunged in a slough of
obstruction. Difficulties and opposition met him at every
turn. At length, in February, 1865, the inevitable crisis
arrived. Keshab Chandar Sen with a large number of the
younger members of the Samaj formed themselves into a
Brahmic form. His second daughter was engaged to be
married to Babu H. N. Mukerjea. The rite was performed
on the 26th of July, 1861, quietly, solemnly, simply, and
without protracted festivities, in the presence of nearly two
hundred co-religionists. This was the first Brahmic marriage.
A still more momentous reform was attempted by Keshab
Chandar Sen when he performed a marriage ceremony
between two persons of different castes in August, 1864.
An innovation so revolutionary gave great dissatisfaction to
Debendra-nath. In fact, Mr. Sen, notwithstanding the real
good he had effected by his influence, example, and personal
efforts, found himself hampered by his connexion with the
too conservative Calcutta Adi-Samaj. He was like a man
working in chains. He felt himself powerless to penetrate
beneath the outer crust of the social fabric. The old caste-
customs, the old superstitious rites, were still practised by
a large number of Theists, while others who professed sym-
pathy with the advanced Reformer, and adopted his opinions
in public, secretly reverted to their old ways. It was not to
be expected that a man of Mr. Sen's temperament would
long acquiesce in merely superficial changes and patchy
half-finished reformations. He was willing to accept half
measures as an instalment. But nothing short of a thorough
reconstruction of the whole religious and social fabric could
afford him permanent satisfaction. He was bent on laying
the axe to the very root of the tree. He felt his own mission
to be very different from that of Debendra-nath. He was to
destroy rather than to renovate the old Vedic system with all
its train of ceremonial rites and observances.
Of course, he no sooner gave up all idea of compromise
than instantly he found himself plunged in a slough of
obstruction. Difficulties and opposition met him at every
turn. At length, in February, 1865, the inevitable crisis
arrived. Keshab Chandar Sen with a large number of the
younger members of the Samaj formed themselves into a