DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.640#0116
ON THE HINDOO RELIGION. eiii
mongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have
their part in the lake which burnetii with ike and brimstone:
which is the second death.' Rev. xxi. 3.
Eet every conscientious Christian fairly weigh these portions
of the divine word, and then say, whether there be not, accord-
ing to the spirit of these passages, a great degree of criminality
attached to the person who in any way countenances idolatry.
I am not ashamed to confess, that I fear more for the continu-
ance of the British power in India, from the encouragement
which Englishmen have given to the idolatry of the Hindoos,
than from any other quarter whatever. The Governor of the
world said to the Israelites, in particular reference to idolatry,
' If ye walk contrary to me, I will walk contrary to you."
Moses, in the name of Jehovah, thus threatens the Jews, if they
countenance idolatry:—' I call heaven and earth to witness
against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off
the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it: ye shall not
prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed.' It
cannot be doubted, that in every case in which either a person,
or a nation, begins to think favourably of idolatry, it is a mark
of departure in heart and practice from the living God : it was
always so considered among the Jews. There is scarcely any
thing in Hindooism, when truly known, in which a learned man
can delight, or of which a benevolent man can approve; and I am
fully persuaded, that there will soon be but one opinion on the
subject, and that this opinion will be, that the Hindoo system is
less ancient than the Egyptian, and that it is the most puerile,
IMPURE, AND BLOODY OF ANY SYSTEM OF IDOLATRY THAT WAS
EVER ESTABLISHED ON EARTH.
To this description of the Hindoo Mythology, the author has
added accounts of the principal Hindoo Seceders, including the
sects founded by Booddhii, Rishubhti-devu, Naniiku, and Choi-
tunyu.
All the founders of these sects appear to have been religious
mongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have
their part in the lake which burnetii with ike and brimstone:
which is the second death.' Rev. xxi. 3.
Eet every conscientious Christian fairly weigh these portions
of the divine word, and then say, whether there be not, accord-
ing to the spirit of these passages, a great degree of criminality
attached to the person who in any way countenances idolatry.
I am not ashamed to confess, that I fear more for the continu-
ance of the British power in India, from the encouragement
which Englishmen have given to the idolatry of the Hindoos,
than from any other quarter whatever. The Governor of the
world said to the Israelites, in particular reference to idolatry,
' If ye walk contrary to me, I will walk contrary to you."
Moses, in the name of Jehovah, thus threatens the Jews, if they
countenance idolatry:—' I call heaven and earth to witness
against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off
the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it: ye shall not
prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed.' It
cannot be doubted, that in every case in which either a person,
or a nation, begins to think favourably of idolatry, it is a mark
of departure in heart and practice from the living God : it was
always so considered among the Jews. There is scarcely any
thing in Hindooism, when truly known, in which a learned man
can delight, or of which a benevolent man can approve; and I am
fully persuaded, that there will soon be but one opinion on the
subject, and that this opinion will be, that the Hindoo system is
less ancient than the Egyptian, and that it is the most puerile,
IMPURE, AND BLOODY OF ANY SYSTEM OF IDOLATRY THAT WAS
EVER ESTABLISHED ON EARTH.
To this description of the Hindoo Mythology, the author has
added accounts of the principal Hindoo Seceders, including the
sects founded by Booddhii, Rishubhti-devu, Naniiku, and Choi-
tunyu.
All the founders of these sects appear to have been religious