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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Untitled Article
vrorship . ByRammohunRoy . ' Before we give an account of this curious tract , it may be advantageous to our readers to know something of the author . Of Ra mm oh tin Roy we have received reports from several friends . The substance of them is this : he is
a Brahmin , about thirty-two years of age , of extensive landed property , and of great consideration and influence ; shrewd , vigilant , active , ambitious , prepossessing in his manners , versed in various languages , and busily
employed in giving lectures to a number of his countrymen on the Unity of the Godhead . Be is acquainted with the New Testament , and seems disposed to hear any thing which can be enforced by the authority of Christ .
"Another accouut carries him further as a Christian . It states that he began his studies by learning Persian ; as he considered a knowledge of that language necessary to every native of any distinction . From Persian he was led almost as a matter of course , to Arabic and the Koran , His own statement
is , that the religion of Mahomed at first made some impression upon him j but when he found that the Prophet carried off the beautiful wife of his slave , and attempted to establish his religion by the sword , he became convinced that it could not be from God .
Then he studied our Bible in English ; and in consequence became a Christian He has spread his doctrine to a considerable extent , and has several Flindoos of high caste and of fortune in league
with him , who maintain his opinions . They call themselves a society , and are bound by certain rules , one of which is , that no man shall be admitted into their number , except with this condition , that he renounce idol
worship . Of these rules , however , they do not seem to be very uniform in the observance . One of the society , though he professes to have renounced idolatry , yet keeps in his house a number of gods , as well as two large
pagodas : his society has granted him a dispensation on this head , because he possesses a certain quantity of land from the King of Delhi for ( his purpose , and if he were to destroy his idols , he might lose his land . One account carries the number of
Rammoihun's followers to nearly five hundred ; ^ d states , that tfyey expect soon to be Strong enough to enable him publicly
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to avow his faith , and consequently to lose his caste , which he has hitherto not done , as it would impede his intercourse with many whom he hopes shortly to convince . The Brahmins
had twice attempted his life , but he was fully on his guard . It is stated , that after being baptized , he intends to embark for England , with many of his friends , in order to pass some years in the acquisition of learning at one or both of our universities .
" Rammohun writes and speaks English correctly . He has published different tracts and translations in our tongue , and in Persian and Bengalee , directed against the Hindoo idolatry and superstitions . The piece , of which we shall give an abstract , discovers little else than a discernment of the
folly of the vulgar belief of his country ; and a subtle , but unsuccessful , attempt to put a good meaning on the absurd statements of its more ancient and refined creed . His judgment may possibly be convinced of the truth of Divine revelation : but <* n e of our
correspondents represents him to be as yet but a self-confident Deist ;—disgusted with the follies of the pretended revelations from heavert , with which he has been conversant , but tiot yet bowed in his convictions , and humbled in his heart to the revelation of Divine
mercy . We do not mean to say that the heart of Rammohun Roy is not humbled , and that he has not received the gospel as the only remedy for the spiritual diseases under which he
labours in common with all mew , but we have as yet seen no evidence sufficient to Warrant us in this belief . We pray God to give him grace , that lie may in penitence and faith embrace with all his heart the Saviour of the
world . " The tract ( of which we hav £ given the title ) is short , extending to fourteen pages , quartd . It is an abridgment of the Vedant of Byas , whom Rammohun Roy represents as * the greatest of the
Indian theologists , philosophers and poets . " The author professes to give the real sense and meaning of the Vedant # nd Veds on the most important points of the Hindoo theology , which he asserts to have been misunderstood
and forgotten . His various positions are supported by passages from the Vedant or Veds , and those" which Appear to contradict them are e % *
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SOO Unitarianism in the Mast Indies .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), May 2, 1818, page 300, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2476/page/12/
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