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cont ' iRuaMe in f& $ perf jelwM p ^ rt of the religion of his fibers . With sucfe a man the Trinitarian Missionary cornsbats on unequal ternis- The Brahmin has already the mysteries which such a proselytist offers to his acceptance ,
and eyery argument which is proposed against Hindoo polytheism is quickly retorted against the doctrine of a plurality of persons in the Godhead . Trinitarian Christianity cannot , therefore , m o ^ ir opinion , make any way amongst the Hindoo population of
India . The course which Ramaiohun Roy has taken , is probably the track in which the Hindoos will proceed towards reformation . Their more ancient sacred writings may be proved to contain a system of pure theism .
Idolatry is a corruption of the first doctrine and worship . Let this be admitted ,, and Christianity , in its sim * - plicity and purity , may be grafted upon the original nionotheistical stock - The civil ceremonial of Hindooisra
may still be preserved for a time , but it may be expected that it will ultimately melt away under the influence of the warm , social benevolence of the gospel . 7 "he Brahmin before i * s complains of the rtude and insolent manner in \ vhich the Missionaries have attacked tUe Hindoo religion ;
' * We have been subjected to such insults for about nine centuries , and the cause of such degradation has been our excess in civilization and abstinence from the slaughter even of anAjnals , as well as as < xur division into castes , which has been the source of want of unity among us . "—Pref . to 1 st edit . p . 2 .
While the Brahmin deprecates " abuse and insult , " he invites the Missionaries to try their strength at cool argument : " In consideration of the small huts in which Brahimms of learning generally reside , and the -situple food , such as
vegetables , &c , which they are accustomed to eat , and the poverty whicji obliges them to live upon charity , the JVlissio , nar ^ gentjeinen may not , I hope , abst . ajn from controversy from contempt of them ; for truth and true religion do not always belong to . wealth and power , high . ramies , or lofty palaces . *'—Id . p . 3 .
SJfiiv ^ UrPwsacjl Surma quit e at liow > e ia metaphysics , lie talks very iqi ? £ h like ^ djispaj )^ e of Berl ^ ey . IJut b $ ' gp $ * feeypiwl our 4 epth * a ^ 4 there-
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fore we sfc # U mt attempt jfco folio vy him in his w fcology , any more than jnn his £ thU * s , which possess a str # 3 g tincture f > i stoicis # i . We huve to | dp ooly with his theology , and with this no farth er tlmn it is matter of ^ OAtrOr versy betweeu him q * ± d the
Missiona-. In cojrroboratjon of > yhat we have said on Hindoo theism , the Brahniin observes , ( p . 1 / , } that the coqamentators , in their interpretation of the Vied , though they differ from each other oa subordinate subject ^ , yet all agree in
ascribing to God neither form qqx fleshy neither birth nor death / ai ^ d he shews ( pp . 21 , &c , ) , that though the sacred books apply sensible forms and qualities to the Deity , they explain that this is done with $ view to the benefit of persons of weak minds . oenenc or persons ot weaK minus .
The following account of the holy books of the Hindoos is interesting : " But it is partictdarly to be noticed , that there is no end of the Tuntrus . In the same manner the Muhapoorans , Poorans , Ooppoorans , Ramayuna , &c > , are very nun > € rous : < m this account an excellent rale from the first has been this , that those Poorans and Tuntras
which have commentaries , and those parts which have been quoted by the acknowledged expounders , are received for evidence ; otherwise a sentence quoted on the mere authority of the Poorans and Tuntrus is not considered evidence
Those numerous Poorans and Tuntrus which have no commentary and are not quoted by a , ny established expounder , may probably be of lucent composition . Spm , e Ppjorans and Tuntrus axe received in one province ; thp natives of other provinces consider them spurious : or
rather , what some peo $ e in a province acknowledge , others considering it to be only recent , do not receive ; therefore those Poorans and Tuntrus © wly which have been com men ted -upon or quoted by respectable authors are to he regarded . A commonly-received rule for
ascertaining the authority of a ^ y bo <> k is this , (that whatever bqqk op , pp $ e $ tfie Ved , is destitute of authority . All Sjnrmtiies which are contrary to the Ved , and all Atheistical works , are not conducive to
future happiness ; they dwell in darkness . ' Munoo . But tlie Missionary gentlemen seldom translate into English the GopuLushuds , xlie aucient Sttmties , the Tuntrua , quoted by re ^ ectjable avithors , ^^^
and which . hav , e htten always recrardefi . and which liav . e b ^ jen always r e - Xiut hav ^ ig ti UM « ltitec } tho 3 ^ worfeis winch 34 e o \ wp $ fid f& the Veds , wlr i ^ h a ^ e i ^ o t quoted by any respectable author , a «^ d
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3 S 6 Review . * -Ea $% * tndia Unitarian Tmac / s .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1824, page 356, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2525/page/36/
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