REVIEW.

An Exposure of the Hindoo Religion. By the Rev. J. Wilson, of the Scottish Mission, Bombay.

An inquiry into the origin and claims of Christianity is rapidly spreading among the inhabitants of India. The dead calm that has prevailed through so many ages is now disturbed; and the minds of many are agitated with intensely interesting inquiries. It could not be expected, that waters so long in a state of stagnation could be moved even superficially, without exciting disgust in the minds of those who have always been accustomed to the purest streams. Such, however, may comfort themselves with the reflection, that what is now so offensive to them will, after the agitation has ceased, subside; and then, instead of the stagnant lake, will be seen peace flowing as a river, and righteousness as the waves of the sea. We are not surprised to find the supporters of idolatry, when their system is attacked, exerting all their power to invent and apply arguments in its defence; we are rather astonished that they have lain so long dormant, and satisfied themselves by sneering at the advocates of truth, as the Samaritans did at the Jews, saying, 'What do these feeble Jews? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they make an end in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?" One extreme commonly leads to another. Now, as if to make atonement for their past negligence, they suffer their zeal to carry them to the wildest excesses in defence of their deities; they venture to apologise for all their atrocities, and in their support to confound all distinctions between vice and virtue. Before examining the reply given by Mr. Wilson, to The Verification of the Hindoo Religion,' it will be necessary briefly to state the circumstances which led to the controversy.

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It appears that Mr. Wilson had been in the habit of discussing with a learned Native the claims of the Christian religion. In the beginning of February, 1831, he received a note from the said Native, stating that a friend of his had lately arrived at the Bombay Presidency, who conceived that he could answer all the objections that had been brought against the Hindoo religion, and was desirous of an interview. Mr. W. complied with his wish, and during the interview, it was agreed that the claims of Christianity and Hindooism should be publicly discussed. The debate was attended by a great number of Brahmuns and respectable Natives, and continued through six successive evenings. It referred principally to the character of the Divine Being, the means of salvation, the principles of morals, and the allotment of rewards and punishments. The

doctrines of Christianity and their claim to attention were amply stated; and many objections were urged against the reigning superstitions of India. Mora Bhatta Dandakara, the apologist for idolatry, and the prime mover of the discussion, received much aid from several of his friends; while Mr. Wilson enjoyed the assistance of a converted Brahmun, who had before publicly disputed with a defender of the Purans. Good order was preserved during the discussion, which was carried on till the Brahmuns requested a cessation of hostilities. It was the intention of Mora Bhatta to publish an account of the debate, but owing to the difficulty of preserving fidelity, arising from his not having taken notes, he was induced to desist, and to resort to another expedient, namely, that of publishing in Maratha, a pamphlet denominated, A Verification of the Hindoo Religion. To this pamphlet, the work under consideration, called An Exposure of the Hindoo Religion,' is a reply.

In this reply, Mr. Wilson has divided his subject into four parts. As the existence of a Deity is considered the foundation of all religion, he begins with the gods; he then proceeds to idolatry, or the worship of the images of the gods; he then considers that the Bible alone is the true standard of faith, and that in embracing it no evil consequences will follow, but the opposite.

It is asserted by the Hindoo apologist, that his cause has suffered greatly from the diminishment of learning among the Hindoos. Mr. W. therefore, before entering on the great subject of discussion, justly remarks :—

"I am not singular in the opinion, however, that the spread of true learning in India will prove the ruin of the Brahmanical faith. The discoveries of science, and the revelations of the Puránas, are completely opposed to one another. Let a few examples be taken into consideration. The earth, which is globular, is described in the Puránas as possessed of the shape of a lotus, and as nearly level. From science, it is learned that the earth is suspended in space according to the will of God; but it is described in some Puránas as resting on the back of a tortoise, and in others as resting on the serpent Ananta. Its circumference is measured by about 12,434 kroshas; but its diameter, according to the Puránas, extends to 500,000,000 yojanas*. The earth is about 47,000,000 kroshas distant from the sun, and it is said in the Puránas to be merely 100,000 yojanas distant. The earth is only about 120,000 kroshas distant from the moon, and yet it is described in the Puránas as 200,000 yojanas distant. It is impossible to enumerate the contradictions of this kind, and the absurd fictions contained in the Puránas about the egg of Brahma and other matters of a like nature. The Veda even contains blunders as great as those alluded to,-as, for instance, it says that rain comes from the moon. Verily in the word of God, no such errors could ever occur."

After shewing the great ignorance that is displayed in all the Hindoo writings respecting the true God, Mr. W. makes the following remarks on Brahma, Vishnu, and Síva.

* A krosha is here reckoned as two miles, and a yojana as four kroshas.

"These three imaginary gods are represented, in many places, as foolish, as weak, as mean, as proud, as envious, and as disputatious. They fight with one another like evil men, and ravenous beasts. They resort to the spread of atheism, and other evil expedients, in order to support their thrones. They abandon shame, and exhibit themselves as lascivious adulterers, as deceivers, liars, thieves, and drunkards. Few sins in short can be mentioned, which they have not committed."

These are hard sayings, but substantiated as they are by proofs from their own writings, they cannot be contradicted. The Brahmuns are here driven to a dreadful dilemma, from which they can find no escape. The attempt to obviate the difficulty, by maintaining that the deeds accounted vices among men are virtues among the gods, is so palpably absurd, that any ingenuous mind would rather renounce a system requiring such reasoning, than expose itself to the contempt of all virtuous minds by the adoption of such an alternative. Indeed, Mr. W. clearly proves, that all the arguments that have been or can be advanced in favour of such theology can not have the weight of a feather with any man who acknowledges a distinction between moral good and evil.

The objections, urged against the Hindoo triad, are shewn not to apply to the persons in the Christian trinity.

"The doctrine of the Trinity, contained in the Christian Scriptures, as Mara Bhatta seems to be aware, destroys not the unity of God; and, from the manner in which it is exhibited, the divine glory is exhibited. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who are to be found in Him who is the only living and true God, have the same attributes, the same power, the same will, and the same glory. They never contend, like Hindu gods, about their respective greatness. They never form, like the Hindu gods, separate purposes. They never endeavour to thwart one another in their several works. They have existed from all eternity in the relations in which they are at present. The Son is so denominated, not because of derived existence, for he is without beginning; but because he is of the same nature with the Father, because he is the object of the Father's love, and because he displays the Father's glory."

But it is not enough to shew the errors of a false system, it is necessary to prove that there is something superior to supply its place. Mr. W. therefore enters at length into the difference between the incarnation of Christ and those of Rama and Krishna. This difference he points out very clearly-in the objects which they came to accomplish; in the conduct which they exhibited; and in the benefits which they conferred; and then shews the superiority of that evidence which we have for believing the accounts given of the Redeemer. There is one argument in this part which we think should have been a little guarded and explained. It is stated

"The purpose of the Rama Avatára is said to have been the destruction of the giant Rávana, but this object must appear altogether trifling and inadequate. God, who is infinitely powerful, could accomplish it without becoming incarnate; for he who gives life, can take it away at his pleasure.

doctrines of Christianity and their claim to attention were amply stated; and many objections were urged against the reigning su perstitions of India. Mora Bhatta Dandakara, the apologist for idolatry, and the prime mover of the discussion, received much aid from several of his friends; while Mr. Wilson enjoyed the assistance of a converted Brahmun, who had before publicly disputed with a defender of the Purans. Good order was preserved during the discussion, which was carried on till the Brahmuns requested a cessation of hostilities. It was the intention of Mora Bhatta to publish an account of the debate, but owing to the difficulty of preserving fidelity, arising from his not having taken notes, he was induced to desist, and to resort to another expedient, namely, that of publishing in Maratha, a pamphlet denominated, 'A Verification of the Hindoo Religion.' To this pamphlet, the work under consideration, called An Exposure of the Hindoo Religion,' is a reply.

In this reply, Mr. Wilson has divided his subject into four parts. As the existence of a Deity is considered the foundation of all religion, he begins with the gods; he then proceeds to idolatry, or the worship of the images of the gods; he then considers that the Bible alone is the true standard of faith, and that in embracing it no evil consequences will follow, but the opposite.

It is asserted by the Hindoo apologist, that his cause has suffered greatly from the diminishment of learning among the Hindoos. Mr. W. therefore, before entering on the great subject of discussion, justly remarks :—

"I am not singular in the opinion, however, that the spread of true learning in India will prove the ruin of the Brahmanical faith. The discoveries of science, and the revelations of the Puránas, are completely opposed to one another. Let a few examples be taken into consideration. The earth, which is globular, is described in the Puránas as possessed of the shape of a lotus, and as nearly level. From science, it is learned that the earth is suspended in space according to the will of God; but it is described in some Puránas as resting on the back of a tortoise, and in others as resting on the serpent Ananta. Its circumference is measured by about 12,434 kroshas; but its diameter, according to the Puránas, extends to 500,000,000 yojanas*. The earth is about 47,000,000 kroshas distant from the sun, and it is said in the Puránas to be merely 100,000 yojanas distant. The earth is only about 120,000 kroshas distant from the moon, and yet it is described in the Puránas as 200,000 yojanas distant. It is impossible to enumerate the contradictions of this kind, and the absurd fictions contained in the Puránas about the egg of Brahma and other matters of a like nature. The Veda even contains blunders as great as those alluded to,-as, for instance, it says that rain comes from the moon. Verily in the word of God, no such errors could ever occur."

After shewing the great ignorance that is displayed in all the Hindoo writings respecting the true God, Mr. W. makes the following remarks on Brahma, Vishnu, and Síva.

* A krosha is here reckoned as two miles, and a yojana as four kroshas.

"These three imaginary gods are represented, in many places, as foolish, as weak, as mean, as proud, as envious, and as disputatious. They fight with one another like evil men, and ravenous beasts. They resort to the spread of atheism, and other evil expedients, in order to support their thrones. They abandon shame, and exhibit themselves as lascivious adulterers, as deceivers, liars, thieves, and drunkards. Few sins in short can be mentioned, which they have not committed."

These are hard sayings, but substantiated as they are by proofs from their own writings, they cannot be contradicted. The Brahmuns are here driven to a dreadful dilemma, from which they can find no escape. The attempt to obviate the difficulty, by maintaining that the deeds accounted vices among men are virtues among the gods, is so palpably absurd, that any ingenuous mind would rather renounce a system requiring such reasoning, than expose itself to the contempt of all virtuous minds by the adoption of such an alternative. Indeed, Mr. W. clearly proves, that all the arguments that have been or can be advanced in favour of such theology can not have the weight of a feather with any man who acknowledges a distinction between moral good and evil.

The objections, urged against the Hindoo triad, are shewn not to apply to the persons in the Christian trinity.

"The doctrine of the Trinity, contained in the Christian Scriptures, as Mara Bhatta seems to be aware, destroys not the unity of God; and, from the manner in which it is exhibited, the divine glory is exhibited. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who are to be found in Him who is the only living and true God, have the same attributes, the same power, the same will, and the same glory. They never contend, like Hindu gods, about their respective greatness. They never form, like the Hindu gods, separate purposes. They never endeavour to thwart one another in their several works. They have existed from all eternity in the relations in which they are at present. The Son is so denominated, not because of derived existence, for he is without beginning; but because he is of the same nature with the Father, because he is the object of the Father's love, and because he displays the Father's glory."

But it is not enough to shew the errors of a false system, it is necessary to prove that there is something superior to supply its place. Mr. W. therefore enters at length into the difference between the incarnation of Christ and those of Rama and Krishna. This difference he points out very clearly-in the objects which they came to accomplish; in the conduct which they exhibited; and in the benefits which they conferred; and then shews the superiority of that evidence which we have for believing the accounts given of the Redeemer. There is one argument in this part which we think should have been a little guarded and explained. It is stated

"The purpose of the Rama Avatára is said to have been the destruction of the giant Rávana, but this object must appear altogether trifling and inadequate. God, who is infinitely powerful, could accomplish it without becoming incarnate; for he who gives life, can take it away at his pleasure.