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rayed in the very senses of the pagan for the dogmas and fables and immoral principles established in his faith!

"Or we may suppose the protester in the name of the true God to be led to the scene of one of the grand periodical celebrations of the extraordinary rites of idolatry. There, as at the temple of Jaggernaut, contemplating the effect of an intense fanaticism, glowing through an almost infinite crowd, he may perceive that each individual mind is the more fitted, by being heated in this infernal furnace, to harden in a more decided form and stamp of idolatry as it cools.

“Antiquity is, all over the world, the favourite resource of that which is without rational evidence, especially so, therefore, of superstition; and the Brahminical superstition rises imperially above all others in assumption of dignity from the past, which it arrogates as all its own, but emphatically that which appears the most solemn by remoteness. Unlike most other dominations over human opinion, which deduce themselves from an origin, and attain their honours in and by means of their enlarging progress downward in time, this proud imposture makes the past, back to an inconceivable distance, the peculiar scene of its magnificence. And it teaches its devotees to regard its continued presence on earth not as the progress of a cause advancing and brightening into greatness and triumph, but merely as something of the radiance reach ing thus far, and with fainter splendour, from that glory so divine in the remote past. Its primæval manifestation was of power to prolong the effect to even this late period, in which the faithful worshippers have to look back so far to behold the glory of that vision it once condescended to unfold on this world. The grand point of attraction being thus placed in a past so stupendous as to assume almost a character of eternity, the contemplations, the devotional feelings, and the self-complacency, are drawn away in a retrospective direction, and leave behind in contempt all modern forms of faith or institution, as the insignificant follies sprung from the corruption of a heaven-abandoned period of time. The sentiments excited in them by the many signs of decay in the exterior apparatus of their system, such as the ruined state of innumerable temples, will rather coincide with this attraction in carrying the homage and the pride to the glory that was once, than lead to any suspicion of a futility for which the system deserves to grow out of use. This retrospective magnitude, this absorption of all past duration in their religion, this reduction to insignificance of whatever else has existed, (if, indeed, all that has existed has not been comprehended in it), cannot fail to produce a degree of elation in the minds of the Hindoos, notwithstanding their incapability of genuine sublimity of conception and emotion.

"And again, however slight their affec

tions toward their contemporary relatives, the idea of an ancestry extending back through unnumbered generations, all having had their whole intellectual and moral existence involved inseparably in their religion, and surrendering in succession their souls to become a kind of guardians or portions of it, must add a more vital principle of attraction to the majestic authority and sanction of such an antiquity. Generations of little account in their own times may acquire, when passed away to be contemplated as ancestry, a certain power over the imagination by becoming invested with something of the character of another world,-a venerableness which combines with and augments the interest which they hold in our thoughts as having once belonged to our mortal fraternity. This combined interest going wholly into the sentiments of religion, in the pagans of whom we speak, they will feel as if a violation of that would be an insult to each of the innumerable souls of the great religious family departed, all worthier of respect than any that are now living in the world from which they have vanished. This habitual reference to their ancestors, with a certain sense of responsibility, is maintained by various notions and rites of their superstition, expressly contrived for the purpose, as well as by the pride which they can all feel, though they be but little sensible to the kind of poetical charm which might be felt, in thus standing connected, through identity of religious character and economy, with the remotest antiquity.

"Nor can the influence be small, in the way of confirmed sanction and cherished pride, of beholding that which has been the element of the moral existence of an almost infinite train of predecessors, attested still, as to its most material parts, by a world of beings at this hour coinciding with the devotee, in regarding it as their honour, their sanctity, and their supreme law. Let the Hindoo direct his attention or his travels whichever way he will, within the circuit of a thousand leagues, he meets with a crowding succession, without end, of living thinking creatures who live and think but to believe and act as he does. And what, in effect, do they all think and act so for, but as evidence that he is right? The mind can rest its assurance of its own rectitude of persuasion on this wide concurrence of belief, without therefore acknowledging to itself a degrading dependence. Its mode of seeing the matter is, not that the faith of a large assemblage of other minds is its faith, but that its faith is theirs; not-I think and act as they do, but, They think and act as I do. This sort of ambitious expansion outward, from the individual as a centre, saves his pride of reason from being humiliated by the consideration of the sameness of his notions with those of the great mass. The sense of community in human nature is strongly and delightfully admitted, when agreeing multitudes corroborate a man's

opinions without depriving him of the selfcomplacency of believing that he holds them in the strength of his own wisdom.

"This corroborating influence of the consent of contemporary multitude in the most essential points of the system, has, as we have already hinted, its effect among the Hindoos even without the intervention of social affection. Never did any where a great number of human creatures exist together

with so little of the attachments of kindred

and friendship. It is a striking illustration of the tendency of their superstition, that it nearly abolishes these interests, keeping the whole population in the state of detached and most selfish particles. This seems indeed to be foregoing one of the strongest means of power, since a system of notions and moral principles might find the greatest account in so combining itself with the affections of nature as to engage them for auxiliaries. But then what a triumph of this bad cause that while, instead of enticing these charities into its service it tramples on and destroys them, it can notwithstanding make this assemblage of dissocial selfish beings act upon one another in confirmation of their common delusion, with an effect even greater than that which might have arisen in one another's esteem as relatives and from friendly sympathy. Of little worth friends, it is as things which the gods have set their stamp upon that they have their grand value. The religion is regarded as attaching in so very personal a manner to all its subjects, that they have the effect of figures sculptured on their temples, or of leaves of their sacred books of mythology. The seal or brand of the deities set upon them does not indeed dignify them all, but it makes them all vouchers to the religion. They all in conjunction personify, as it were, that system which as much requires the existence of Soodras to verify it as of Brahmins. The miry clay' of the feet is as essential a part as the royal material of

the head.

"Thus the vast multitude are made to

serve just as surety to one another, and all to each, for the verity of the superstition. And as the existence of any of them on any other account had been impertinent, their existence in such prodigious numbers must needs seem to demonstrate a mighty importance in that for evidence and exemplification of which it was worth while for them to be so many."

Mr Foster, after a good deal more of the same fine disquisition, speaks boldly of the conduct of the Christian government over India, in becoming an auxiliary to the power of this infernal superstition. The aid has been afforded, not in the way of securing, in observance of the principle of toleration, the pagan worship, and means of worship, from violent interference, but in the form of a positive and ac

tive patronage. The administration of the funds for the ceremonial of idolatry has been taken, he observes, under the authority and care of the reigning power

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Composed of persons zealous, on this nearer side of a certain extent of water, for lishment has also been recently extended to the established Christian religion, which estabthat farther side, with what effect towards exploding or even modifying this very marvellous policy, or whether deemed to be perfectly harmonious with it, we must wait to be informed. In the mean time, the religious public is amply informed of a course sued tending to support and prolong the asof measures having been deliberately purcendency of paganism. It has been disclosed to their view, that the highest authority has taken upon itself the regulation stored endowments which had been alienated, of the economy of idols' temples, has reand has made additional allowances from the public revenue, where the existing appropriations have been judged inadequate to preserve to those establishments the requisite dignity;-requisite for what, but to prevent any relaxation of the hold which the this aid is constantly pressing heavily for its imposture has on the people? And, be it means of competence on the distressed resources of this Christian country."

remembered, the revenue which is to afford

Having thus stated the nature of the evil, Mr Foster devotes the remainder of his admirable discourse to an enlightened and profound argumentation on the duty of a great Christian country, to do all that in it lies to overcome the evil. As a specimen of nearly the following passage.— 50 pages of noble reasoning, we quote

"If they would for a moment put themselves, in imagination, in the case of being contemporary with Wicliff, or with Luther, and of being applied to by one of these daring spirits for advice, we may ask what given? They cannot but be instantly concounsel they can suppose themselves to have scious that, though they had been protestants at heart, their dispositions would have and dangers; to dwell in emphatic terms been to array and magnify the objections resistless dominion of the papal church, eson the inveterate, all-comprehensive, and tablished in every soul and body of the people; on the vigilance and prompt malignity of the priests; and on the insignificance, as to any effect, of an obscure individual's efforts against an immense and marvellously well organized system of imposture and depravity, even if that indivithat his protestation would not soon bring dual could be beguiled enough to expect, him to encounter the ultima ratio of his provoked enemy, in the form of tribunals, dungeons and death. In short, if in those instances such counsel had been acted upon

as they would have given, that zeal which was kindling and destined to lay a great part of the mightier Babylon in ashes, would have smouldered and expired in a languid listless hope, that the Almighty would sometime create such a juncture of circumstances as should admit an attempt at reformation without the folly and danger of useless temerity. And so we might, for Wicliff and Luther, have been immersed in the half paganism of popery at this very day. "And to descend to the undertaking in favour of which we are at present assembled; -all that has been accomplished by it in India, and is now accomplishing, as introductory, we trust, to a religious change not less glorious or extensive than the Reformation, may be regarded by its active friends as, in some sense, a reward for having refused to be controuled by the dissuasive arguments, and desponding predictions, of many very worthy deprecators of rashness

and enthusiasm.

"It is from this quarter that we may hear disapprobation in form of the question, What can we do against an evil of such enormous magnitude, and so consolidated? It may be answered, (and this has indeed been already suggested), What you can do, in the sense of what precise quantity of effect a severe calculation may promise from a given effort, is not always to be the rule of conduct; for this would be to deny the absolute authority of the divine Master. We refuse to obey him for his own sake, and refuse with an impious arrogance, if we insist on being endowed, or on the right of acting as if we could be endowed, with his own foresight of consequences, that foresight on which, we may presume, are founded the wise reasons of his commands. It may be added, that the contrary spirit has been signally honoured, inasmuch as some of the most effectual and the noblest services rendered to God in all time, have begun much

more in the prompting of zeal to attempt something for him, as it were at all hazards, than in rigorous estimates of the probable measure of effect.

"We may observe also, how all history abounds with great effects from little causes, thus indeed representing a prevailing fact in the constitution of the world. Some such consequences now existing in magnitude, bear a peculiarity of character which will hardly allow us to look at them without a reference to their origination; others have so blended in the conformation of the ordinary state of things, that they do not necessarily nor readily suggest the thought of their first causes. The actual condition of our part of the world consists of a number of grand, distinguishable, though combined

terious hand threw a particle of a cause, if we may so speak, among the elements;i: had the principle of attraction in it; it found something akin to it to combine with, obtaining so an augmentation, to be instantly again augmented, of the attracting and assimilating power, which grew in a ratio that became at length stupendous; and it exhibits the final result, (if any result yet attained could be called final), in perhaps a grand modification of the condition of a people, a continent, a large portion of the globe. What was the commencement of the true religion in this land, and of those several reformations which have partly restored it from its corruptions? And what would be the term of proportion, according to our principles of judging, between the object as seen in the diminutiveness of the incipient cause, and in its present extent of prevalence ?-between, (if we may be allowed the figure), the germ in the acorn and the majestic oak?

"A result thus growing to an immense magnitude from a cause apparently so inconsiderable at the commencement, is the collective consequence of a great number of causes progressively starting and multiplying into consentaneous operation, each of them respectively having in the same manner its enlarging series of consequences. And in looking to the future progress of this undertaking in India, is it not perfectly rational to assume, that many small means and little events will be, in their respective times and places, the commencements, and in a sense the causes, of trains of consequences interminally advancing and enlarging?"

After the eloquence of Foster we fear that our readers will be little disposed to care for any of our opinions on this subject, expressed in our own more homely and feebler words. Yet they may perhaps excuse us for attempting to state the whole argument in a concise form.

It is assumed then, as a fundamental principle, that the Christian religion is not only the best of all religions, but the only true one-and that it cannot exist among men without purifying, exalting, and enlightening the character of nations. To introduce Christianity into any country whatever, where it was not formerly known, even into a country where superstition may have assumed its least hideous form, would therefore be to confer an inestimable benefit on its inhabitants. This being the case, it becomes a duty incumbent upon all individuals and states, in proportion to their means, to attempt the conversion unto Christianity of all heathen nations. But it minutiveness in which they began. A mys- becomes, more especially, a duty in

effects, at various distances from their respective causes; how interesting it would be to survey backward their progress; but they

are so familiarised around us that we are seldom reminded of the manner and the di

cumbent upon all great Christian states, to diffuse over the kingdoms subjected to their sway, that religion which has been the cause of their own superior wisdom, virtue, happiness, and power; and if they are deterred from so doing, by any fears lest the knowledge so communicated might ultimately render the subject people independent, then are they, when enjoying the greatest blessing of heaven, afraid of bestowing it on others, lest some part of their own temporal prosperity might be sacrificed to the eternal happiness of millions unborn. But it is obvious, or demonstrable, that it is for the advantage of all nations of the earth, that they should be all enlightened and free, and, that even politically, Britain, for example, would be benefited by the spread of Christianity over India. The argument, therefore, against attempting to christianize India, founded on the danger that might thence result to our dominions there (which by the way, is now well known to be a bug-bear) is untenable, because it is in direct opposition to every principle of justice to our fellow creatures, or of gratitude to our Creator. It is now universally admitted, that the Hindoo superstition, is the most odious that has ever existed among mankind, because the most immoral and unintellectual, and in all things debasing, polluting, and deforming human nature. It is therefore, clear as the light of day, that we, a nation of Christians and philosophers, are bound, by the very tenure on which we hold our elevated existence from the great God, to spread over the earth that religion, without which men are like the brutes that perishand that we are not Christians, if we dare for one moment basely to think, that there can be any spot on that earth, for the sake of whose children Christ did die, over which Christianity ought not to be spread. But it is argued by others again, that certain superstitions are indestructible. This is a mere assertion, not only unsupported by facts, but at variance with all the

events in the history of man. And, with respect to the Hindoo superstition, in particular, as it has no foundation in nature-however strongly it is supported by custom and institutionbut on the contrary, exists in defiance and violation of all the principles of humanity-so must it be, of all religions that ever existed, the strongest when unattacked, and the weakest when those passions and affections of the soul shall be made to rise up in array against it, which are now bowed down before it in sad and hopeless captivity. That the Hindoo superstition may therefore be overthrown, no rational mind can deny. The question, then, is, how shall this be accomplished—and the answer at once is, by enabling the natives to discover what is Christianity. This can be accomplished only by Christian missions, and the dissemination of the Bible over India. No one has ever said or thought, that Christianity will soon be the religion of those vast countries. But reason, sense, experience, all tell with one united voice of thunder, that truth, if only given a fair chance for its life, will most miraculously prevail-they also tell us, that we are placed here, not to wait for the decrees of God, in the blind indolence of fatalism, but that the human soul is to work out on earth the mandates of heaven. We are not to expect to see the visible arm of God shivering the temples of idolatry, and breaking into fragments that fearful superstition which has been so long suffered to overshadow a miserable people. Neither are we to expect to do this ourselves. But our trust is in the mystery of time-and none who have understood the past need despair of the future. Let any of our readers consider this our concluding paragraph, as containing a number of consecutive propositions all linked together, and leading to the establishment of the expediency and duty of missions to the east-and point out to us, if he can, any weakness or vacancy in the chain.

1

SERMONS PREACHED IN THE TRON CHURCH, GLASGOW, BY THOMAS
CHALMERS, D. D.'

THE Astronomical Discourses of this celebrated Preacher produced, perhaps, a stronger, if not a more lasting impression, on the public mind, than any other display of pulpit oratory in our country during this age. They ap peared when the author's reputation for eloquence was higher than had ever been attained by any preacher in Scotland since the reformation-and it was instantaneously and universally acknowledged that the work which he had sent from the press was equal in power and splendour to his noblest exhibitions in the pulpit. It proved to the satisfaction of all men that his command over their minds was legitimate, and that though strengthened and made more irresistible by the liv ing energies of the voice and eye, it lay in the highest faculties of our nature, reason and imagination. They, however, who would characterise those discourses as exhibiting the boundless flights and fanciful illustrations of poetry, and we believe many have done so,-seem to us very ignorant of their real merits. It is true that the language often expands into the magnificence, and kindles into the lustre of poetry, as all language does when genius speaks of the great works of God. But the power of the preacher consists in distinctly presenting to the view even of unscientific minds, all the glories of astronomy, in the grand outlines of its system,- -so that the very humblest is made to feel the omnipotence of the Deity as profoundly as the very highest intellect. It is not because the preacher utters any thing new, either in subject or illustration, that he thus elevates our conceptions; but he does so, by a grand and sweeping picture of wonders which all know to exist, and by a devout and empassioned homage of the Being who upholds them in his creation. While our souls are thus filled with the most august conceptions of the Deity, the preacher does not leave us in the hopelessness of our conscious insignificance; but shows to us, from the whole analogy of nature, that in the midst of all his omni

*

potence and all its unimagined works, the Deity cares for us the insects of a speck, and that we live and will live in his mercy and redeeming love. The object of the Astronomical Discourses is to fill the soul with a sense of the omnipotence of God, and, at the same time, with a conviction that our own utter frailty does not exclude us from his thoughts. The preacher explains the groundlessness of that scepticism which fears because God is great, and we are less than nothing,-he heaps image upon image, and follows out train upon train of reasoning to elevate our conceptions of the Deity, and to humble those of ourselves,but he leaves us at last, not standing at a hopeless distance from Him, but like children, strong in piety and trusting in the strength of their parent's love. Whatever objections may be made, either fairly or not, to the style or spirit of "this great argument," it has been felt by all that the Astronomical Discourses have benefited incalculably the cause of religion, by elev ating, and at the same time, enlightening and cheering our conceptions of the moral government of the universe.

Thatwork, therefore, excited throughout Britain a strong desire for sermons by the same author, on subjects, we will not say of more universal interest, for that cannot be, but of more various applicability to the religious feelings of our nature. We longed for devotional helps from the same pious and powerful mind, in all the mysteries of our faith, and feeling that Christianity deals with the profoundest passions that shake our nature, we wished to hear of its operation on them, from the same lips that had told us of the wonders of the heavens, and of our alliance with the Power that created and sustains them.

The present volume will, we think, be gratefully accepted as, in fact, conferring upon us such a service. It is, in most things, all that we hoped ; and if there be certain faults of diffuseness and repetition discernible in it, these, we are convinced, are almost necessari

Smith and Sons, Glasgow. William Whyte and Co., Edinburgh. Longman, London. 1819.

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