A Popular Account of the Manners and Customs of IndiaAcland, Charles
History
A Popular Account of the Manners and Customs of India
Acland, Charles
India -- Description and travel; India -- Social life and customs
The next morning, rising at four, after a cup of coffee we sallied
into the jungle again, but obtained nothing but a few fowls. Captain
W. now left us on his return home, and after breakfast a number of
native Christians assembled, as this was the morning appointed for
talking to them. They all squatted down on the floor, the men on one
side and the women on the other. Mr. L., who is thoroughly conversant
with the Oorial language, now entered into conversation with them,
asking them questions and hearing all they had to say. They appear
to have a very good knowledge of true religion, and to be very
earnest and sincere. It was most interesting to see them all sitting
so quietly with their eyes fixed on Mr. L.'s face, never attempting
to interrupt either him or one another, but speaking one at a time
in a low reverent tone of voice. When asked a question they would
pause a moment or two in deep thought before they answered. After
a little time one or two inquirers came in, that is, men who are
not yet converted, but are inquiring about Christianity, or arguing
concerning it and comparing it with their own religion. These sat
down and behaved themselves in the same decorous manner as the actual
Christians. Mr. L. very judiciously encouraged the converts to argue
with the inquirers, and it was most pleasing to observe the perfect
mildness and the restrained gestures of both parties when talking
on so holy a subject, every eye fixed upon the two disputants, and
when a pause occurred some other convert gently putting in a word in
support of the holy truth.
_Inquirer._ "You say God gave you the Bible, I say God gave us the
Shasters. The religion that is good for the white man is not good for
the black. God is good, and has given us each a religion proper to
ourselves. I say your religion is good and comes from God; why will
you not say the same of our Shasters?"
_Convert._ "God gave white men the Bible because he is very good, and
he told them to go and teach it to every one, because he wishes every
one to be good and happy, and to go to the happy country of heaven
when they die; but the Shasters do not come from God."
_I._ "How do you know that?"
_C._ "Listen, brother. Brummah (God) is good, is he not?"
_I._ "Yes."
_C._ "Should not you like to go to Brummah?"
_I._ "Yes."
_C._ "Do not the Shasters of your religion teach you so?"
_I._ "Ha! you are very sly. No; but our religion is good for us now.
By and bye Vishnoo will come again, and then he will perhaps give us
a Bible."
_C._ "Why not take the Christian Bible and Christian Brummah now?"
_I._ "Then I should lose my caste, my wife will leave me, my children
will go away, my brother will not smoke with me, my hut will be
empty, and the Brahmins will curse me."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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