wished me also to see the duty of their all remaining in the
country, learning the language, and instructing their servants.
My mind was so filled and excited by the first part of our
conversation, that I could not sleep for many hours after going
to bed. He told me that the people were surfeited with the
Gospel, and that they needed to be exhorted to duty.
_June 26._--Employed in translating St. Matthew into Hindustani,
and reading Mirza's translation; afterwards had moonshi a
little. In the afternoon walked with Mr. Brown to see
Juggernaut's car drawn back to its pagoda. Many thousands of
people were present, rending the air with acclamations. The car
with the tower was decorated with a vast number of flags, and
the Brahmins were passing to and fro through the different
compartments of it, catching the offerings of fruit, cowries,
&c., that were thrown up to the god, for which they threw down
in return small wreaths of flowers, which the people wore round
their necks and in their hair. When the car stopped at the
pagoda, the god and two attending deities were let down by
ropes, muffled up in red cloths, a band of singers with drums
and cymbals going round the car while this was performed. Before
the stumps of images, for they were not better, some of the
people prostrated themselves, striking the ground twice with
their foreheads; this excited more horror in me than I can well
express, and I was about to stammer out in Hindustani, 'Why do
ye these things?' and to preach the Gospel. The words were on my
lips--though if I had spoken thousands would have crowded round
me, and I should not have been understood. However, I felt my
spirit more inflamed with zeal than I ever conceived it would
be; and I thought that if I had words I would preach to the
multitudes all the day, if I lost my life for it. It was curious
how the women clasped their hands, and lifted them up as if in
the ecstasy of devotion, while Juggernaut was tumbled about in
the most clumsy manner before their eyes. I thought with some
sorrow that Satan may exert the same influence in exciting
apparently religious affections in professors of the Gospel, in
order to deceive souls to their eternal ruin. Dr. Taylor and Mr.
Moore joined us, and distributed tracts. Mr. Ward, we heard, was
at a distance preaching. On our return we met Marshman going
upon the same errand. In evening worship my heart was rather
drawn out for the heathen, and my soul in general through the
day enjoyed a cheering sense of God's love. Marshman joined us
again, and our conversation was about supporting some native
missions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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