[9] A peculiar religious ceremony, like that of _baptism_, is performed for every Hindoo. The Brahmun who does it, and selects a male or female deity for his disciple, is called _gooroo_, or pastor. The disciple, _Shis-ho_, can on no account change his _gooroo_ or the god he furnishes. The _gooroo_ exercises absolute sway over his _Shis-ho_; just as the “_infallible Pope_” does over the Romanists. Gooroo has the power to send his Shis-ho to heaven or hell as he pleases. Without a passport from him, the “gates of heaven” would not admit the Shis-ho. [10] It is customary with the Orientals to commit to memory the names of the distant ancestry. Among the Jews it was the custom, and is so still, I presume. Matthew and Luke traced the genealogy of our Master a great way back. [11] Great respect is paid to the cat as the messenger of the goddess. They do not ill-treat this creature for fear of the displeasure of its mistress. Love for animals is taught here in this curious way! [12] It is surprising to learn that one man had “sixty thousand sons,” all grown-up, reliable heroes at the same time; numerous as the sands on the sea-shore. The Hindoos say this host of sons was born to fulfil the prophecy of a Brahmun who had blessed the king, saying, perhaps, “Be thou the father of sixty thousand male children.” [13] This, and kindred anecdotes, have great effect upon the practical life of the Hindoos, because they are thereby taught to believe that their own good or bad deeds will bring forth fruits for them according to their nature,--that by the mete by which they measure others will be measured unto them. They are thus taught the Divine justice,--that God is not a silent spectator of our proceedings: He notices everything, and meets us according to our merit. Again, such anecdotes have another influence upon the Hindoo mind. The Hindoos fear to insult a Brahmun, whose wrath is warm enough to burn the offender to ashes. But the Brahmun’s wrath does not amount to any visible danger now. [14] This teaches a beautiful lesson of the nature of reconciliation, although wrapped in the allegorical covering of superstition. We see that none but the injured can forgive us,--that we ought to be reconciled to him, and _redress_ the wrong we have done if possible; for without reformation, mere repentance is nothing. The Hindoo idea is, that even the gods do not stand by the side of the offender if he does not humble himself and ask pardon, that is, if he be not reconciled to his brother whom he had ill-treated. It is something like the saying, “Make peace with thy brother while _he_ is on the way,” etc.