PREFACE

To the people of the West, the inhabitants of India are the least understood and the most easily misunderstood of all men.

It is partly because they are antipodal to the West—the farthest removed in thought and life. They are also the most secretive, and find perennial delight in concealment and evasion.

According to Hindu teaching, the Supreme Spirit forever sports in illusion. It continuously manifests itself through unreal and false forms, which delude and lead astray ignorant man. In harmony with this philosophy of the Divine—and may it not be as a result of it?—the people of India too often delight in unreal and deceptive exhibitions of themselves. At any rate, it is exceedingly difficult for a man of the West, especially he of the Anglo-Saxon type, to apprehend the full significance and the correct drift of life and thought of this land.

It is amusing, when not discouraging, to witness travellers, who have rushed through India in a winter tour, publish volumes of their misconceptions and ill-digested theories about the people with an oracular emphasis which is equalled only by their ignorance.

The author of this book makes no claim to a right to speak ex cathedra upon this subject. Nevertheless, thirty years of matured experience in this land, living in constant touch with the people and studying with eagerness their life and thought, gives him an humble claim to speak once more upon the subject.

Even now, however, his pride of knowledge is chastened by the oft-recurring surprises which the Oriental nature and life still bring to him. And he does not cease to pray, with a western saint, who, at the end of a half century of work for the people of India, daily cried out,—

"O Lord, help me to know these people and to come into intimate relations of life with them!"

If, in these pages, he can help others of the West to come face to face with the immense and intricate problems which confront all who desire to know, to help, and to bless India, and shall enable them to understand better the conditions and characteristics of life in the Land of the Vedas, he will feel amply repaid for his labours.

I express my deep gratitude to the Rev. J. L. Barton, D.D., for his kind encouragement in the publishing of this book; and also to the Rev. W. W. Wallace, M.A., for his generous aid in the proof-reading.

J. P. JONES.

CONTENTS

CHAPTERPAGES
[I. India's Unrest][1-29]
i. Extent of the Movement[1]
ii. Causes of Unrest[5]
iii. Conditions of Unrest[13]
iv. Results[18]
v. How shall the Unrest be Removed[21]
[II. The Home of Many Faiths][30-71]
Hinduism—Madura and Benares[32]
Demonolatry—Madura[33]
Christianity—Travancore and Cochin[34]
Judaism—Cochin[38]
Parseeism—Bombay[40]
Jainism—Bombay[41]
Mohammedanism—Agra and Delhi[42]
Buddhism—Delhi, Sarnath[53]
Sikhism—Amritsar[61]
[III. Burma, the Beautiful][72-90]
The Extent of the British Empire[72]
Burma's Triple Produce[73]
The Land of Pagodas[73]
Mandalay[78]
A Land where Woman is Honoured[80]
A Land where Caste is Unknown[84]
The American Baptist Mission[84]
The Karens and their Conversion[85]
Ko San Ye[87]
[IV. The Hindu Caste System][91-122]
What is Caste[91]
i. Origin of Caste[93]
(a) Religious Theory[95]
(b) Tribal Theory[96]
(c) Social Theory[97]
(d) Occupational Theory[98]
(e) Crossing Theory[100]
ii. Characteristics of Caste[102]
Intermarriage[105]
Inter-dining[107]
Contact[109]
Occupation[112]
iii. Penalties of Caste[115]
Boycott[116]
Caste Servants Interdicted[118]
Domestic Isolation[119]
Prayaschitta. (Travelling)[119]
[V. The Hindu Caste System (Continued)][123-151]
iv. Occasions of Punishment[123]
Change of Faith[124]
Marrying a Widow[126]
Beef-eating[126]
Officiating as Priest to Outcasts[127]
Marrying outside of One's Caste[128]
v. The Results of the Caste System[129]
Possibilities of Good[131]
It arrays Caste against Caste[132]
It narrows the Sympathies[132]
It degrades Manual Labour[133]
It opposes Commerce[134]
A Foe to Nationality[135]
A Foe to Individualism[135]
It is Unethical[137]
vi. The Dominance of Caste[138]
Seen even among Christians[140]
Roman Catholicism and Protestantism[143]
Signs of its Decadence[144]
Opposed by Western Progress[147]
Government Opposition[148]
Christianity its Foe[149]
[VI. The Bhagavad Gita—The Hindu Bible][152-189]
i. What is this Song[153]
ii. What are its Purposes and Contents[156]
1. Its Teaching concerning God[160]
Incarnation[163]
2. The Doctrine of the Living Soul[167]
3. The Doctrine of Liberation[169]
(1) Through Knowledge[169]
(2) Through Asceticism[171]
(3) Through Works[174]
Caste[177]
Detachment[179]
Bhakti[181]
(4) Altruism.[183]
4. The Doctrine of Salvation[184]
Reincarnation[185]
iii. Conclusion[187]
[VII. Popular Hinduism][190-219]
i. The Higher Faith[190]
The Evolution of Faith[196]
ii. Popular Hinduism[198]
1. Caste[198]
2. Polytheism[199]
3. Idolatry[200]
4. Devil-worship[206]
5. Fetichism[209]
6. Immorality[210]
7. Treatment of Woman[213]
8. The Hindu Ascetic[215]
9. Hindu Pessimism[217]
10. Astrology[217]
[VIII. Hindu Religious Ideals][220-241]
i. The Ideal of God[223]
ii. Ideal of Incarnation[225]
iii. Ideals of Life[227]
Asceticism[227]
Ceremonialism[231]
Quietism[233]
iv. Ultimate Salvation[235]
Transmigration[236]
Absorption[237]
[IX. The Home Life of Hindus][242-275]
The Home Sanctuary[242]
The Building of the House[243]
The Joint Family System[246]
Priest and Astrologer[251]
Place of Woman in the Home[252]
The Devotion of Woman[254]
The Influence of Woman[258]
Marriage in the Home[260]
The Hindu Widow[263]
Mother-in-law and Daughter-in-law[264]
Love of Jewellery[265]
Clothing and Cuisine[268]
Sickness and Death[270]
Funeral Obsequies[272]
Shradda[273]
[X. Kali Yuga—India's Pessimism][276-301]
i. The Astounding Length of the Chronological System[277]
History and Legend in India[281]
ii. The Cyclic Character of Hindu Chronology[286]
No Progress in Time[287]
The Source of Pessimism[288]
iii. The Moral Characteristics of the Time System[290]
Every Yuga has its Own Character[290]
The Evil Character of Kali[293]
Cui Bono[298]
Astrology[299]
Lucky Days[299]
[XI. Islam in India][302-337]
i. The History of Islam in India[305]
ii. The Present Condition of this Faith in India[307]
Ill-adapted to India[308]
Its Conception of Deity[309]
Intolerance and Tolerance[310]
Contact with Hinduism[312]
Compromise[319]
Islam's Attempt at Reform[322]
Islam's Redeeming Qualities[323]
Muslim Sects[327]
iii. The Mohammedan Population[328]
iv. Christian Effort for the Mussulman[333]
[XII. The Christ and the Buddha][338-373]
i. The Conditions of their Lives[341]
ii. The Common Principles which controlled Them[345]
Sincerity[345]
Ethics[345]
Universal Charity[349]
iii. The Teachings which differentiate Them[352]
1. Teaching concerning God[353]
2. Their Conceptions of Human Life[356]
3. Their Ideals of Life[367]
Character and Wisdom[368]
Final Consummation[370]
[XIII. Modern Religious Movement][374-411]
Hindu Reformers[374]
i. Hindu Sects[376]
ii. Modern Movements[378]
Ram Mohan Roy[379]
Brahmo Somaj[380]
Chunder Sen[382]
Âthi Somaj[383]
Sâdhârna Somaj[385]
New Dispensation[385]
iii. Progress of the Movement[387]
Weak in Numbers[387]
Indian Spirit[388]
Christian Basis[389]
"The Oriental Christ"[391]
Chunder Sen's Words.[391]
Other Testimony[396]
The New Dispensation[396]
iv. The Arya Somaj[400]
Its Progress[402]
Its Principles[402]
Its Antagonism to Christianity[403]
v. The Theosophical Society[404]
Its Reactionary Spirit[406]
Mrs. Besant[406]
The "Masters"[408]
[XIV. The Progress of Christianity in India][412-443]
i. Early History of Christianity[412]
Converts[417]
The Character of the Christian Community[418]
Influence of Christianity[419]
"Swadesha"[420]
Protestant Effort[422]
ii. Ultimate Triumph of Christianity[425]
Not the Western Type[425]
The Kingdom of God[429]
iii. A Conquest of the Spirit[430]
1. Conquest of Principles[430]
2. Conquest of the Christ Ideal[434]
3. Conquest of the Incarnation of Christ[437]
4. Conquest of the Cross of Christ[439]
5. Conquest of the Christian Conception of Sin[441]
[Index][445]