Commercial intercourse with the Chinese has altered these simple beliefs.
They had priests who became legislators and who, in order to avoid the risk of having their arguments refuted, produced books written in foreign characters. As their teachings were not understood, they appeared to be highly mysterious and were greatly respected, and it was no difficult matter for these cunning impostors to attribute a divine origin to their doctrinal hypotheses. Their learned men are divided into three classes. Some teach how the universe and the gods have been created, but they base their arguments on fables and not on facts. Others who are styled 'the enlightened' reconcile all embarrassing questions and contradictory statements.
The new doctrine proclaims the eternity of Heaven and sixteen worlds, and that, in the highest of them, the lucky inhabitants taste of perpetual felicity unmixed with sorrow. These worlds are liable to destruction and renewal and they reckon 18,000 years since the renewal of the actual earth. They grant the existence of a hell, but the priests never mention the torments prepared for the wicked, lest they should intimidate the feeble minded. Polygamy is the reward hoped for in the next world by the righteous, but as this doctrine is somewhat distasteful to the women, they are told that those who lead a godly life will be changed into men. The same reward is promised to all those who bestow their wealth on religious objects, by the assurance that the donor will have as many women as could be purchased by the treasure they have laid up in heaven.
The priests, sworn to celibacy, console themselves with the belief that after death they will have the power to create a number of women with whom they may do as they please. They practise chastity during their lifetime with the sole idea of satiating their vicious desires in the next world, and that which is regarded as a virtue in Heaven is considered to be a vice on earth. Their monasteries are schools of debauchery or are filled with men of the lowest class. Puffed up with the dignity of their office they compel such a respect that the chief of the nation himself can refuse to grant it at his peril only.
Their cells are separate and that of the abbot is magnificently appointed. Gold and silk and articles of luxury are everywhere apparent. Seated on a dazzling throne the abbot receives the worship of his underlings and of the devout public.
I shall not enter into details of their mode of life as I should then be obliged to repeat what I have already remarked about the priests, but I ought to mention certain customs which seem to justify the opinion of those who maintain that Christianity in its early forms was established among these people.
On the fourteenth day of every month they are obliged to assemble to make a public confession of their sins. A humble avowal is sufficient to gain absolution, and as the penances are not painful, backsliders are frequent. They frequently employ holy water of which they always keep a supply handy. They consider that it is a highly efficacious remedy against the severest diseases.
The priests, in fact, consider it as an article of of trade; and barter it for valuable liquors. The altars are adorned with flowers, and illuminated by torches. They also make use of rosaries, the beads of which are often of diamonds or rubies to assist the ignorance of those who are unable to read their prayers and hymns. They observe an Easter and a Jubilee. During those solemn occasions, all work is forbidden, and in consequence this time of rest in given up to debauchery. The preachers mount on pulpits whence they announce rules of conduct of a fairly pure and stringent nature, which however are broken by most people. The rich purchase indulgences, but the greedy priests only grant them for a limited period, and on expiration of the term, a new permit to transgress the laws must be purchased. Only the very poor need despair of the attainment of eternal felicity. The wealthy expend vast sums on these impostors who in return agree to expiate their peccadilloes.
The hermit priests live in dark caverns, in the midst of the forests, where in solitary retirement a large colony grows up around them in proof of their libidinous habits. It must not however be inferred that there are not some melancholy individuals who disgusted with life, bury themselves in these subterranean abodes and give themselves up to prayer and contemplation. A life of asceticism is by no means wearisome in tropical climates, where laziness is regarded as a variety of annihilation. Their occult researches have undoubtedly resulted in the discovery of certain tricks by which they impose on popular credulity. All of their mystic rites seem to have been modelled on or derived from the doctrines of Pythagoras or of the Priests of Egypt. Magic was the foundation, of these doctrines, and traces of such practice are visible in the writings of Apulius, Iamblichus and Porphery.
The Kingdom of Cambodia is known to few travellers, who having made a short visit there have given us very vague accounts. It is to be hoped that the Missionaries who have planted colonies there will give us information as to the possible advantages to be thence derived. Their scrupulous accuracy pays greater attention to that which is useful to us rather than to embellishments.