Life and religion of the Hindoos.

by Joguth Chunder Gangooly

But I do not undervalue the earnest labors of those good Christian men, who have written and who will write, commentaries upon the Gospels. I honor every honest effort to edify man. But, as I said before, I put more stress upon, and can understand more distinctly and profitably, the commentaries written in actions, than those drawn out by pen and ink.

The following are the points which I did not dream of, while studying the New Testament,—which, when stated to me, I could not look at without surprise, and could not believe. They are the doctrines of the Trinity,—the total depravity of the human race, or human nature,—and endless punishment in hell. Now as I hear of these, and their kindred doctrines, I do not believe them, nor think they have anything to do with true religion, because they seem to me irrational and unscriptural.

The Trinity.—In giving my reasons for not believing this doctrine of the church, I shall be as brief as possible. It is a self-contradictory, and unintelligible riddle—a production of the fancy wrapped up with a sense of piety. They say the Trinity is a sublime union of the Three in One,—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Common sense teaches us that one is always one, and three are always three. We distinguish persons by their respective individualities. So the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, must each have a distinct individuality, otherwise they could not be persons; and if so, then they have their wills and affections separate from each other. Under such circumstances, it is as absurd to receive the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost as one, as it is to say, James, Mary, and Ellen are one.

The religion of my country has a Trinity which I find far more rational, more logically and philosophically consistent than the Christian Trinity. And I do not think it a prudent choice to reject the former, and accept the latter. Here is the Hindoo trinity, and the relation—the equality between its three persons. “In the beginning, there was Shuck-tie, or Power.” It is somewhat parallel with St. John’s “In the beginning was the Word.” This “Power” was like the “Word” of the Evangelist, a term of broadest import, including power in all its elements, creative, sustaining, redeeming, sanctifying, destroying,—in short denoting the whole substance of God, or it was God.

Power manifested itself in three leading ways,—creative, sustaining, and destroying. First of all, we need creation; so that power of God (Bromho) which creates, becomes the first. Then, when something has been created, we need support. The power or providence of God, that supports the creation becomes the second. Finally, the economy of nature requires destruction, so the power that destroys is the third. These three are called a Triad. But it is obvious, that far from their being the trinity of persons, they are the trinity of the attributes of the same, one, great Being. These have been personified, and are worshipped by the philosophical Hindoos, as the three deities.

One remarkable fact worth noticing is, the perfect equality between the persons of the Hindoo Trinity.

We read in our sacred books, of Bromho (first) offering prayer to Bishto (second); Bishto paying homage to Shiba (third). Sometimes Bromho and Shiba worship Bishto, etc.

Compare the Christian Trinity with the Hindoo, with an unprejudiced mind, and you will recognize a great difference between them. The former would show its unsoundness when placed in contrast with the latter. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The first two are Beings, and the third, which is essentially God himself, is not a Being, for the spirit of a being cannot be a separate individual. In Oriental countries, we address one man in various ways; taking one of his peculiarities, and personifying it in rich allegories. The three persons of the Godhead must be equal in power, glory, and substance. There is no equality between the three in the Christian Trinity; at least, this does not appear satisfactory to one who is unacquainted with the system. There are numerous indisputable places in the New Testament, where the subordination of the Son, is set forth in a clear manner.

The very passages, which are produced to prove the equality of the Son with the Father, speak in connection of his subordination unto Him. “All power is given unto me in heaven and earth,” is a passage put forth, by intelligent men and women, to show that Christ is God. They put much stress on “all power,” while a simple, uninfluenced mind would put it upon “is given;” for whatever is given unto us does not make us equal to the giver.

The more we receive from him, the more subordinate are we, and the more thankful ought we to be unto him. The world might call us great, and be dazzled with our splendor, which is given to us; still the sense of obligation demands our respect, our thanks, our worship for the Giver. But Christ did acknowledge his Father as the giver of his wisdom, power, and honor, and never said that these belonged to himself. Before or after performing some miracles, when the weak-minded spectators were liable to have taken him for God, he was particularly careful to destroy that impression about himself; saying, that he himself could do nothing; and thanked God for the power which enabled him to perform wonderful things. He would offer prayer to his Father, soliciting his smile upon his works. Thus, standing by the grave of Lazarus, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, I thank Thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that Thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that Thou hast sent me.”