[28] It might perhaps be said by some, that, as the Hindoos do not regard the female child worthy to redeem the soul of her parent by Shrautho (as I have myself observed in the first part of this book), they might throw her into the water. To this I reply, that the male child of a daughter has the same privilege with the sons of the father, to make the Shrautho. Hence, in India, the daughter cannot inherit her parents’ property, but her son is the heir of the same.
[29] Neeshie, or Night, is the name of a species of evil spirits who are believed by the Hindoos to walk invisibly on the earth in the shades of night, and to entice young children to go with them. It is a dangerous thing to be under their control, as the children cannot speak a word or call for help when they are carried aloft on the trees. The testimony of those who had been taken away by Neeshie is thus: “While our friends were crying for and searching after us we saw them, and wished to speak but could not.” The spirit, however, does not detain its victims long, but brings them to their home invisibly.
[30] When I speak of our coming to God through Christ I do not mean anything dogmatic in it. My ideas in relation to this point are practical,—I mean an approach unto the throne of the Most High with the spirit of Christ, acting as he did, living as he lived. Put on Christ around you; let his spirit approve your acts, guide your thoughts, and sanctify your affections, and you will find yourself not far from your Heavenly Father. This is the rational way of knowing him as “the only true God, and Jesus Christ” whom he has sent.
[31] I did not live a Hindoo long enough to perform any pilgrimage, but used to hear the stories from those who had been to the holy cities.
[32] The river Gunga is not twenty miles wide. This saying of the Hindoos is applicable to any large river in the world, on account of the inconvenience and delay, and perhaps danger, of crossing it. We can walk or run on land according to our strength, but while on water we are dependent upon the element.
[33] If such were not the difficulties to be struggled with, how many good Hindoo young men would come to hear Mr. Dall’s preaching. There are additional troubles: the neighbors watch their steps closely. This is one principal reason why Mr. Dall’s hall is not crowded on Sunday. Judging the hearts of the brethren by my own, I feel quite sure that the Unitarian rooms in Calcutta are crowded by them in the spirit. While at home on Sunday, I used to reflect on the services and the Bible class of Mr. Dall, and the elementary class of R. Counsel, Esq.
[34] He did not exaggerate all the particulars of this matter. During my two years’ stay in the United States, I have seen, and read, and heard enough of these things. For trifles men quarrel, fight, and stab each other, and these are gentlemen too. On Sunday they hear their pastors exhort, in the words of Christ, to “turn the other cheek also,” when any man smote on the one cheek, and on Monday they fight duels for words. Orations and Eulogies are delivered to their memory!
[35] Of course I had second and third suits of clothes with me when I reached Boston, which were bought for me. I mean when I left home I did not bring any dress except what I had on. Just as I was I had to come out of it.
Transcriber’s Notes:
1. Obvious printers’, punctuation and spelling errors have been corrected silently.
2. Where hyphenation is in doubt, it has been retained as in the original.
3. Some hyphenated and non-hyphenated versions of the same words have been retained as in the original.
4. Where appropriate, the original spelling has been retained.