but whenever he shall think fit to set it down upon the earth, in order to punish the impious and the wicked, it will then sink under the weight of it. The serpent Signag shall then no longer be able to support the earth; the tortoise, oppressed with the weight, shall plunge to the bottom of the sea, and mankind in general shall be destroyed. Such will be the end of the last age of the world; after which the first age is to return again. THE MODERN HINDOOS. The sects into which the Hindoos are divided at the present time are numerous; but they are all of modern origin, and most of them differ very much from the ancient religion of the people of Hindostan. Very thorough and persistent efforts have been made to establish Christianity throughout the vast country, as well as the whole of India. Missionary stations were opened by the London Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in 1727; the Baptist Missionary Society (England), 1793; the London Missionary Society, 1805; the American Board of Commissioners, 1812; the Wesleyan Missionary Society, 1814; the Church Missionary Society, 1815; General Baptist Mission, 1822; Free Church of Scotland, 1830; Established Church of Scotland, 1830; Basel Missionary Society, 1830; American Presbyterian Mission, 1834; and the American Baptist Mission, 1840. In 1853 there were forty-two Roman Catholic priests in charge of important missions, besides a large number of assistants. A native Christian population of 94,145 was reported to the British Parliament in July of that year, with 250 native churches, and 15,129 church members. In June, 1869, Dr. Fennelly, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Madras, reported that there were in that Presidency 7 bishops, 565 priests, and a Catholic population of 683,218; while the Archbishop of Goa had under his care 72 priests and upward of 90,000 church members. Enumerations to ascertain the religious creed of the inhabitants of India were taken in the various provinces during the years 1868 to 1876-in Berar and THE MODERN HINDOOS. 145 the Punjab, 1868; in Oudh, 1869; in Ajmere and Coorg, 1871; and in the remaining provinces from 1872 to 1876. A verification of all these returns, with the results of the general census of India, furnished the following classification of the leading creeds in the provinces under British administration: CHAPTER VI. THE PAGAN NATIONS. The Thibetians and Tartars-The Grand Lama-Disposition of the DeadIdols of Scattered Tartar Tribes-Marriage and Funeral Ceremonies. THE THE THIBETIANS AND TARTARS. HE name of the Grand Lama is given to the sovereign pontiff, or high-priest, of the Thibetian Tartars, who resides at Patoli, a vast palace on a mountain near the banks of Barampooter, about seven miles from Lahassa. The foot of this mountain is inhabited by 20,000 lamas, or priests, who have their separate apartments around the mountain; and, according to their respective qualities, are placed nearer, or at a greater distance from, the sovereign pontiff. He is not only worshipped by the Thibetians, but also is the great object of adoration for the various tribes of heathen Tartars who roam through the vast tract of continent which stretches from the banks of the Wolga to Corea, on the sea of Japan. He is not only the sovereign pontiff, the vicegerent of the Deity on earth, but the more remote Tartars are said to absolutely regard him as the Deity himself, and call him God, the everlasting Father of Heaven. They believe him to be immortal, and endowed with all knowledge and virtue. Every year they come up from different parts to worship, and make rich offerings at his shrine. Even the emperor of China, who is a Manchou Tartar, does not fail in acknowledgments to him in his religious capacity; and he actually entertains, at a great expense in the palace of Pekin, an inferior Lama, |