66 ROBERTS of Madras, and RAMMOHUN ROY of Calcutta. The Edinburgh Christian Instructor, indeed, for December 1826, commences its article of review of one of the publications of the last named individual, by saying, "We do not mean to say a word, either of Rammohun Roy, or of the manner in which this paltry compilation has been got up," but our resolution is of a very different character, and one which, we trust, will be more acceptable and instructive to our readers. It matters little, truly, to Rammohun Roy, whether "The Christian Instructor" says a word" or not respecting him. His character will not be affected by this "sin of omission," on the part of the Reviewer. If we mistake not, Rammohun Roy is destined to accomplish a mightier reformation than the purchase of a few church patronages, or the ousting of an Apocryphal Committee. In one way, however, this opening sentence of the Reviewer is a confirmation of our previous opinion, of the character, and talents, and virtues of the Indian Reformer. Judging from other feats of the Christian Instructor, had there been the slightest materials wherewith to weave a tale of ill against Rammohun Roy, we should not have witnessed this significant silence. So far, therefore, it is an unwilling and ungracious homage to the power of truth. Had Rammohun Roy professed his belief in Trinitarian Christianity, the Christian Instructor would not, in that case, we apprehend, have been so chary of his words. The jaundiced eye which cannot receive delight from creation's beauties, is a subject for compassion; much more so, is the mind over which prejudice has thrown its chains. If the Editor of the Christian Instructor, through some strange obliquity of mental vision, can perceive no moral loveliness in any individual not of his own faith and party-if, unmindful of the Apostle's declaration, that "God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation, he who feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him," he can see nothing to admire in a native of Hindostan casting away the prejudices of his education-bursting the fetters of the systems which galled his soul-employing his talents, exercising the influence which his station and his wealth place at his command-and engaging his utmost energies, in persevering attempts to erase Idolatry from the minds of his countrymen-to wash away the stain of blood from their national faith-to induce them to receive, with heartfelt gratitude, the moral laws of the Saviour-and to ac knowledge, with fervent thanksgiving to the Father of Lights, the Divine Mission of his beloved Son,-if, in all these exertions, the Editor can see nothing to applaud, but every thing to induce him to say not a word, because Rammohun Roy, in consequence of his serious and attentive study of the Bible, has arisen from its investigation a Christian Unitarian,—we can only say, that he has our sincerest pity. "Rammohun Roy," observes Lieut.-Col. Fitzclarence, in his Journal of a Route across India, &c. "is, in many respects, a most extraordinary man. In the first place, he is a religious reformer, who has, amongst a people more bigoted than those of Europe in the middle ages, dared to think for himself. His learning is most extensive, as he is not only conversant with the best books in English, Arabic, Sanscrit, Bengalee, and Hindoostanee, but has even studied rhetoric in Arabic and English, and quotes Locke and Bacon on all occasions. From the view he thus takes of the religions, manners, and customs of so many nations, and from his having observed the number of different modes of worshipping the Supreme Being, he naturally turned to his own faith with an unprejudiced mind-found it perverted with the religion of the Vedas, to a gross idolatry-and was not afraid, though aware of the consequences, to publish to the world, in Bengalee and English, his feelings and opinions on the subject. Of course, he was fully prepared to meet the host of interested enemies, who, from sordid motives, wished to keep the lower classes in a state of the darkest ignorance. I have understood, that his family have quitted him; that he has been declared to have lost caste; and is, for the present, as all religious reformers must be for a time, a mark to be scoffed at." The following testimony is from the India Gazette, published in Calcutta. "Though, hitherto, we have not, in our paper, in any detailed manner, adverted to the labours of that distinguished native, Rammohun Roy, still we have been no uninterested spectator of them. We say distinguished, because he is so among his own people, by caste, rank, and respectability; and, among all men, he must ever be distinguished for his philanthropy, his great learning, and his intellectual ascendancy in general. As a man who has cut no mean figure in the republic of letters, and in the walks of philosophical inquiry, we have a right thus publicly to mention Rammohun Roy; and it is necessary, that we should claim this right, lest it might be deemed indelicate in us, to refer too pointedly to a person, whose great modesty, of itself is an evidence of high genius, and certainly enhances its gift. Rammohun Roy is pretty well known to the public in general, by his benevolent efforts to abolish the abominable practice of widow-burning. What effect his writings to that end may have produced, we have no certain criterion of judging. If concremation of the living has not very apparently decreased, since his works exposing the absurdity and wickedness of the practice appeared, let us not hastily infer from this, that they have not produced effect somewhere. Let us rather consider the immense field of mind, over which the seed was to be strewn, by one single unassisted hand. In a population of one hundred millions, a single individual arises, to stay, if possible, a destroying angel of darkness, that scatters misery over the land. In such a population, a hundred lives saved, in the course of a few years, would hardly be noticed, yet, what an object the saving of one life must be to the philanthropist! That Rammohun Roy's writings have been the means of saving some lives, we doubt not, for we understand that there are now many respectable natives convinced by his arguments; and it is not to be questioned, but this conviction must be beneficial-is on the increase-and must, in its increase, weaken the bonds of superstition and murderous custom, and set their captives free. For our own parts, we regret extremely that these writings were not spread forth among the people as much as possible. It is, however, impracticable for one man to give sufficient currency to them. Were a committee of wealthy natives to take the subject into consideration, much good might be effected; and we cannot help thinking, that Christian missionaries might do as much good by re-publishing and distributing the appeals against these human sacrifices, as by doling out tracts upon doctrinal and ceremonial Christianity, which the natives wont read, or, which reading, fail to move them a jot from the religion of their fathers. In addition to his efforts to put a stop to a most horrid practice, Rammohun Roy endeavoured to improve the moral condition of his countrymen, by making them acquainted with the sublime ethics of the Christian system. Whatever might have been his ideas respecting the mysteries of Christianity, with reference to its Founder and his miracles, he appears to have held only one opinion respecting his precepts. He, and so must every one who studies them, considered them as incorporating the best system of moral law ever delivered to mankind. Accordingly, he selected out of the Sacred Books which contain his history, as it has come down to our times, the Precepts of Jesus; and, under that title, he presented them to his countrymen, without gloss or comment; leaving them to produce that effect, which, in the end, they must produce, on every mind not entirely and obstinately blind to the truth. The circumstance of his having thus published, for his countrymen, the precepts alone of Jesus Christ, drew our compiler into the vortex of a controversy, which, whatever other effects it may have caused, still farther exhibited the acuteness of his mind, the logical power of his intellect, and the unruffled good temper with which he could argue. As to Unitarian or Trinitarian questions, or other speculative points of doctrine, we have here nothing whatever to do with them. We studiously avoid giving any opinion at all on these heads, but we owe it to common sense, and the cause of truth, to declare, that the attack on Rammohun Roy really appears to us to have been about as injudicious and weak an effort of officious zeal as we ever heard of." The author of the attack here mentioned, was, we believe, Dr. Marshman, who is now, or has lately been, in Scotland, after thirty years' absence. In our next, and, probably, successive Numbers, we shall give additional information respecting Rammohun Roy, and his various publications, with extracts from the Brahmunical Magazine, showing the manner in which Trinitarian missionaries are replied to by their Hindoo opponents; and shall generally state the prospect of the establishment of Christianity in India. On the close of the Year. Written on the night of December 31, 1826. AND art thou gone on rapid wing? No! though pallid may be the flowers, To thee, these parting rites to pay. When Hope, with smiles for ever bright, She o'er thee cast her roseate veil, Though the fondest ties by thee have been riven, Though the prince hath left his glittering crown, |