eyes, and heard with his ears; and he is enabled, by his own testimony, to contrast the horrid effects of the false religions of the East, with the benign influence of Christianity, as they are severally exemplified in different parts of Hindostan. And with respect to those parts of Asia which he was himself unable to visit, he has collected much valuable information, all tending to shew the greatness of the evil which calls for our compassionate interference. He is not content, however, with exposing to our view the existing evil; he points specifically, in each case, to the means by which that evil, if not completely subdued, may at least be combated with a hope of success; by which the darkness, if not at once removed, may yet be gradually dispelled. He describes to us, in fine, what Christianity has already effected in the East, and what she has yet to do; and he founds his hope, as to the effect of future, increased, and well concerted exertion, on the experience of the benefits which have flowed from the efforts, limited and desultory as they have been, already made to evangelize our Eastern empire. But it is time that we should make our readers more particularly acquainted with the nature and result of Dr. Buchanan's researches.

The college of Fort William was founded in May 1800. On the 1st of January, 1807, its establishment was so reduced, that the translations of the Scriptures, and some other literary works which had been commenced under its patronage, were suspended. Under these circumstances, the superintendants of the college resolved to encourage individuals to proceed with versions of the Scriptures, by all the means in their power, purposing, at the same time, not to confine this encouragement to Bengal, but to extend it to every part of the East, where fit instruments could be found. To promote this object, subscriptions" were set on foot; representations were also made to the supreme government in behalf of the undertak

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Dr. Buchanan, in prosecuting his researches, first adverts to the state of CHINA. "India," he says, "contains but a small part of the natives who seek the revelation of God" at our hands. The Malayan Archipelago includes more territory, and a larger population, than the continent of India. China is a more extensive field than either." details the means which employed by the superintendants. of the college, for obtaining a'version of the Scriptures in the Chinese language. It was through them that Mr. Lassar, who is now employed in this work, in conjunction with the Missionaries at Serampore, was at first induced to engage in it. With the progress which he has made in the Chinese translation of the Scriptures, and with the flourishing state of the Chinese class at Serampore, our readers are already acquainted*.

The HINDOOS are next brought, under our view by the pious author; and he states it to have been one of the objects of his tour to ascertain what are the actual effects of Christianity in those interior provinces of

• See Christian Observer for 1808, pp. 819 and 837-för 1809, p. 601—and for 1810, p. 790, and also p. 649.

Hindostan, where it has been introduced, and to compare the Hindoo Christians with such of their countrymen as remain in their pristine idolatry. "It was a chief object of his tour through India, to mark the relative influence of Paganism and Christianity;" and in order that the English nation may be able to form a judgment on the subject, he proceeds to give, in the way of extracts from his journal, some account of the Hindoos of Juggernaut and the native Christians in Tanjore. The former continue to worship the idol Juggernaut; the latter, until the light of revelation visited them, worshipped an idol also, called the great Black Bull of Tanjore.

In our volume for 1807, p. 353, our readers will find a brief notice of the author's visit to the temple of Juggernaut and to the Christian churches at Tanjore. We will extract a few passages from the present account, in order to fill up the sketch which was then given of it.

"Buddruck in Orissa, May 30th, 1806. "We know that we are approaching Juggernaut (and yet we are more than fifty miles from it) by the human bones which we have seen for some days strewed by the way. At this place we have been joined by several large bodies of pilgrims, perhaps 2000 in number, who have come from various parts of Northern India. Some of them, with whom I have conversed, say that they have been two months on their march, travelling slowly in the hottest season of the year, with their wives and children. Some old persons are among them who wish to die at Jugger. naut. Numbers of pilgrims die on the road; and their bodies generally remain unburied. On a plain by the river, near the pilgrim's Caravansera at this place, there are more than a hundred skulls. The dogs, jackals. and vultures, seem to live here on human prey. The vultures exhibit a shocking tameness. The obscene animals will not leave the body sometimes till we come close to them. This Buddruck is a horrid place. Wherever I turn my eyes, I meet death in some shape or other. Surely Juggernaut

cannot be worse than Buddruck.

"In sight of Juggernaut, 12th June. - Many thousands of pilgrims have accompanied us for some days past. They

cover the road before and behind as far as

the eye can reach. At nine o'clock this morning, the temple of Juggernaut appeared multitude first saw it, they gave a shout, and in view at a great distance. When the fell to the ground and worshipped. I have heard nothing to-day but shouts and accla mations by the successive bodies of pilgrims. From the place where I now stand I have a view of a host of people like an army, encamped at the outer gate of the town of Juggernaut; where a guard of soldiers is posted to prevent their entering the towns until they have paid the pilgrim's tax.-I passed a devotee to-day who laid himself Juggernaut, by the length of his body,as a pendown at every step, measuring the road to Juggernaut, by the length of his body,as a pen

ance of merit to please the god." pp. 130,131. Juggernaut, June 14.

"I have seen Juggernaut. The scene at Buddruck is but the vestibule to Jaggernout. No record of ancient or modern history can give, I think, an adequate idea of this valley of death. It may be truly compared with the valley of Hinnom. The idol called Juggernaut has been considered as the Moloch of the present age, and he is justly so named." "This morning I viewed the temple, a stupendous fabrick, and truly commensurate with the extensive sway of the horrid king." "The walls and gates are covered with indecent emblems in massive and durable sculpture. I have also visited the sand plains by the sea, in some places whitened by the bones of pilgrims ; and another place, a little way out of the town, called by the English the Golgotha, where the dead bodies are usually cast forth, and where dogs and vultures are ever seen.” "The senses are assailed by the squalid and ghastly appearance of the famished pilgrims, many of whom die in the streets of want or of disease; while the devotees with clotted hair and painted flesh are seen practising their various austerities and modes of self torture." "There is scarcely any verdure to refresh the sight near Juggernaut." "All is barren and desolate to the eye, and in the ear there is the never-intermitting sound of the roaring sea." pp. 133–135.

We cannot pretend to follow Dr. Buchanan through all his account of this horrid scene of impurity and blood, but must refer the readers to the work itself. A few short extracts, however, we feel almost compelled to give.

to the idol. She laid herself down on the road in an oblique direction, so that the wheel did not kill her instantaneously, as is generally the case; but she died in a few hours. This morning as I passed the Place of Skulls, nothing remained of her but her bones.

"And this, thought 1, is the worship of the Brahmins of Hindoostan! And their

worship in its sublimest degree! What then shall we think of their private manners, and their moral principles! For it is equally true of India as of Europe. If you would know the state of the people, look at the state of the Temple." p. 140.

June 21. "The idolatrous processions continue for some days longer, but my spirits are so exhausted by the constant view of these enormities, that I mean to hasten away from this place sooner than I at first intended.-I beheld another distressing scene this morning at the Place of Skulls ;-a poor woman lying dead or nearly dead, and her two children by her, looking at the dogs and vultures which were near. The people passed by without noticing the children. I asked them where was their home. They said, they had no home but where their mother was.'-O, there is no pity at Juggernaut! no mercy, no tenderness of heart in Moloch's kingdom! Those who support his kingdom, err, I trust, from ignorance. They know not what they do.'" p. 141.

a

As to the number of worshippers assembled, Dr. Buchanan does not attempt a calculation of them. The natives themselves, when speaking of the number, usually say that " lack of people (100,000) would not be missed." "How can I tell," said a Brahmin who was questioned on the subject, "how many grains there are in a handful of sand?"

We cannot deny to our readers the relief, after the above horrid details, of reading the following passage. It is dated Chilka Lake, 24th June.

on the wide and extended empire of Moloch in the heathen world, I cherished in my thoughts the design of some 'Christian Institution,' which being fostered by Britain, my Christian country, might gradually undermine this baleful idolatry, and put out the memory of it for ever." p. 142.

The rites of Juggernaut are not, however, coufined to this his chief temple." He has many a tower in the province of Bengal, that fair and fertile province, which has been called the Garden of Nations. Close to Ishera, a beautiful villa on the river's side, about eight miles from Calcutta, once the residence of Governor Hastings, and within view of the present Governor General's this idol, which is often stained with country house, there is a temple of human blood." Dr. Buchanan visited it in 1807. One of the victims of that year was a handsome young man, who, after dancing awhile before the idol, and singing in an enthusiastic strain, rushed suddenly to the wheels, and was crushed beneath them. While this was passing, the Missionaries from Serampore (which is only a mile and a half from the temple) were preaching to a crowd of people at no great distance, and distributing printed papers among them. Dr. Bucha. nan sat down on an elevated spot, to contemplate the contrast, "the tower of blood and impurity on the one hand, and the Christian preachers on the other."

"I thought on the commandment of our Saviour, Go ye, teach all nations.' I said to myself, How great and glorious a ministry are these humble persons now exercising in the presence of God! How is it applauded by the holy angels, who, have joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth; and how far does it transcend the work of the Warrior or Statesman, in cha

rity, utility, and lasting fame! And I could not help wishing that the Representatives of the Church of Christ, in my own country, had been present to witness this scene, that they might have seen how practicable it is

to offer Christian instruction to our Hindoo subjects." p. 146, 147.

Dr. Buchanan then adverts to that other sanguinary rite of the Hindoo

superstition, the immolation of females. Some idea may be formed of the extent of this horrid practice, from an actual enumeration which took place of the numbers sacrificed, only in certain districts, within thirty miles of Calcutta, between April and October, 1804.

It amounted to 115. An account is given by Dr. Buchanan of one of these sacrifices; but we omit the insertion of it, as a similar account appeared in a former number of our work, vol. for 1810, p. 484.

It is impossible to contemplate these enormities, without inquiring why no attempt has been made to repress them? Are these things understood by the Court of Directors, and by the Proprietors of India Stock, and has nothing been done even to ascertain the practicability of abolishing them? The Marquis Wellesley abolished a still more criminal practice, which was considered by the Hindoos as a religious rite, namely, the sacrifice of children, by drowning them or exposing them to sharks and crocodiles. A Regulation was published in August, 1802, declaring the practice to be murder punishable by death. The regulation has proved effectual, and not a murmur has been heard on the subject. Now would it not be as easy to prevent the sacrifice of women as the sacrifice of children? The abolition of the practice, Dr. Buchanan affirms to be practicable: the means by which it might be abolished, were pointed out by the Brahmins themselves, when a measure to that effect was under the contemplation of Lord Wellesley. Until the abolition take place therefore, or until its impracticability shall have been fully ascertained, the author pledges himself that he "will not cease to call the attention of the English nation to this subject."

But we must return to the Temple of Juggernaut. Our readers will have perceived, from some incidental expressions in the course of this review, that the idolatrous worship

practised there is a source of revenue to the East India Company. A Regulation was passed in April, 1806, for levying a tax on pilgrims resorting thither. The tax had been proposed to the Marquis Wellesley, but his Lordship disapproved of it. It was agreed to by the succeeding Government, but not without the solemn and recorded dissent of one of the members of that government, Mr. Udney. The Temple of Juggernaut is thus placed under the immediate management of the British Government, who defray, from the public revenue, the expenses incident to the worship of this idol. The following is a statement of a year's expense, extracted from the official accounts presented to the Government.

We give publicity to these op-, probrious circumstances, not with a view to censure the conduct of the Court of Directors, or of the Court of Proprietors; but with the view of exciting their attention to the subject, and of leading them to inves. tigate, in order to rectify, the evil. If, indeed, they should either refuse to inquire into the various enormities which have thus been exposed to view; or if, having as certained their existence, and holding, as they do, the sword of justice in their hands, they should not use all the means in their power to repress such criminal acts, then would the responsibility and the guilt be theirs. Until, however, we are compelled to adopt a contrary persuasion, we shall expect the

This includes the wages of the courte zans kept for the service of the temple.

The car, or tower, on which the idol is

placed, and under the wheels of which the self-devoted victims are crushed to death.