I. CHAP. dancing girls, the company of dissolute women kept in every Hindoo temple, to dance and sing lascivious songs at this and other Hindoo festivals; while the acclamations of the multitude and the din of barbarous music continued to rend the air throughout the procession. The wheels of the car were made of iron, to which sharp spikes were attached; and the miserable victims of this cruel superstition frequently threw themselves under them, as the ponderous machine moved along, and in an instant were crushed to death. This abominable custom was observed at most of the principal pagodas in India; and the wretched beings, who in this manner immolated themselves to their imaginary gods, were honoured as martyrs. Christians of Onore cated for attending the ceremony. 45. When Menezes heard that the Christians excommuni- frequently attended this cruel ceremony, he forbade it in future, and threatened with excommunication every one who should disobey his commands. Had all his censures been as well merited, and all his proceedings as becoming his office, the recording of his actions would have been a much more grateful task than it has now proved.5 ♦ In many places his ceremony is still continued, though the sacrifices are not frequent. The late Dr. Buchanan has given an appalling description of the Rutt Jattra, which he witnessed at Juggernaut in 1806. He has truly described it as the Moloch of Hindostan. --Christian Researches, pp. 19-31. 5 Not long after this, the Jesuits actually began to imitate this heathen procession, though without the human sacrifices attending it; and they continue it to the present day. At most of their principal stations in South India, they draw the images of the virgin and other saints, with similar pomp and accompaniments, around their churches. The author once remonstrated with a Portuguese priest at Tuticorin, on the Coromandel coast, upon the impropriety of thus adopting a custom that it was his duty to proscribe. The only answer he received was, " If you come amongst dogs, you must do as dogs do." It proved of no avail to remind him of the Christian teacher's A. D. 1599. on the in then's dis regard of and religious care human life, of inferior creatures. 46. We cannot dismiss this instance of heathen abominations, without the expression of amazement at the opposite extremes to which Reflections the human mind is carried by the same system. congruity While the Hindoos believe it to be a heinous of the heacrime to take away the lives of inferior creatures, they think it meritorious to be prodigal of their own. Men sacrifice themselves to their idols in various ways. Widows are induced, or, when unwilling, sometimes compelled, to burn themselves alive with the bodies of their deceased husbands, as the most acceptable offering that can be presented to their manes. Mothers with their own hands devote their tender offspring to their goddess, in fulfilment of their solemn vows. But nothing could induce these very people to take away the life, not only of an elephant or a cow, but even of the most venomous snake, the meanest insect, or the vilest reptile. How blind and erring is fallen man, without the guide of revelation and the light of the Holy Spirit! His reason, unaided from above, can no more direct him aright, than a vessel without a helm can bear up against the wind, or resist the waves that impede her in her course. Hence the wide extremes of folly and vice to which mankind are alternately propelled, as passion or prejudice may prevail. O! Thou merciful Saviour of this lost world, when shall these myriads of Moloch's votaries be ransomed from their bondage of death, quickened with Thine own life, and taught to walk in Thy glorious liberty! Arise, shine, upon this benighted land, with healing in Thy wings. duty, to endeavour to raise such a people to the character of men, instead of descending to the level of their degradation. This doctrine suited not the accommodating policy of his church, and was therefore disregarded. CHAPTER II. MENEZES ARRIVES AT GOA. Menezes arrives at Goa-becomes vice -declines being received in triumph. A. D. 1599. 1. THE Archbishop, proceeding on his passage, arrived in safety at Goa on the 16th of November, 1599, after an absence of ten months roy of India and twenty days. When we look back upon his exertions during this short period, and consider the extent and difficulty of the business, both civil and ecclesiastical, that occupied his attention, we cannot but be amazed at his activity and, had his object been the advancement of the Redeemer's kingdom, instead of the extension of the pope's supremacy; and had the means he employed been in accordance with truth and justice, he would have obtained an honourable distinction in the annals of the church of Christ in India. During his passage the viceroy had died, and he succeeded to that high office, by virtue of instruments that had recently arrived from Portugal. It was always the policy of that court to nominate the viceroy's successor from among the members of his council, in the event of his decease in India. Menezes, though a churchman, was now chosen for that honourable post, and we have seen quite enough to think him HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA. much better suited for civil than ecclesiastical offices. The inhabitants of Goa had made preparations to welcome him back in a manner becoming his newly-acquired dignity, as well as to show their admiration of his achievements in the Serra. They would have received him with all the pomp of a triumphant conqueror ; but he declined the intended honour, saying, that he had no part in all the good that had been effected during his absence, and that all the glory must be rendered to the Lord.-A sentiment worthy of a Christian prelate, indeed, but little in accordance with this Archbishop's proceedings on the coast. To attribute such a course, with all its results, to the Almighty, were to dishonour, rather than to magnify, His holy Name. 205 A. D. 1599. A. D. 1600. Progress of the Roman Malabar church in some remote churches 2. The year after his return, he had the satisfaction of receiving favourable tidings from Malabar. Auricular confession, which had been introduced with so much difficulty, now met with little opposition. Several churches were discovered which, destitute owing to their great distance, had been so long neglected, that they had forgotten their creed, especially and discontinued the use of the sacraments. These now received regular instruction from the cattanars of the nearest churches, and were provided with the rules of the Synod, and with every thing requisite for Divine service, according to the prelate's arrangements. The largest of these congregations was at Todamala, which place was fifty leagues from any church, and in a remote situation within the territories of the Zamorin. Gouvea asserts, that they had been there from the time of the dispersion at Meliapore, at the martyrdom of St. Thomas; but upon what authority he makes this assertion, he has not stated. If it were at Todamala--a picture of the Trinity. CHAP. II. firmation of the an tiquity of true, it would prove the existence of this church even before the Syrian mission to India: but such a fact requires to be well attested before it can be received. The account they appear to have given of themselves is simply this,that formerly they had cattanars and books of their own; but that their books being lost, and their cattanars dead, they were gradually reduced to the state of destitution in which they were then found. Their only object of worship was a picture, representing an old man, a young man, and a bird. The two cattanars who now visited the place, asked the people whom they understood these figures to represent. They answered, that their picture was their God, Bidi, the author of all things. Bidi signifies destiny, in the dialect of that country, which is somewhat different from the language of Malabar. The Romish cattanars gave them another explanation of the picture, telling them, that the old man represented the Father; the young man, the Son; and the bird, the Holy Ghost. How sad to read of such ignorance, such impiety, in those who undertook to guide the wanderer into the path of truth! Truly, they were blind leaders of the blind. The simple people, however, are said to have listened to them with delight, and to have submitted to be baptized without hesitation. This no con- 3. Gouvea, arguing upon his own unsupported assumption, that these people were descended image wor- from the Christians who fled from Meliapore ship in the Christian upon the martyrdom of St. Thomas, adduces church-its the fact of their worshipping this picture of the blessed Trinity, as a marvellous proof of the antiquity of the adoration of images in the Christian church. Such an argument, it is thought, should put an end to all protestant invectives probable origin. |