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THE RAJAH RAMMOHUN ROY.

Rajah Ramamohana Raya

SECOND LONDON EDITION.

LONDON:

REPRINTED FOR THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN UNITARIAN ASSOCI

ATION, 3, WALBROOK BUILDINGS, WALBROOK; AND SOLD BY r. hunter, 72, ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD, AND J. MARDON, 19, ST. MARTIN'S-LE-GRAND.

1834.

PRINTED BY GEORGE SMALLFIELD, HOMERTon.

145.41 R165.45e 1834

PREFACE.

217

THE RAJAH RAMMOHUN Roy, in the preface to his Translation of one of the Veds, has stated, that he viewed with the strongest feelings of regret the obstinate adherence of his countrymen to their fatal system of idolatry. It was one of the dearest objects of his life, and the principal aim of his writings, to spread among them the knowledge of One True God and a purer system of morality.

He observes, in the introduction to the "Precepts of Jesus," that "a notion of the existence of a supreme superintending Power, the author and preserver of this harmonious system, who has organized and who regulates such an infinity of celestial and terrestrial objects; and a due estimation of that law which teaches that man should do unto others as he would wish to be done by, reconcile us to human nature, and tend to render our existence agreeable to ourselves and profitable to the rest of mankind. The former of these sources of satisfaction, viz. a belief in God, prevails generally; being

derived either from tradition and instruction, or from an attentive survey of the wonderful skill and contrivance displayed in the works of nature. The latter, although it is partially taught also in every system of religion with which I am acquainted, is principally inculcated by Christianity." Induced by these and other considerations, he undertook "the task of laying before his fellow-creatures the words of Christ, with a translation from the English into Sungskrit and the language of Bengal." He felt "persuaded that, by separating from the other matters contained in the New Testament the moral precepts found in that book, these would be more likely to produce the desirable effect of improving the hearts and minds of men of different persuasions and degrees of understanding." Accordingly, he published a volume of selections from the New New Testament, under the title of "The Precepts of Jesus."

The following are the passages quoted at large in that volume: Matt. v., vi., vii., ix. 10—17, x. 16-42, xi. 25-30, xii. 1-13, 30-37, 46-50, xiii. 1-43, xv. 1-20, xvi. 5-28, xviii., xix. 3—30, xx. 1—16, 20—28, xxi. 23—44, xxii. 2—46, xxiii., xxiv. 42—51, xxv.; Mark ii. 15—28, iii. 31-35, iv. 2—32, vii. 5-23, viii. 34-38, ix. 33—50, x. 13—31, 35-45, xi. 24-26, xii. 13-34, 41-44; Luke iv. 16-27, v. 30-32, 36-39, vi. 1-9, 20-49, vii. 36-50, viii. 4-21,

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