of two months on their journey. Many of the pilgrims die by the way; and their bodies generally remain unburied; so that the road to Juggernaut may be known for the last fifty miles, by the human bones which are strewed in the way.

On the great day of the Festival, the Idol was brought out amidst the acclamations of hundreds of thousands of his worshippers. He was seated on a lofty throne, and surrounded by his Priests. After a short interval of silence, we heard a murmur at a distance among the multitude; and behold a body of men, having green branches and palms in their hands, advanced with great speed. The people made way for them, and when they had come up to the throne, they fell down before the Idol that sat thereon and worshipped; and the multitude again sent forth an acclamation "like the voice of a great "thunder."

Thus the worship of the Idol began.-But on this subject, we cannot recite particulars. Suffice it to say, that this worship had the two characters before mentioned. Men and women devoted themselves to death before Moloch. I myself beheld the libations of human blood. And I merely give you this short record, because I witnessed the fact.

I feel it my duty to state to you that these

idolaters are, in general, our own subjects; and that every man, who can afford it, is obliged to pay a tribute to the English Government for leave to worship the Idol. This is called the Revenue of the Temple; and a civil officer, supported by a military force, is appointed to collect the Tax. Other temples in Hindostan have long been considered as a legitimate source of a similar revenue.* The temple of Juggernaut is now under our own immediate management and controul. The law enacted for this purpose is entitled "A Regulation for levying a tax from "Pilgrims resorting to the Temple of Juggernaut, and for the superintendence and manage "ment of the Temple;" passed by the Bengal Government, 3d April, 1806.-It will give me sincere pleasure, if the further investigation of this subject shall tend, in any degree, to soften the painful impression which the above statement must make on the public mind,

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There is another enormity of Hindoo superstition, which is well known to you, and which I need not describe; I mean the immolation of female victims on the funeral pile. I shall only observe, that the number of these unfortunate persons who thus perish annually in our own

*See Christian Researches.

territories is so great, that it would appear incredible to those who have not inquired into the fact. The scene is indeed remote; but these are our own subjects, and we have it in our power to redress the evil. There is a time appointed by the Divine providence (according to the Prophetic record) to every nation, for its melioration and felicity. Such a time came to our nation, when the light of Christianity visited it, for our altars were once polluted by human sacrifices. The same happiness, we would hope, is now come for India. If it should be said that the sacrifice of women cannot be abolished, it will be a sufficient answer to state, that when the Mahomedans were in power, they did abolish it in part; and the Brahmins themselves have suggested means to us by which, in the course of time, it may be entirely abolished. But the proper answer for the present is to ask another question: Has the subject ever been officially enquired into?

For many years this nation was reproached for tolerating the Slave Trade. Many books were written on the subject and the attention of the Legislature was at length directed to it. Some asserted that the abolition of it was impracticable,

* See Christian Researches.

and a

and some that it was impolitic; but it was found on an investigation of the traffic, that it was defended because it was lucrative humane nation abolished it. But let us ask, What is there in buying and selling men compared to our permitting thousands of women, our own subjects, to be every year BURNED ALIVE, without enquiring into the cause, and without evidence of the necessity? Or what CAN BE compared to the disgrace of regulating by Christian law the bloody and obscene rites of Juggernaut ?

The honour of our nation is certainly involved in this matter. But there is no room for the language of crimination or reproach; for it is the Sin of ignorance. These facts are not generally known. And they are not known, because there has been no official inquiry. Could the great Council of the nation witness the darkness which I have seen, there would be no dissentient voice as to the duty of giving light.

It is proper I should add, in justice to that honorable body of men who administer our Empire in the East, that they are not fully informed as to these facts.*

But there is a two-fold darkness in the East which it is proper to specify. There is the

In regard to the Idol-Tax, the principles of the enormity,

it

darkness of Paganism; and there is the darkness of the ROMISH Superstition in Pagan lands.

r

Christianity, under almost any modification, is certainly a benefit to mankind; for it prevents the perpetration of the bloody rites of Idolatry. But the corrupted Christianity to which we allude has established its Inquisition in the East, and has itself shed blood... About the time when the Protestant Bishops suffered in our own country, the Bishops of the ancient Syrian Church became martyrs to the same faith in India. From that time to this the mournful bell of the Inquisition has been heard in the mountains of Hindostan. The inquisitions in Europe have gradually lost their power by the increase of civilization; but this cause has not operated equally in India, which is yet, in many parts, in a state of barbarism. Though the political power of the Romish Church has declined, its ecclesiastical power remains in India, and

it is said, has never been fully explained to the Government at home. It was admitted by the Indian Government many years ago without reference, I believe in the first instance, to England; and possibly the reference may now appear in the books under some specious or general name, which is not well understood.-The Honourable the Court of Directors will feel as indignant, on a full developement of the fact, as any public body in the nation.