some that there is no darkness; at least among the idolaters of India; and passages are quoted from their ancient poetry to prove that their morals are sublime and pure. It would however appear from passages in the Holy Scriptures, that the nations addicted to Idolatry are not only involved in darkness and error, but live in the commission of turpitude and crime. In the Old Testament it is stated, that “the dark places of the earth are full of the "habitations of cruelty ;" and that "even "their sons and their daughters they burn in "the fire to MOLOCH;" and it marks the prevailing characters of Idolatry to be these two, Cruelty and Impurity. In the New Testament the same characters are assigned to it; and are exemplified in the state both of the Greeks and Romans; of the Greeks in the fourth chapter to the Ephesians; and of the Romans in the first chapter of the Epistle which is addressed to them; and this too in the period of their learning and civilization.

Psalm 1xxiv. 20. + Deut. xii. 31. St. Paul writes to the Greeks at Ephesus in these words: "I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye "henceforth walk not as OTHER Gentiles walk, in the va"nity of their mind, having the understanding darkened: "who being PAST FEELING, have given themselves over "unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greedjness." Eph. iv. 19.

If, then, turpitude and crime marked the idolatry of the enlightened states of GREECE and ROME, how much more may we expect to find them among the ignorant and idolatrous nations of the present day? I resided many years in the heathen world, and was satisfied, by casual observation, that the character of their idolatry corresponded with that which is given in the Scriptures. I resolved, however, to visit the chief seat of the Hindoo religion, in order to examine the nature of that Superstition which held so many millions in its chain. For this purpose I made a journey to the Great Temple of JUGGERNAUT, in the province of Orissa, which is to the Hindoos (what Mecca is to the Mahomedans,) the strong hold and fountain-head of their idolatry. I chose that season of the year when there is the celebration of the great annual festival called the RUTT JATTRA.

On our entering the province of Orissa, we were joined by many thousands of pilgrims, who were proceeding to the Festival. Some of these come from remote regions, with their wives and children, travelling slowly in the hottest season of the year, and are sometimes upwards 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 Hindoostan 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 management "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.

There is another enormity of Hindoo superstition, which is well known to you, and which I need not describe; I mean the immolution 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 territories is so great, that it would appear incredible to those who have not inquited 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 pro

*See Christian Researches.

+ Idem.

vidence (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, and some that it was impolitic; but it was found on an investigation of the traffic, that it was defended because it was lucrative and a 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?