fication of the soul, a meritorious claim for divine favour, a matter of reward, and an occasion of rejoicing in the regions of bliss? Let them be contrasted with the labours and sufferings, the rewards and glory, of the servants of Christ, who have fought the good fight, who have kept the faith, who have finished their course, and for whom was reserved the crown which fadeth not away; let the world, by triumphs of conquering and warrior heroes, be compared with the extension of Messiah's kingdom, prayed for and accomplished by apostles and evangelists, by missionaries and martyrs, and how will the glory which excelleth shine forth how will the honour which cometh from God only exceed in glory! how will the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give, prove its lustre and immortality! They shall be named the Priests of the Lord, they shall be called the Ministers of our God; they shall eat the riches of the nations, and in their glory shall they boast themselves. Their glory shall be proclaimed by Him, whose voice is as the sound of many waters; they shall sit under the smiles of Him whose countenance is as the sun, shining in his strength. To them will be fulfilled the abundant promises of their exalted King, who has said, "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out : and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from

my God; and I will write upon him my new name." "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power." They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; they that turn many to righteousness as the stars; and, as the righteous, they shall shine forth as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father, for ever and ever. Thus shall christian servants enter into the joy of their Lord!

MYTHOLOGY OF INDIA DISPLAYED:- -THE SYSTEMS OF
THE BRAHMIN, THE JAIN, AND THE BUDDHIST.

THE character of a people is not always easily discriminated, and the theme becomes almost boundless, when it embraces the nations spread over the wide surface of continental India. For though the Hindoo race inhabit the whole of Hindostan, the varied tribes are not less diversified than are the distinct branches of the elder Scythian family now

scattered over the continent of Europe; it would, therefore, be no less indiscriminate to hold up the Gentoo as an exemplification or model of the whole Indian community, than it would be to denominate the Italians the representatives of every European nation. It is true that the religion of Brahminism possesses sway in the principal seats of commerce and of population throughout British India, and religion is the general modeller of human character. But the unity is a name rather than a reality, and that which is prevalent is susceptible of shades as varying as are the changes of colour. A glaring discrepancy and source of diversity, if not also of division, are visible in the objects selected for male and female partiality and devout adoration. While Brahmins celebrate their licentious and midnight orgies before the goddess Kalee, or the males of another caste adorn themselves with gross representations of sensual pleasure, and render the homage of their passions to the emblematic lingam, which in a silver casket is suspended upon their bosom, and exposed to the view of all, the Indian women embrace Krishna (an eighth incarnation of Vishnu) as the darling god of their affections, and hymn his praise in strains of amorous delight, some of which are far from being inoffensive by their indelicacy, and prohibit our transcription. A specimen, the least objectionable, will suffice to exhibit whether their worship has any claim to devotion or spirituality: "With a garland of wild flowers, descending even to the yellow mantle that girds

his azure limbs," these are the words of their divine song, "distinguished by smiling cheeks, and earrings that sparkle as he plays, Heri exults in the assemblies of amorous damsels, of whom, one presses him to her heaving bosom, while she warbles with exquisite melody; another, affected by the glance of his eye, stands meditating on the lotos of his face; a third, on pretence of whispering a secret into his ear, approaches his temples, and kisses them with ardour. One seizes his mantle, and draws him toward her, pointing to the bower on the banks of the Yamuna, where elegant vanjulas interweave their branches. He applauds another who dances in the sportive circle, while her bracelets ring as she beats time with her palms."

The theory of Brahminism itself affords scope for schism and distraction. There are three great gods, distinct not in name merely, but in essence. They have each their respective worshippers; and while the followers of Mahadeva (Seva) contend for the preeminency with the votaries of Vishnu, the Buddhist, who adores, according to the Brahmins, the ninth Avatar of Vishnu, has been reluctantly, and perhaps with difficulty, constrained to give place to the domination of proud and supercilious Brahmins. Boodh, or Sakya Singh, who first taught the religion of the ninth Avatar, has various names, and is ranked as the last Buddha. He is represented as the son of Suddhodona, or Siddown, the prince of Bahar, or king of Oude. His mother, Maia, was delivered of him in an extraordinary