Christ is admitted by all scholars, whether orthodox or heretic, Trinitarian or Unitarian, and the only recourse of those who find it hard to accept that doctrine is to question the authorship of it by St. John. Not to admit the authenticity or the authority of this Gospel is a thing altogether different, but after the inspiration of it has been admitted as with Ram Mohan it is impossible to escape from the acceptance of the Divinity of Jesus Christ which is clearly proved therein, or rather to show which is the sole object of that remarkable book. Of course, it is not to be understood that much of the argument advanced in this big volume is of the same kind as shown above, for Ram Mohan was no ordinary scholar and with his knowledge of Arabic, Hebrew and Greek as well as other literature concerning Biblical criticism he was no ordinary exegete.

Though not accepting the doctrines of Atonement. or of Incarnation, Ram Mohan Roy looks upon Jesus Christ as the Messiah and the Saviour, the Lord and the King, all which terms he uses again and again with reference to him in this book. While quoting Locke and Newton, with "whose sentiments as to the person of Christ" his own agree, he says with regard to Jesus"that he is the anointed Lord and King promised and sent from God, is worthy of worship for his mediation and meritorious death, but by no means as a being possessed of a twofold nature, divine and human, perfect God and perfect Man."

Ram Mohan Roy concluded his "Essay by offering up thanks to the Supreme Dispenser of the events of this universe, for having unexpectedly delivered this country from the long-continued tyranny of its former

Rulers, and placed it under the government of the English-a nation who not only are blessed with the enjoyment of civil and political liberty but also interest themselves in promoting liberty and social happiness, as well as free inquiry into literary and religious subjects, among those nations to which their influence extends.

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As regards the impression of this work made upon some of the thinking people among the English in India, it cannot be better summed up than in the words of the Indian Gazette which spoke of the Raja as a most gigantic combatant in the theological field, a combatant who, we are constrained to say, has not met with his match here."

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CHAPTER X

UNITARIAN PROPAGANDA.

A few months after this final Appeal was published in the beginning of 1824, Ram Mohan Roy wrote a long letter to an American Unitarian gentleman named Rev. Henry Ware in reply to his questions with regard to "the Prospects of Christianity and the means of promoting its reception in India," a letter from which much of the mind of Ram Mohan concerning this very important subject may be known. In the beginning of the letter he says:

I have now prepared such replies to these questions as my knowledge authorizes and my conscience permits and now submit them to your judgement. There is one question at the concluding part of your letter, (to wit, "Whether it is desirable that the inhabitants of India should be converted to Christianity, in what degree desirable, and for what reasons ?"), which I pause to answer, as I am led to believe, from reason which is set forth in Scripture that "in every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted with him ", in whatever form of worship he may have been brought to glorify God. Nevertheless I presume to think, that Christianity, if properly inculcated, has a greater tendency to improve the moral and political state of mankind, than any other known religious system."

The following is the tribute he pays to America for its forwardness in the work of what he considers

to be religious reform, a tribute which breathes much good will towards that great country :

"Your country, however, in free inquiry into religious truth, excels even England, and I have therefore every reason to hope, that the truths of Christianity will soon, throughout the United States, triumph over the present prevailing corruptions. I presume to say, that no native of those States can be more fervent than myself in praying for the uninterrupted happiness of your country and for what I cannot but deem essential to its prosperity-the perpetual union of all the States under one general Government. "

Next Ram Mohan answers the questions one by one, of which there are as many as twenty. He draws a very gloomy picture of the prospects of Christianity in India, quoting a good deal from Abbé Dubois, the great catholic missionary, who had then recently published his remarkable book "The Hindu Manners and Customs," and in which he had said "that under existing circumstances there is no human possibility of converting the Hindoos to any sect of Christianity." Ram Mohan is more enthusiastic over and hopeful of the future of Unitarian Christianity in India, which, as he says, through its first and only Missionary in Bengal, the Rev. Mr. Adam, had "already received every countenance from several respectable European gentlemen, and from a great number of the leading part of the native community in Calcutta. " Ram Mohan Roy was too modest to add his own name as the other great influence, (perhaps much greater than that of Mr. Adam inasmuch as he had been the means of converting him to Unitarianism), which had made

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Unitarian Christianity respectable among Indians of his time. He says that even those who are inimical to every religion admit, that the Unitarian system is more conformable to human understanding than any other known creed. He adds that though "the sincere conversion to Trinitarian Christianity" of the educated among Indians whose number is small is Imorally impossible, "they would not scruple to embrace, or at least to encourage the Unitarian system of Christianity, were it inculcated on them in an intelligible manner." In order to do this, he says, it would be advisable, in my humble opinion, that one or two, if not more gentlemen, well qualified to teach English literature and science, and noted for their moral conduct, should be employed to cultivate the understandings of the present ignorant generation, and thereby improve their hearts, that the cause of truth may triumph over false religion, and the desired comfort and happiness may be enjoyed by men of all classes. Ram Mohan does not think much of Mission-work such as public preachings, even though that may be done by Unitarian missionaries, nor does he expect much result from the translations of the Bible in the various vernaculars of the country, though he does believe and to the question whether it would "be useful to establish Unitarian Missionary Schools for the instruction of the children of natives in the rudiments of a European education, in the English language, in Christian morality, mingling with it very little instruction relating to the doctrines of Christianity, leaving them chiefly or wholly out of view, to be learned afterwards from our books and our example" he replies that it "would be certainly of great use, and this is the only way of improving

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