ANSWER OF A HINDOO To the question, "Why do you frequent a Unitarian place of worship, instead of the numerously attended established Churches ?" I. Because the prayers read, worship offered, and sermons preached in the Unitarian place of worship remind me of the infinitely wise Ruler of this infinite universe, without ascribing to him, as Churchmen do, fellow-creators or co-operators equal in power and other attributes. My plain understanding, though it can comprehend the idea of fellow-creatures, is incapable of forming a notion of one or more fellow-creators, each equally possessed of omnipotence and omnipresence. II. Because Unitarian prayer, worship, and preaching constantly put me in mind of the beneficial design kept in view by the wise and benevolent Author of all, in organizing the members of the animal body, such as bones, veins, vessels, limbs &c. and in preparing the manifold necessaries of life for our maintenance, as proofs of his gratuitous blessing and free grace ; while in those Churches he is declared to have refused mercy and salvation to mankind until innocent blood was offered him to appease his wrath. III. Because the Unitarian mode of worship exhibits how that infinite and Supreme author has designedly stationed the heavenly bodies, in systematic order, capable of producing and nourishing all the animal and vegetable objects under his divine control; while in those Churches that infinite being is represented as occupying a small space in this limited world, lying in a still smaller space in the womb of a virgin, subject to the control of his parents, though for a season, and daily performing the various animal functions. IV. Because I feel already weary of the doctrine of "Man-God" or 66 99* God-Man frequently inculcated by the Brahmuns, in pursuance of their corrupt traditions: the same doctrine of Man-God, though preached by another body of priests better dressed, better provided for, and eminently elevated by virtue of conquest, cannot effectually tend to excite my anxiety or curiosity to listen to it. V. Because I have expressed my disgust, when I heard from the Brahmuns the incredible story that God appeared in the form of a party-coloured kite, to accomplish certain purposes. While I maintain the same reverence for the Divine Being, I must be excused believing a similar doctrine held forth in those Churches, as to the appearance of God, on another occasion, in the bodily shape of a Dove. I wonder to observe, that from a denial of the existence of God some are stigmatized with the term atheist ; while others are highly respected, though they do not scruple, under the shield of religion, to bring the Deity into ridicule, by representing him in the form even of a common bird. VI. Because having been taught in the schools, where the doctrine of the Incarnations of a two-fold or even of a three-fold† nature has been solemnly preached, I perceive no novelty in the idea of a two-fold nature, divine and human, as entertained and expressed in those Churches. VII. Because in those Churches, the Holy Ghost is represented as the very God and not as the miraculous power of the Deity, at the same time that the language applied there to this person of the Godhead, such as "she was found with child of the Holy Ghost"-"The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee" fully corresponds to the words and ideas used for the Deity in the western and eastern heathen mythologies, Munoo, Duttatruyu, Ram &c. &c. &c. + aft: mixed nature of man, lion, and God. and consequently must be offensive to the feelings of those who ascribe to God purity and perfection. VIII. Because the doctrine of the trinity inculcated in those Churches, consisting of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, is defensible only on the plea of mystery; while the Trinity preached to us by the Brahmuns is a representation of the three principal attributes of the Deity in an allegorical sense, and does therefore deserve some momentary attention. The mind which rejects the latter as a production of the fancy, cannot be reasonably expected to adopt the former. IX. Because Unitarians reject polytheism and idolatry under every sophistical modification, and thereby discountenance all the evil consequences resulting from them. X. Because Unitarians believe, profess, and inculcate the doctrine of the divine unity-a doctrine which I find firmly maintained both by the Christian Scriptures and by our most ancient writings commonly called the Veds. Such are my reasons for attending the Unitarian place of worship instead of the established Churches. CHUNDRU-SHEKHUR DEV.* It was written by Raja Ram Mohun Roy, though, as he did on many other occasions, he put the name of his disciple Chundru Shekhur Dev as the author. We have the authority of Babu Chundru Shekhur Dev himself for this statement.-ED. |