(John iv. 24.) Let him not reply, that they are too sensual to give ear to such a doctrine; for their own Shasters inculcate a similar principle: and it is the professed object of their Sanassees, by mortifying the flesh, to become insensible to surrounding objects and animal gratification, that they may keep the mind absorbed in contemplation upon the Deity. Though the majority of them are actuated by pride and indolence, and study how they may impose on the credulous with success, yet such is their avowed object and the devotee who practises the severest mortifications, is the most highly esteemed. They consider this dedication of the body, or any part of it, as more acceptable to God than any other service or offering that can be rendered to Him; and hence the strict Sanassees are regarded as the most holy of men. This Hindoo doctrine and practice may, therefore, be considered as facilitating the way for a favourable reception of the Gospel, when they shall hear of its spiritual nature.

Allowing, however, that the Hindoos are a sensual people, and easily captivated by pomp and magnificence, yet wherein do they differ in this respect, not to say from ancient and modern Heathens of all lands,

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but from all the rest of their species, of every religion and every clime? The constitution of the human mind is the same everywhere. The peculiarity of its attachments is quite accidental, and is formed by education and habit. We are all creatures of sense, and too prone to be allured by sensible objects: and in proportion as we are thus led away by the vanities around us, the thoughts, the affections, are drawn from God. To deliver us from this thraldom of the senses, is one of the practical designs of Christianity: and until the soul shall be thus enfranchised, we can never become spiritual, and, consequently, acceptable worshippers of the Only True God, nor faithful believers in Christ.

The duty, then, of every Missionary to the Heathen, is obvious-he is bound to enforce upon them the necessity of renouncing every idolatrous practice, before they can be admitted as Members of the Church of God. The Abbé Dubois and his Brethren have adopted the opposite system-they have indulged their Proselytes in their use of superstitions, calculated to lock the minds in eternal ignorance of the spiritual nature of God, and of the service which He demands of all who approach Him. Are we, then, to be told by these men, that the Hindoos' pre

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judices are insurmountable? They have never attempted to overcome them!-M. Dubois confesses, that-during a period of twentyfive years that he has familiarly conversed with them, lived among them as their Religious Teacher and Spiritual Guide-he would hardly dare to affirm that he has anywhere met a sincere Christian. "In embracing the Christian Religion," he says, they very seldom heartily renounce their leading superstitions, towards which they always entertain a secret bent, which does not fail to manifest itself in the several occurrences of life; and in many circumstances, where the precepts of their Religion are found to be in opposition to their leading usages, they rarely scruple to overlook the former, and conform themselves to the latter:" (p. 63.) Can this be matter of surprise, even to the Abbé himself? Every impartial observer will see, that such is precisely the effect that might have been anticipated, from the temporising policy of the Jesuit Missionaries in the East.

Since, however, the Abbé Dubois thinks they were justified in adopting those expedients by the examples recorded in the sacred page, (p. 6.) it will be right to înquire, how far the conduct of our Lord and His

Apostles may be considered as establishing a precedent for this mode of proceeding, in our endeavours to propagate the Gospel.

We have seen that the Jesuits thought the favourable opinion of the Brahmins indispensable to their success; and that they, therefore, in the first instance, endeavoured to gain their countenance.

For the same reason, it would have been politic in our Lord and His Apostles to court the Scribes and Pharisees; for they also, as already shewn, were "the polished part of the nation," and "leaders of the public opinion." But, so far from paying any deference to those haughty Sects, Jesus Christ availed himself of every opportunity to humble their pride. Even the Harbinger of our Lord, when announcing to the Jews the speedy approach of the Kingdom of Heaven, boldly rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees, when he saw them coming to his baptism, and "said unto them, 'O generation of vipers! who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" Instead of flattering them, as the rulers of the public opinion, he tells them plainly, that no distinctions of which they boasted, no, not even their natural descent from Abraham, would recommend them to God, unless they brought

forth fruits meet for repentance: (Matt. iii. 7-9.) Jesus Christ reproves them still more sharply, (Id. xii. 34.) and denounces against them the most tremendous judgments. "Ye serpents! ye generation of vipers! how can ye escape the damnation. of hell" (Id. xxiii. 33-36.) So far was He from being induced, by their exalted station and influence, to conciliate their minds, that He refused to give them a sign, when they requested one: (Id. xii. 38—40. xvi. 1-4.) He taught in parables, that they might not understand lessons which He intended for persons of inferior rank and importance: (Id. xiii. 11, &c.) Upon their demanding by what authority He acted, He refused to satisfy them, unless upon conditions with which they found it unsafe to comply (Luke xx. 1—8.) Instead of appearing among them in the character of a Rabbi, which He might have done without having recourse to the duplicity which the Jesuits practised upon the Hindoos, He assumed a low origin; selected a city of no reputation for His birth-place; chose to be nurtured in another of still less esteem, though thereby their objections would be strengthened against His person and office: (John vii. 41-53. See also Luke xvii.