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THE BEAHMO-SOMAJ AND PAESEES. 257
skillfully wrought in gemmed mosaics into this templed
tomb ; and all for what ? To perpetuate in memory the
pitiable pride and vanity of mortals even in death ! Were
there no ignorant to be educated, no hungry to be fed, and
no thirsty to give a cup of water, in Shah Jehan's time ?
Looked down upon from the spirit-land, this tomb can only
be a sting
THE BRAHJVIO-SOMAJ WORSHIPERS.
As progress in all countries necessarily interests Americans,
they must like to know more of the Brahmo-Somaj,
"Society of God," and real theistic church of India,
originally founded by Hajah Rahmohun Roy, a distinguished
Hindoo reformer of the Brahman caste. Being a fine scholar,
versed in the Sanscrit^ he became convinced that the earliest
Vedas taught a system of pure theism. Thus believing, he
"wrote against the " idolatry of all religions," encouraged
education, advocated free thought, and opposed suttee, —
voluntary widow-burning, then a common practice in India.
Universally esteemed, Rahmohun Roy died while on a visit
to England in 1833.
These first Hindoo reformers, though exceedingly liberal
in most matters, firmly believed the Vedas to be the infallible
word of God. Ere long, however, some doubting the
infallibility of the Vedic scriptures, four young yet scholarly
pundits were sent to Benares to study and copy from the
four Vedas. This research dispelled the gathering fog of
infallibility ; and the Brahmo-Somaj, numbering many of the
choicest intellects in India, ceased to
From this time the sacred books of all
be a Vedantic church.
nations were taken
for what they were worth, and no more.
No band of reformers, whether in India or America, can
expect to ever sail on sunny seas. Storms, petty dissensions,
will arise ; some within, others without. Social persecution
from orthodox Hindoos lifted its hydra head ; and a
partial eclipse came on, followed by indifference to the
interests of theism. 17