Idolatry In India

Captain Cruikshank of the English army tells a story about idolatry in India. It seems, he says, as if there were more idols than people in India. They are made of stone, metal or wood, and you can see them under every shade tree. lt is like reading a chapter from the bible to walk about some of the groves, A few of the temjles are made of solid marble or gold. The custom of worship is amusing. The devout Indian, on reaching the temple, first rings a bell. That is to notify the god that he is on hand to do business. After that ceremony the worshiper repeats his prayers, and then deposits his offerings. These sist of rice, gröia and cloth. They are i afterward put into the holy cart and sold. The priests have no trouble in selling them, for theloly food is always quoted high. Twenty loads of holy food can be sold in the time it takes to dispose of a cargo that has not been to the temple. The ceremony of putting the gods to Bleep would make a saint laugh. The worshipers assemble in the temple and blow on horns, yelling and shouting at the top oí their voices. This resembles an American Indian war-dance, and it is kept up all night long. Other ceremonies are as strange, and the work of civüization does not progress rapidly. Buddhism did more than anything else to reform idolatry, out the people drifted back into the same oíd habits. An adance sect with high moráis has been founded, but it will do b"t Uttle if any good.