IN traveling through India, various forms of human religions are met with. At least one hundred thousand of the people are called “Fire worshippers.” They worship all the elements, but regard the sun and fire of paramount importance, on account of their conspicuousness. In their temples holy fire is always burning, and it is supposed originally to have come down from heaven. Even their dead are exposed to the elements, until “the birds of the air” flock to the carcass, and the body is consumed away.
Millions of the people of India have a profound reverence for Mahomet and the words of his book, the Koran. They are not idolaters. Their creed may be concisely stated as follows — “There is one God, and Mahomet is His prophet.” They meet for prayers in plain buildings, but, like the ancient Pharisees, they exceed in the show of empty pressions. The regularity and frequency of their wrongly directed devotions have often won for them admiration and respect.
A little incident that came under our own observation will suffice to illustrate the power of the forms and customs of the Mahomedans. Two of us were driving in a hired conveyance to a railway station. It happened to be mid-day, the Mussulman’s hour for the third prayer. Suddenly the conveyance came to a halt.
“Move on; hurry up,” we shouted, but a deaf ear was given. What was our surprise to espy our faithful Mahomedan coachman on the top of the carriage, face turned in the direction of the sacred city of Mecca, in the solemn attitude of prayer as he rapidly muttered his oft-repeated cry to Ullah (God) and Mahomet.
Alas for the millions held in the terrible bondage of Mahomedanism! Their system contains no atonement, and no Saviour; their only hope of salvation being by good works the most essential of which is form of prayer.
An innumerable company of others of the people in India are Buddhists and Hindoos The prominent figure in the worship of the former is the image of Buddha; whilst in the worship of the latter there are “gods many and lords many.” It is affirmed that there are three hundred and thirty millions of deities, or nearly two to every Hindoo living. The most abominable practices are perpetrated and sanctioned by these different gods and goddesses, so that full license to human theorizing and fleshly indulgences is the inevitable result.
The picture upon the preceding page an apt illustration of many scenes the writer has witnessed in the temples of Buddha.
Well, it was in India, the country of strange creeds, that a person of our acquaintance was born — a Mahomedan. He grew up in the midst of his Moslem friends and faith, but while still a young man became anxious to, know something definite, something satisfying, concerning God and His requirements. He grew saddened with vexed thoughts, and became laden with a burden, which was too heavy for him, but how to get rid of it he knew not.
Naturally he consulted his Molvies, or Teachers first, but they rendered no help, for, as we have already mentioned, they have no deliverer in their religion to which to point. So the young man was cast back upon his own efforts, and he became zealous in, good works, wandering from mosque (temple) to mosque, from jungle to jungle, till he had traversed the entire length of India.
After this he saw Hindoo priests, and sought comfort from their instructions, and betook himself to many of their numerous shrines, and followed their tortures and penances. Sometimes he would sleep in trees by the side of the sacred rivers, and, again, would beg his food, which he placed in a dried human skull. But no rest or joy could he find to his troubled conscience and heart.
One day, however, he chanced to be attracted to a crowd of people assembled under a shady tree. They were listening to the grand and simple story of God’s great love to sinners. Love to sinners was just what the poor man needed. He then heard of a Friend, a Saviour, a Substitute before God, and a free salvation. Oh, how amazed he was! And he believed the Christ of God then presented.
Now he lives in peace with God, and testifies to all around what great things the Lord hath done for him. Once he was blind, but now he sees.
Do not point the finger of derision at the deluded heathen, nor pity him alone, for if still without Christ, young or old, your case is equally pitiable. Almsgiving, church or chapel-going, saying of prayers, and the like, can no more avail to bring a sinner nigh to God in England than did all the wanderings and privations, the prayers and the penances of my friend in India avail to save his soul, or to give him peace. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” H. G. B.