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world may learn true wisdom and become distinguished for virtue, holiness, and love. This is the ¢ reasonable scrvice” which 1s performed by Christians to the true God, and it is certain that this mode of worship must be productive of many benefits.
Does the worship performed by Hinds at all resemble this? Far from it. They neither ask God to forgive their offences and make then virtuons, nor do they pray to lim to bless their neighbours. The“divine worship” which they perform on their festival nights, consists merely In drumming and shouting, in flags and guns and fire works, in the dragging of the idol ear by tumultuous noisy crowds in singinr and dancing, in the incantations and sleight of hand tricks of the priests, and In all sorts of shows, noises, and riots. On the occasions when this worship is being performed no one ever gives the people who are assembled any exhortation for the good of their souls, nor is any means then put in operation for the promotion of virtue, and hence this so called worship promotes inunorality in
stead of good morals.
The interior arrangements of Hindi temples are also far from being conducive to virtue. Is it virtue or vice that is promoted by the dancing girls who serve in the temples? Are those women teachers of good or of bad morals* Many respectable persons amongst yourselves admit that those immoral women are of no public advantage whatever, but on the contrary arc the ruin of the young men of the place, anl that it is a disgrace to the god himself, instead of beine an honor to him, that such women should be called déva-disis, or“ handmaids of god,” and be allowed to strut about in his temple. Such a shameless custom
as this is not known in any other country or region in