No. 5. Our readers will perceive, in another column, an epistle of some length from the Reverend Mr. Boaz, respecting a letter that appeared a few days ago, in our journal, accompanied by a few brief editorial remarks. It is with the utmost willingness that we give insertion to the explanation of the reverend gentleman. We have ever esteemed Mr. Boaz in the light of a sincerely pious, and a zealous, pains-taking man. His exertions in behalf of our suffering fellow-creatures, entitle him to universal commendation. Only a few days have passed since we expresed this opirion, in our editorial columns, with reference to the Sailor's Home - an institution under the immediate superintendance of this gentleman. He will not, therefore, we are sure, suppose that any personal feelings upon our part suggested the remarks that we made on a former occasion. Those remarks emanated from a belief that the statement received from our correspondent was a correct one. Mr. Boaz assures us, that we were misinformed and we most willingly give credence to his contradiction. It was, and it is still our opinion, that there was a reason existing-and a very cogent one-why the reverend gentleman's interposition, however benevolent and chivalrous, was, to say the least of it, ill-timed. It was to be supposed that, at such a conjuncture, Government having interfered to prevent the celebration of these idolatrous and cruel orgies within the Town of Calcutta, the native mind would have been peculiarly exacerbated, and little likely to submit tamely to any further European interruption. If Mr. Boaz had previously considered this circumstance, it speaks volumes for his Christian courage but very little for his judgment. Mr. Boaz, as a Christian Minister, in all probability, sets a higher value upon the former than on the latter quality, but it must be remembered, that we, as journalists, in estimating the actions of a man, have not to look to their motives, but to their tendency to produce good. Mr. Boaz informs us, that his intervention was productive of good; we repeat that we are willing to believe him. He saved several deluded fellow-creatures from very much cruel suffering, and so far, doubtless he did good; but if by saving six human beings from suffering this year he causes sixteen to suffer next year, then Mr. Boaz has done evil. We do not affirm that such will be the case; but accounts of the Churruck Poojah have reached us, and been printed in our pages, wherein it is stated, that the prime joke of the tomasha consisted in making a laughing stock of the Missionaries. This proves that the tumasha-wallahs look upon the Missionaries as a hostile and a hateful order. If hateful to the people, their interventions, however benevolent and courageous on their part, are little likely to be productive of good. A ball thrown against brick-work, rebounds even past the thrower. We trust that such may not be the case with Mr. Boaz's antichurruck labours, which, however unsuccessful they may be, entitle him to the distinction of a truly courageous and benevolent Christian.—Ibid. I have but to observe on this editorial notice of the letter, 1st, that my own conviction was strong at the time that no harm would arise from my presence the issue proved the correctness of my impression. 2ndly, I hope that I am desirous of combining judgment with courage, if I possess the latter, but even doctors will disagree in judgment, and so may we. 3rdly, I cannot see by what process of reasoning sixteen shall suffer next, for my interference this year. Let us wait: sufficient for the day is the evil thereof. 4thly, I have no doubt that the missionaries are hateful to the tamásha-wallas; they are the craftsmen: but are the missionaries on this account hated by the people ?—T. B. THE CALCUTTA CHRISTIAN OBSERVER. No. 85.-June, 1839. 1.-Life of Chaitanya (5) a Hindu Saint worshipped by many as an incarnation of Vishnu*. The Rev. Mr. Ward says, in his work on the Hindus, (Vol. II. page 175,) that "One-fifth of the whole Hindu population of Bengal, are supposed to be followers of Chaitanya and of the Gosái, their successors.' Any one, who travels through Bengal may verify this assertion; for he will find in almost every village, worshippers of Chaitanya. There are among this sect, more than among any other in Bengal, people who appear really serious and desirous to obtain salvation and holiness; and several of the best native Christians we know, were worshippers of Chaitanya before their conversion. It will therefore not be unacceptable to our readers to give some account of the life of Chaitanya, as he is certainly the purest among his innumerable companions, and the history of his incarnation is the most reasonable, or rather the least unreasonable of all the incarnations of Vishnu. The two sources from which the following narrative is taken are too) ofgoly (Chaitanya Charitá-mrita), a book containing in its first part the doctrine of the sect, and in the latter a short account of their founder's life. The book is written by Krishna-dás kabiráj, and has been printed lately by the native press in Calcutta. We shall call it A. Our readers will doubtless be struck with coincidences in this history with many of the most striking facts related in the New Testament. It is one of those ill-told plagiarisms from holy writ so often to be met with in records of the heathen. Such documents do more than expose the errors of the heathen, they tend to strengthen and confirm our faith in the truth of God. Well may we say, (Chaitanya mangal) a clearly but very (Trilochan(Murári Gupta) 2. The to incorrectly written MS. The author face dás) had before him a book written by one of Chaitanya's own disciples, in Sanskrit. The latter as well as the former appear to have been sincere believers in Chaitanya, who being deceived themselves appear to have had no intention to deceive others. We believe that this work, the original of which was written by an eye-witness, contains much truth, the fables which are intermixed will easily be discovered by the reader. We shall call it B. The following biography is extracted from these two works, and related exactly as we have found it there. Chaitanya was born at a (Nabadwip) a celebrated seat of Hindu learning, on the banks of the Ganges or Huglí, not far from Moorshedabad, in the year 1407 of the era of Vikramáditya, which is about A. D. 1346, and 200 years after the Musalmans had taken possession of the country. His father's name was at f (Jagannath Mishra) of the brahmanical caste, and his mother was (Shachí). They had had seven daughters who had all died. The eighth was a son, whom they called far (Bishwarúp); he was Chaitanya's elder brother. (a) Adwaita a cunning bráhman, who seems to be one of the authors of the whole scheme of deception, was at that time explaining to his disciples (Srí Bhágabat), praising devotion (f) to Krishna, far above knowledge (), good works (), and ascetic exercises (). The disciples praised themselves for being so happy as to possess so great and merciful a God and Saviour in Krishna, and expressed their deep regret, that so few in this wicked age believed in and loved him. Adwaita prophesied, that he would soon become again incarnate and deliver the sinful world from misery, and show to mankind a new and easy way of salvation. It was in the month of (Mágh), in the year 1406, that he went to the house of Sachí, the wife of Jagannáth Mishra. He threw himself down before her and worshipped her. She, astonished, asked the reason of such extraordinary conduct, Adwaita, told her, that she would soon know it. Saying this, he left the house and went home. Soon after, B simply says: a ŵig tea nó, the mother's body became more beautiful and as it were shining, a sign that she was to be the mother of a god. She believed that she saw above her in the skies, the heavenly host singing and praising (মুই দেখি আকাশ উপরে। দিব্য মূৰ্ত্তি লোক সব fo || At the same time Jagannath saw a dream* indi* He says of his dream to his wife; জ্যোতির্ময় বাম মোর হৃদয়ে পশিল । আমার হৃদয় হৈতে তোমার হৃদয়ে। হেন বুঝি জন্মিৰেন কোন মহাশয়ে ৷ cating that he was to be the father of a great man. When the neighbours heard of it, they sent presents of money and clothes to the happy couple. The child was born in the month of Phálgun, in the year 1407, at the time of an eclipse. He was of a very fair colour, (therefore his name Gorá ca or Gauránga cat,) and his whole appearance was of exquisite beauty. At the time of his birth Adwaita began suddenly in his own house to dance and sing, but no body knew why. He then went, bathed in the river and offered gifts to its goddess, as if he did it, like all others, on account of the eclipse, but it was in reality, because Sachi's child was born. As soon as his birth was known all the women of the neighbourhood came to see him, bringing various presents with them for the parents, all the gods descended from heaven and were filled with joy on seeing the new-born child. The pleasure and the happiness of the parents had no bounds. But alas! it was of short duration, for the child refused to suck. The mother broke out in bitter lamentations and called for the medical man, but he was entirely unsuccessful in his administrations. The cries of the child increased the apprehensions of the disappointed parents and as a last means were resorted to, they hung him in a basket on a Nim () tree*. At this junction Chaitanya appeared to Adwaita, then residing at Sántipúr, in a dream, telling him that his mother did not know and love the name of Krishna, and that this was the reason of his not sucking. Adwaita went immediately to Nabadwip, gave the proper religious instructions to the mother, ordered her to bathe, and to give her breast once more to her beloved child, when he took and sucked with great eagerness. From that day the young Chaitanya prospered and grew. (A.) Once his mother placed him on the ground and gave him parched rice (), but the boy instead of eating it, scratched the earth with his fingers and swallowed dust. The mother took him up and scolded him. He began to cry and said to his mother why do you prevent me from eating earth? is not all our food produced by the earth and therefore earth itselft? The mother answered: "My dear child, what you say is true, but do you not know, that rice nourishes the body, whilst earth, if eaten, makes the body lean and weak?" Young Chaitanya, concealing his knowledge and divinity said, "why have you It is a custom among the natives to this day, in such cases, to put the leaves of the Nim tree under the child. + এই সন্দেশ অন্ন যত মাটির বিকার। এই মাটি সেহ মাটি কি দোষ ইহার ৷ not taught me that before, my dear mother. Henceforth I shall no more eat earth, but whenever I am thirsty I shall come to your bosom." (A.) It is said that one day he entered a Shib's temple where several boys were sitting and reading. He steals and eats the offerings of the god and beats the school-boys, who all go to his mother and complain. She reprimands him sharply, but little Chaitanya, getting in a fit of anger at his mother's correction, runs in the house and breaks to pieces every pot and every vessel he meets. The loving mother goes after her spoiled child, takes him in her arms and by caresses and sweet words brings him to his senses and to the acknowledgment of his faults. A. and B. The boy, who already in his childhood had a sense of his being an incarnate god, and had a knowledge far above his age, made no distinction between pure and impure things. For when the mother one day got angry with him and threatened to beat him, he escaped and took his refuge at the unclean place, where broken pots and the remainder of the food used to be thrown. Sachi quite indignant at such conduct ordered him to leave it and to go and bathe in the river. But he began quietly to teach her higher knowledge (a). He tells her*, every existing thing consists of the same elements, earth, water, air, fire and ether. Their inward nature is therefore always the same, only their appearance alters, and it is wrong to distinguish between pure and impure. But the mother did not understand him or she forgot his instructions, for when soon after the scene was repeated, she begged him again to leave the place; but he, angry at the stupidity of his mother, took a brick and threw it so violently at her head, that she fainted and fell, when he full of remorse ran to her and began to cry bitterly. All the neighbours ran to see what had happened. They threw water on her face to restore her to her senses, but they were unsuccessful. One of the women told the disconsolate boy, that the milk of two cocoanuts would restore her. He went out, and to the astonishment of all who were present, for where could he have got them, he brought two fresh plucked nuts. The mother recovered immediately, took her wonderful child with loving tenderness in her arms, her eyes opened and she saw her son adorned like a god, resplendent with glory and surrounded by all the gods. Her wrongs were forgotten and she sank in an ocean of happiness. Another instance of a similar tendency is related by B. He was one day playing with other children, when by chance they * ক্ষিতি জল বায়ু অগ্নি আকাশ আকার জগতে যতেক ইহা বই নাহি আর I |