146 .ESSAYS IN NATIONAL IDEALISM.

I shall now quote some few examples of missionary
mis-statements from various less extreme sources. Easily
refuted, such statements perhaps do less harm, except
Amongst the most ignorant, than do those which contain
,some element. of truth, or extend a local or particular
instance to cover a whole race of country.

Here is a statement absurd upon the face of it, yet
given as an absolute fact, without any qualification
at all: " The Hindu Christian (sic), who is going
to disgrace his family once for all by breaking
-caste through baptism, will be quietly poisoned by
his nearest relative to avert such a catastrophe." Another
statement in the same article perhaps explains the value
of such a writer's evidence: " Students of non-Christian
religions must consider Heathenism on its worst side, if
•only to counteract the sentimental fancies of some who
-chatter about * the beautiful religions of the East,'" *

Take another kind of statement; Hinduism is said to
have contributed to Indian poverty by making the arts
degrading:" The civil architect is branded as a bastard.
'The carpenter and the goldsmith are accursed, because the
Brahmans choose to take umbrage at th'em. How could
the arts flourish in such a society ?" t Sir George Bird wood
may be allowed to answer this ignorant and stupid state-
ment. He says of the Indian handicraftsman:

" The cause of all his comfort, of his hereditary skill, and of
•the religious constitution under which his marvellous crafts-
manship has been perfected is the system of landed tenure which
has pi-evailed in India, and stereotyped the social condition and
•civilization of the country from the time of the Code of Manu."

* " Heathenism as a Social Influence," by Mrs. Ashley Cams-
Wilson, 4 India's Women and China's Daughters.' January, 1907,
page 2.

tK M. Banerjea, quoted, "The Fruits of Hinduism," 1893,
page 3. (Christian Literature Society.)