OPINION. 
 
 His Highness the First Prince of Tkavaxcore, wrote as 
 
 follows : — , 
 
 Spring Gardens, 
 
 122, Mount Hoad, 
 Madras, 25. Oct. 88. 
 
 My dea r Sir , 
 
 J have read with considerable pleasure your interesting lecture comparing our 
 religious beliefs with those of the Christians. Your observations seem to be sound 
 and clear and shoio a thorough insight into our system. 
 
 Several of my f riends who take some interest in the. discussion of religious 
 questions would certainly like to go through the book. 
 
 Kindly, therefore, send me a dozen copies of the book. 
 
 I am, 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 Rama Vit.mah. 
 
 S. Pulney Andy, Esq., m. d. 
 
1, Ritheudon Road, Egmoue, 
 
 Madras, 26th April, 1894. 
 
 To 
 
 G. W. Speth Esq., 
 
 Secretary, Lodge Quatuor Coronati, 
 
 7, Lancaster Place , Margate, 
 
 ENGLAND, 
 
 Dear Beck 
 
 In order to answer your queries* “ Is Krishna an echo ot’ 
 Christian teachings in India, since forgotten* or is he self evol- 
 ved by Hindu thought from pre-Christian teaching? What is 
 the date of the earliest mention of Krishna ? ” I was necessita- 
 ted to study the subject only from materials at my disposal. 
 'The result of my researches led me to prepare a Paper, and as it 
 has attained a pretty good sifce I thought it advisable to print 
 it as an Appendix to my Lecture entitled, “ Are not Hindus 
 Christians,” and issue another edition of the same as the copies 
 of the former edition are almost exhausted. 
 
 You will learn from the Appendix that Professor Weber 
 and Dr. Lorinser hold the view that Hindus derived their legends 
 of Krishna from Christian sources, but that Sir Monier Williams 
 and Dr. J. Muir are not supporters of that theory. 
 
 The date of the incarnation of Krishna is fixed by European 
 researchers at 350 B. C. If it were not for this chronological 
 difficulty, one would not consider it improbable that the Brah- 
 mins have incorporated the doctrines of Christianity in their 
 philosophical systems, and imported the same into their idolat- 
 
rous form of worship, with a view to prevent Christianity taking 
 a firm root in the soil and thus save themselves from falling from 
 the high pedestal of eminence which they now occupy among 
 their countrymen. There are reasons for supporting this view. 
 
 When Buddhism flourished and was almost becoming a 
 national religion in this land, the Brahmin hierarchy arose and 
 played a deceptive part by introducing Yedantism as its oppo- 
 nent and rival, as well as declaring Buddha to be the incarnate 
 Krishna. Sankara has so cunningly devised his system as not 
 to interfere with the social institution of caste, whereas the aim 
 of Buddhism was its destruction. Sankara’s advaitam is no 
 other than Buddhism in disguise, and as he permitted the reten- 
 tion of the social privileges which the Hindus were not prepared 
 to give up, Buddhism as a distinctive and individual phase of 
 belief disappeared from this land, though its doctrines are still 
 admired and cherished by the intelligent Hindus. It must also be 
 borne in mind that Sankaracharyar was a Native of Travancore 
 where there was already a colony of St. Thomas’ Christians. 
 As his epoch is fixed by savants about the eighth century 
 lie might have been familiarly acquainted with the doctrines of 
 Christianity. 
 
 The renowned work known as Bhagavat-gita (Theosophy of 
 the Hindus) is a combination of Sdnkhya, Vedanta, and the Yoga 
 philosophical systems. In it are traceable the materials of the 
 New Testament. Dr. Lorniser asserts his belief that the author 
 of Bhagavat-gita must have had recourse to the New Testament 
 and incorporated the doctrines of Christ into his work accord- 
 ing to oriental ideas and modes of thought. The author is sup- 
 posed by some to have lived about the first century, and accord- 
 ing to others as late as the third century A. D. But the Avork 
 is interpolated in the Bhisma-parvam of the Mahabharata per- 
 haps Avith a view to give it a date of remote antiquity and thus 
 saA r e it from the assumption that the doctrines therein contained 
 are not derived from Christian teachings in India, since for- 
 gotten. 
 
 The Hindu Avritings are so mystified that it is impossible 
 
to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion. 1 have worked under 
 the light of Masonry to obtain the result, and have thereby 
 traced the Divine Truths from that True light which antient 
 Masons have laboured to proclaim to the world. Thus Pri- 
 mitive Hinduism reveals itself a true Emblematic Church. 
 The ritual in use is quite distinct, and not in any way traceable 
 to other religious systems. If it were not for these circumstan- 
 ces, 1 would have certainly coincided with the views held by 
 Weber and Lorniser in declaring that the Brahmin priesthood 
 has borrowed its light from Christianity. However I must 
 not fail to point out as a Member of the Masonic fraternity, that 
 the Brahmins have so far absorbed the teachings of Masonry in- 
 to their religious system as to render the term Masonry extinct, 
 as well as the existence of the fraternity as a speci- 
 al and recognized institution in this land, by persecuting tin 
 decendents of the antient Masons, who are now reduced to eke 
 out a livelihood by confining themselves to the purely operative 
 portion of their profession. 
 
 In fact the Brahmins have so cunningly devised their sys- 
 tem as to render it attractive to the ignorant and carnally or 
 sensually minded, as well as to the intelligent and spiritually 
 minded, and thereby hold their sway over their followers, s< 
 that Brahminism may fairly be viewed as a combination of 
 the worship of Mammon and of the Deity, or in plainer 
 terms, it countenances the worship of the Prince of Darkness to- 
 gether with that of the Gon of Light, for the personal aggran- 
 disement of its priesthood. 
 
 Yours most fraternally, 
 
 S. PULNEY ANDY, 18°, r. m. (2031), 
 Chaplain, L. Universal Charity, No. 27o, E. C. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2016 
 
 https://archive.org/details/arenothinduschriOOandy 
 
a i; i: 
 
 NOT HINDUS CHRISTIANS? 
 
 A LECTURE DELIVERED BEFORE THE 
 
 ras 
 
 Hati®c Christian ^iterant Socieln, 
 
 CLV 2W£ £2n<l M A UCU 1888 , 
 
 BY 
 
 S. PULXEY ANDY, m. d., r. i.. s., m. k. c. s., Ekq. 
 >-rar-s6r-s« .t-*— 
 
 FEW friends who heard me say, on the occasion 
 of the Anniversary of the National Church 
 of India, that Hindus are no strangers to 
 Christianity, asked me to complete the allu- 
 sion in the form of a Lecture. In response 
 to their request I now appear before you. 
 Yet I wish the task had fallen on an abler 
 person and one accustomed to public speak- 
 ing or lecturing. Since, however, I see no help for it, I must 
 only comply and perform the task to the best of my ability. 
 
 The title I have selected for my subject may perhaps sound 
 strange to many — fortunately it does not do so to me. When we 
 behold the Universe, and are convinced that it is the handiwork of 
 a Master of Perfection whom Masons call “ The Great Architect 
 of the Universe” or “ VTsvakarma,” then the other conviction is 
 not long in following — -that that Divine Being could have designed 
 but one way or mode of Salvation for his fallen creatures. The 
 plan of his Creation wherein the Laws of Nature are blended into 
 one harmonious whole amply testifies to this ; the uniformity of 
 Nature observable in Creation leads us to expect uniformity in 
 nalvahon. 
 
0 
 
 The saying of Agastya that there is one God, one High 
 Priest, one Eeligion and one Mode of Salvation often rings in 
 mv ears. Let us now proceed to satisfy ourselves, by an impar- 
 tial investigation, of the truth of his assertion. 
 
 I. God. — All religionists admit there is but one God. In 
 the first two verses of Genesis we read : 
 
 1. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 
 
 2. And (lie earth was without, form, and void ; and darkness was 
 
 upon the face of the deep and the spirit of God moved upon 
 the face of the waters. 
 
 The latter portion of the verse is fully verified by the word 
 Narayana of the Hindus ; it is compounded of two words in 
 Sanskrit, viz., Nara— water, and Ayana=n\ouou. Here the 
 Hindus and the Hebrews have one common phraseology to de- 
 note the God who brought this Cosmos into existence. 
 
 Now let us examine this further in the light of symbolism. 
 
 God is represented as the All-Seeing Eye. This Eye is 
 called Nettikkan (foirsptfii&sstn) or Gndnaklcan (@ioz»7i *<$>!») in in- 
 dication of His being the Sarvagnan, the Omniscient. You will 
 find in the first Rile of the Rurusha Sukta that God is represent- 
 ed there, with reference to this phase of His nature, as the 
 Sahasrdksha (—thousand-eyed), not that he really possesses a 
 thousand eyes, but to convey in a concrete and tangible form 
 the idea of All-Seeing. 
 
 The Equilateral Triangle is the emblem of Divinity which 
 is known to Hindus as Mucchudarbn (gp&an—Qouein = three united 
 rays) constituting the Sambhuti, Vibhuti , and Panbhuti , or in 
 more familiar language, known as Srishti, ISthiti, and Sanihdravi 
 signifying the Creative, Preservative, and Annihilative energies 
 of Divine nature. This emblem of Divinity is also represented 
 very often with the All-Seeing Eye in the centre of the Triangle. 
 This very Triune God in this emblematic form is worshipped in 
 every Hindu home, either consciously or in total ignorance. It 
 may perhaps surprise you when I point out to you the reality of 
 
my {illusion. You will find in every house a triangular niche 
 known in Tamil as Madam This is in representation 
 
 of the Triangle and a Light takes tin* place of the All-Seeing Eye. 
 You all know what particular attention is paid by the ladies of 
 the house to this Light which is saluted by them immediately 
 after it is lit. 
 
 II. Our Original Parents. — Now let us proceed to inves- 
 tigate and trace the identity of our original parents. In the 
 first Chapter of the Hook of Genesis we are informed that Adam 
 and Eve were our original parents. The Hindu writings are not 
 explicit enough on this point. They abound in mystifications 
 and mythic fictions; and it is with some difficulty that we are 
 able to detect in them certain ambiguous and very uncertain al- 
 lusions to a number of Manus being the progenitors of the human 
 race. Now, however, let us lift the veil. 
 
 In symbolic language Adam signifies earth ( =prithivi ) con- 
 stituting the frame (*=sthulasarlra ) and Eve the life {—prana, 
 or sukshmasanra) which vitalises the same. This is what is 
 known to Hindus under the appellation of Ardhana r'tscara or in 
 other words Paramesvara and Parvati, and their two sons 
 Subrahmanya and Ganapati are the ideal Cain and Abel. Bear in 
 mind, too, that their first son under the designation of V'lrabhad - 
 ra slew the second. Here 1 drop the mystic curtain. 
 
 The number of Manus spoken of can only be looked upon 
 in the light of Patriarchs. From Adam to Noah we have had 
 seven Patriarchs, and in the Hindu account there have also been 
 a similar number of Manus up to the present time. Mann lite- 
 rally means Man. 
 
 III. Ceremonies and other Practices. — Now allow me to 
 take you through some of the practices and ceremonies observed 
 by the Hindus. On entering a Hindu home 3*011 will observe 
 the door frame of its entrance nicely cleaned and decorated with 
 saffron strokes and hinhumam dots, particularly on the lintel. 
 
4 
 
 This is no more than the sign of Passover described in the 12th 
 Chapter of Exodus. The red and white painted strokes on the 
 walls of Hindu houses and temples, and the red ochre sprinkling 
 and the impress of the Hand or Pairjah on the walls of Maho- 
 medan houses represent the same. All the y a gums and other 
 offerings maybe shewn to correspond, at least in a modified form, 
 to those described in the Book of Leviticus. 
 
 With respect to the marks on the foreheads of Hindus, 
 please refer to the Book of Ezekiel, 9th Chapter, 4th verse. 
 There you will read that the Lord said to the man who had the 
 Ink -born : “ Go through the midst of the City, through the midst 
 of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the fore-heads of the men that 
 sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the 
 midst thereof.” It is by this mark that they were preserved 
 alive from the midst of those who Avere slain for their idolatry 
 by the wrathful displeasure of the Lord. T shall have to refer 
 to this mark again. 
 
 In this hasty survey I have drawn your attention to the 
 salient points of similarity between Hinduism and Judaism. 
 This similarity between the religions of races far apart from 
 each other will alone lead a man of reason to come to the 
 conclusion that all the human races now inhabiting the earth 
 must have had a common origin. From the Bible you will learn, 
 not only that we sprang from Adam and Eve (jagata-pitarau ) , 
 but that after the deluge Noah and his descendants spread 
 over the surface of this globe. The Sapta liisliis are no others 
 than the seven sons of Japliet who was one of the three sons of 
 Noah, the last Manu, which term is conjectured to be a corrup- 
 tion of Ma Nov, signifying Noah the Great. 
 
 IV. Temples. — Now we come to the Temples of Worship. 
 The temple of Jerusalem was built by King Solomon after the 
 plan or form which appeared to his father David in a vision. 
 Just take a glance at its ground plan and compare it with one 
 of Hindu construction. It consists of a chamber or Sanctum 
 
Sanctorum (Mulasthauarn or Garhhacjvihani ), anot her called Tem- 
 j)|e (= Anthralam) and a Porch (= Ardhamantapam) with a 
 place for burnt offerings (= Homar/untam) at its entrance. I am 
 certain that in comparing it with t he plan of the Hindu Temple 
 you will not dispute their identity in at least their general ar- 
 rangements. 
 
 Now perhaps arises the most interesting question. When 
 the Jewish Temple was intended solely for the pure worship of 
 the Most High, how has the Hindu Temple become the place of 
 idol worship ? With reference to this question let me relate a 
 Masonic tradition current in India. 
 
 The Ancient Masons (&jDL9&sir) known in India as the des- 
 cendants of Visvakarma under the designation of Deva Brahmins, 
 (in contradistinction to the modern Brahmins, the descendants 
 of Yasishta, who are termed Go-Brahmins in virtue of having 
 adopted the practice of receiving cows as dhanams or gifts) were 
 employed by the kings of those times in the erection of the prin- 
 cipal holy shrines now found in this peninsula, besides some of 
 those found submerged. They intended these edifices for mere 
 Masonic Temples, that is, emblematic and allegorical portrayings 
 of the Attributes of Nature, Divinity, Humanity, &c. You will 
 find, in addition to those pointed out to you in the Temple of 
 Solomon, a Dvajasthanibam, an altar or Balip'itam and a Deva 
 Chinnam; these are to be seen in the Braharam or the Outer 
 Court. To one initiated, the Jewish Temple represents the Old 
 Dispensation, and the Hindu Temple, the New Dispensation. 
 
 As the ancient Masons were moving in encampments from 
 North to South occupied in the erection of these holy shrines, 
 the increasing descendants of Yasishta, the Go-Brahmins, who 
 were then being instructed in the Yedic rites by Yyasa and for 
 whose instruction he was necessitated to compile the Yedas 
 (Yyasa = compiler), joined these architects in their migrations. 
 The Masons employed these in the capacity of serving brethren 
 or Tylers, as we now find in the Masonic Lodges. When the 
 
G 
 
 Architects were leaving the old for new fields of labour, the 
 people wanted to know who would attend to their temples. 
 They replied : “ These will look after them,” — pointing to the 
 serving brethren. Hence the term Parpar (utrruujn) has come 
 into existence. Thus we now see the Temples under the actual 
 supervision of Parpars in most instances, with the exception of 
 Gurulcleals and TiUai-Muvayiravars who are admitted to be strict- 
 ly Masonic Brahmins. It is these attendants who took advan- 
 tage of the credulity of the ignorant masses to turn it to their 
 worldly benefit, and have converted the Temples into abodes of 
 Mythic Gods, and introduced the worship of the idols on pre- 
 tence of having duly deified them. We need not therefore be 
 astonished at the oft-quoted authority that — 
 
 Daivadhmam jag at Savva: m 
 Mantradlunantu daivatam, 
 Tanmantram Brahmanadhinam 
 Brahmano mama devata. 
 
 The world is in God ; 
 
 The God is in mantram ; 
 Mantram is in Brahmin ; 
 
 Titer ef ore Brahmin is our God. 
 
 Now let me refer to the allegorical and spiritual meanings 
 of some of the principal emblems found in the Hindu Temple. 
 
 The Mulasthanam is the Holy of Holies in the Jewish Temple 
 where no unclean thing could enter. In the Hindu temple it 
 became the Samadhi or the grave of a holy Guru first, and then 
 an image of that Guru was placed in the Anthralam or Temple. 
 Afterwards these were set aside to give place to Idols of poly- 
 theistic worship. Even in these forms they are mere emblems ; 
 for instance, Ganesha with his five arms is meant to represent 
 the pancha bhuthams or elements and the paneha kirtyams or 
 actions. 
 
 In the Praharam or Outer-Court 1 pointed out to you al- 
 ready, a Dvajastha.mbam, a BaiipUam and a Devachinnam. The 
 Dvajasthambam is meant to represent a man in the attitude of 
 praying ; the staves or circles around the Post are the ribs, and 
 the little bells attached to the top stand for the muttering tongue 
 of the devotee. Just in front is the altar ( halipitam ) whereon 
 
lie could offer his sacrifice and the Dvoachuumm facing' him is 
 the emblematic representation of a Mediator. Thus we learn 
 from these emblems that it is very essential that we should seek 
 and obtain the gracious intercession of a Mediator in the outer- 
 court, i. e., while we are yet in the world, so that when we are 
 summoned to appear before God we may enter the Inner-Court 
 with the full hope of gaining admission into the Holy of Holies. 
 
 V. Our Saviour. — After taking a brief survey of, but not 
 failing to notice the most prominent points in, what is known as 
 the Old Dispensation, we are brought to see the Light of the 
 New Dispensation. In this we are taught the mode of Salvation, 
 how to obtain it and through whom. T have already pointed 
 out the emblems in the outer-court or praharam, and their alle- 
 gorical or spiritual significance, as a prelude to our further en- 
 quiries into these points. AVe should therefore try to ascertain 
 first the necessity for the intercession of a Mediator, and next 
 who that Mediator is, whom the world may confidently look up 
 to as their only Saviour. Let us therefore retrace our steps to 
 these facts regarding our Salvation. 
 
 In the Book of Genesis we are told that our original parents 
 committed the sin of disobedience and that through them we 
 have inherited this sinful disposition that we now lament. The 
 tempter is shown to be in the form of a snake. God had conse- 
 quently decreed that the Seed of the AVoman shall bruise the 
 head of the Serpent. This very Divine fiat is adequately illus- 
 trated in the figure of lcaliya-mardhanam (corruptly pronounced 
 kaUnga-mardhanam). Asa propitiation for the sins of Man a 
 Jamb was pointed out as the appropriate sacrifice and this lamb 
 is called in Scripture the Lamb of God, and in fulfilment of these 
 typical promises God has, in his mercy towards his fallen crea- 
 tures, become incarnate in the person of His Son Christ. 
 
 You will find a similar allusion to this Incarnation in the 
 Bhagavatgita, Gnanavasishtam and other works. In the Puru- 
 sha Sukta there is also an allusion made to a nara-medham in 
 
3 
 
 which Viral pur as ha is said to have offered lmnself a sacrifice 
 for redeeming the sinners of this world. This incarnate Saviour 
 is admitted to be the Son of God both in Hindu and Christian 
 Scriptures ; and as there is only one God, this Saviour could be 
 no other than His own Son. The languages of nations may dif- 
 fer in the nomenclature by which that Son is called, but as to his 
 identity there can be no two opinions. Such epithets as Ku- 
 mar a-dev (=Son God) and Kumara Gum (=Son Priest) are 
 alike applicable to Christ, as the Son of God, and our High 
 Priest, and to Subrahmanyani or Masilamani (= immaculate 
 gem), the typical immaculate Lamb who offered himself a sacri- 
 fice for our sins. Again Christ as the Lord of Hosts is well re- 
 presented by the term, Ganapati (Gana = host; pati— lord). 
 Bear in mind that these Hindu mythic gods are admitted to be 
 Sons of God under different capacities. Christ literally means 
 “Anointed” and Jesus, “Saviour.” (Raksliakatvena abhishik- 
 
 The Historical accounts of the birth of Krishna resemble 
 those of the birth of Christ. Compare the acts of Kamsan and 
 of Herod in endeavouring to trace the child for slaying it. The 
 puranic or mythic accounts of Krishna are purely allegorical ; 
 they should be comprehended in the same light as the songs of 
 Solomon. For instance, I shall throw some light on the much 
 quoted vice of Krishna. He is charged with the theft of Butter 
 (QsvsmQoMiL/piQip'). The Ball of Butter here alluded to is the 
 Heart of Man with its softening tendency, which Krishna took 
 possession of unknown to its possessor. Where could you get 
 a better illustration of the mode in which God works in our 
 hearts ? 
 
 Again as to the sentence of God that the Seed of the Woman 
 shall bruise the head of the Serpent, you have it illustrated in 
 the Kaliya/niardhanam in the person of Krishna , another instance 
 of admission that Christ is the Man or the second Adam that 
 bruised the Serpent’s head. We may therefore confidently 
 
0 
 
 declare the word \<u’(ujtiint to be the confirmation of t hr* Old 
 Testament and the word fiorinda (born of the Manger) of the 
 Xew Testament. Bearing this identity in mind, let ns proceed 
 to investigate points connected with the Crucifixion. 
 
 Whenever an illiterate man is asked to sign he invariably 
 puts the ftiyii of fire cram s, as if that had come down to him as 
 an inheritance of the only knowledge that is urgently needed by 
 men. Many of you might have also noticed a certain set of as- 
 cetics of the Vaishnava faith carrying, if 1 may be permitted to 
 use the phrase, a white Cross. To the end of a long rod or wand 
 a small bit of stick is fixed across and wound with a small strip 
 of white cloth. 
 
 The Cross consists of one horizontal and one perpendicular 
 line, the latter descending and ascending from its union with the 
 former. This very emblem is worn on the foreheads of Saivites 
 in the shape of three horizontal lines,* and by the Vaishnavites 
 in an inverted position, the horizontal line being directed up- 
 wards forming two lateral lines; thus giving the outline of three 
 perpendicular lines. t The union of the horizontal with the per- 
 pendicular line as seen in the Cross is also indicative of the union 
 of the Old and New Testaments. 
 
 The five-pointed star and the double triangle are common 
 to all religionists, and to those initiated, they unfold an ocean 
 of truth. The five-pointed star is the panacea of the Christian. 
 It is the Panckalcsha ram of the Saivite, and the double triangle 
 constitutes the Shadalsharam or Chitambara chakram of that 
 sect, whereas they both contribute to form the SanJcu and Cliak- 
 ravi of the Vaishnavites. 
 
 Vishnu is believed to possess a scar called Srivatsam on his 
 breast, consequently he is called Srioa.tso.nkHa Vakshasa. This 
 scar is further represented to be in the form of a (St. Andrew’s) 
 Cross. The spiritual meaning assigned to this is that Sri sig- 
 nifies knowledge or the unwritten word or Logos, Ankitam = im- 
 
 * Tiryuk pwndram. f Urdhva pundram. 
 
 J] 
 
10 
 
 pressed on, Vatsam = the Cross, Va]cshas=t\ie breast, or the 
 mind or heart (its seat) — corresponding in terms to the Cruci- 
 fied Saviour, thereby pointing to Jesus, the Christ of History. 
 In the first verse of the first chapter of St. John’s Gospel you 
 will find it recorded that “ In the beginning was the Word and 
 the Word was with God and the Word was God.” This Word 
 or Logos is admitted to be Vishnu and Brahma, his son, though 
 in themselves they are one. 
 
 Again the Hindu scriptures refer to a Purusha and say of 
 Him : 
 
 (1.) That his name was Prajapati ; i. e., Lord and Savi- 
 our of men. If you refer to Matthew XXI: 1, 
 you will find that Jesus is the person alluded to. 
 
 (2.) That this Prajapati existed before the creation of 
 the world. In Colossians 1 : 15, you will find that 
 Christ did exist before the creation of the world. 
 
 (3.) That Prajapati is the Visvakarma or the great 
 Architect of the Avorld. If you refer to St. John 
 1 : 3, and Colos : I : 16, you will find a similar al- 
 lusion to the Saviour. 
 
 (4.) That Prajapati instituted a sacrifice. A reference 
 to I Cor : X : 4, will unfold the truth that Christ 
 did exhibit the will of God and teach about sacrifi- 
 ces to the' Israelites. 
 
 (5.) That this sacrifice is for t lie removal of the sins of 
 the world. In Heb : IX : 22, you will discover a 
 similar allusion. 
 
 (6.) That Prajapati offered himself a sacrifice. That 
 Christ himself became that sacrifice will be learnt 
 from Heb: IX: 14. 
 
 (7.) That by this sacrifice Prajapati obtained eternal 
 salvation for the Gods Sadhus — good men.) In 
 
( 8 .) 
 
 tho Gospel of St. John VI: 47, and in 1 Tim: I : 
 10, you will find that Christ has accomplished the 
 same for His believers. 
 
 That in order to accomplish this, Prajapati assumed 
 a mortal body. In Heb: X: 5, you will find a 
 similar statement regarding Christ. 
 
 (9.) That by this sacrifice Prajapati became partly perish- 
 able, and partly imperishable. In Romans 1 : 3 
 and 4, a statement is made that Jesus is both God 
 and man. 
 
 (10.) That as Prajapati was a man in perfection, He was 
 called Purusha. Similarly as Christ was a perfect 
 man, He was called the Son of Man. 
 
 ( 11 .) That as all became perishable, this single Purusha 
 died for all. This is exactly what 2 Cor : V : 14, 
 says of Christ and His death. 
 
 (12.) That Prajapati said “ 1 in all the creations and all 
 the creations in me will be offered as a sacrifice.” 
 So have all the believers in Christ died in Him 
 (Rom: VI: 8 .) 
 
 The comparisons thus drawn between the Hindu and the 
 Christian scriptures will no doubt convince you of the identity 
 of the Purusha with our Crucified Saviour or that veritable 
 Srivatsankita Yakshasa. He is also the veritable Son of the 
 Carpenter both in the worldly and in the spiritual sense. You 
 are aware that the eastern nations use the word carpenter (,«<£ 
 &°ir) to denote the Great Architect of the universe or Visvakar- 
 ma, under which nomenclature, 3*011 heard just now, the Brahma 
 Prajapati is also represented in the Hindu scriptures. He is 
 also thirty-three crores of Devas — for this is merely an allegori- 
 cal allusion to the 33 years of the age of Christ on earth. He 
 is, indeed, the Brahma Raksha Prajapati of the New Testament. 
 
 The practice among the Hindus of carrying CavacUes to 
 
12 
 
 sacred shrines lias a great significance allegorically. It is meant 
 to represent the conveyance of the burden of sin. In a similar 
 manner you will see it illustrated in the “ Pilgrim’s Proo-ress” 
 that a burden is carried by the Pilgrim on his back. Thebafching 
 in sapred streams is for the washing of sins, consequently some 
 of them are known as Pa'pana.sam. Put these are mere outward 
 forms of observances. But in reality it is intended that we 
 should lay our burden of sin at the feet of the trite Lord of Zion 
 and be washed with that stream which Tie on the Cross poured 
 forth from the fountain of His own Heart, that we may be tho- 
 roughly cleansed of the leprosy of sin, and made acceptable for 
 entrance into the Abode of Abodes. 
 
 I will now refer to another practice among the Hindus. In 
 ancient times sacrifices of animals under the head of yar/ams or 
 burnt offerings were very prevalent. In modern times this 
 practice has fallen into disuse, and another sensible form has 
 come into vogue. I mean the breaking of Cocoanuts. This 
 fruit with its fibrous appendage is conical, resembling in shape 
 the Heart ; when broken, it yields a delicious stream of crystal 
 purity and its exposed kernel is white as snow or otherwise im- 
 maculate. Here I hope you see the way clear of all doubts and 
 difficulties. It is the offering of a broken and a contrite heart 
 that is actually needed. After the offering and salutation (na- 
 maslcaram), the penitent stands with his arms crossed, a fact sig- 
 nifying that he approaches through his Crucified Saviour. 
 
 By these allusions I hope you see matters in their true light 
 and are satisfied of the truth of the already quoted saying of 
 Agastya, the sage Physician and Theologian of Southern India.* 
 
 This is further verified by Koxkaxar : — 
 
 su-etfQarn evysenrCct— Q su s-Qid ne'er (? p 
 
 sn p earns p ( 50 ^ 2 . 6 mirsnsar Qwnf^Q p 
 jqi uj6)i!!(yjiGtTjib upeti QuinmQ p 
 Jij ic l/ o)9 u$ i\) iDspiuiSI peSI ujnsni Q pneinQ p 
 k6B)L—<s)j i$il]ud ustiwepiQ sunns Qsn6aiQp ujeiwvnbV 
 mn sv(co>j^a lopisuuu isi—dem* QstiQyiLp 
 q/ emL^iu Q pajiiuev (r^obai Q l^sot OuTiiseh 
 S snennsunii Jffismseor s pn\eeoi. 
 
 Gill hit iJJIil . 
 
Vi 
 
 Ary country-men ! Perhaps you may bo inclined to question 
 me, if such are the facts, how is it there is such a feeling’ of 
 aversion in the Hindu mind towards Christianity? You might 
 have hoard the common parlance Yarfarthara d l-ba It nj ana virodi ; 
 a liar is more easily countenanced and liked than a man that 
 strictly adheres to truth. Even the truth-loving King Hari- 
 chandra was driven from his throne to serve as a Watchman in 
 a cemetery, simply because he was firm in expressing the truth 
 to the last. So it is the world that neglects to patronise truth. 
 
 From the outset Priest-craft has held a despotic sway over 
 the minds of the ignorant masses. This body might have been 
 very useful guides in ancient times, but what do we see of their 
 successors now-a-days? They have become crafty, arrogant and 
 mercenary, instead of continuing to be models of purity, piety 
 and virtue, and it is, therefore, to their interest to keep the fol- 
 lowers of their sects at variance with each other, as a Northern 
 India proverb says jetna muni itne mat; (There are as many 
 religions as there are Munis== < »t*,«&*r Qpsafl^QerTj lo*® 
 
 &sri,) in order to maintain their prestige and power. History 
 tells us of the quantity of blood that was shed in maintaining 
 the strife of religious feuds led by these blind leaders of the 
 blind. In fact the institution of Priest-craft has been the bane 
 and ruin of all religions. There is also another obstacle in this 
 country. I mean the institution of caste which persistently 
 stands in the way and says “ I’ll out-caste you and thus sever 
 you from your kith and kin if you attempt to embrace any other 
 form of religion than the one in which you were born, or for any 
 attempts at religious and social innovations and reforms.” These 
 are the threats that a Hindu has to face often against his con- 
 victions. Wherever such opposition did not exist, Christianity 
 has taken a firm hold on the minds of the people, and the na- 
 tions who have embraced it are now in a very advanced stage 
 of civilization and power, while, on the contrary, Hinduism has 
 brought us to be their slaves. 
 
 Hinduism has been so cunningly designed by Priest-craft 
 
14 
 
 that it is made to appear to the ignorant a system of Polytheism 
 to the enlightened Monotheism, to the scientist Pantheism, and to 
 the mystic, (when divested of its over-growth of priestly inno- 
 vations) a purely Emblematic Church illustrating the most pro- 
 minent points of truth requisite for man’s salvation. The simply 
 having in possession the illustrations or diagrams will not help 
 to unfold them, unless they are accompanied by the book of 
 guidance which gives a true account of them. This guiding 
 chart bears no attractive title ; in fact, man was not able to in- 
 vent one with all his ingenuity. So it has been called the Bible, 
 which means the Book. From this epithet alone, one could 
 come to the conclusion that it is the only Book of Books, the 
 knowledge of which is very essential for the salvation of man. 
 
 Further, historical researches have brought to light the 
 fact that the forefathers of the now dispersed nations professed 
 originally one faith and served the same God. It is by their 
 migrations that this community of ideas was lost, for they sepa- 
 rated, dispersed or otherwise became isolated from each other. 
 The time is now changing. By the advancement of civilization, 
 arts and sciences and by the facilities now afforded for travel by 
 steam and for intercommunications by electricity and telephone, 
 all nations are being brought together into closer intimacy day 
 by day and God may in His own time yet be pleased to draw all 
 the nations, who are made of one blood and who are saved by 
 One Blood, into one united belief, that we may, as did our fore- 
 fathers of old before their separation, unitedly worship at His 
 Holy feet with the Prayer By us Pita — “ Our Father which art 
 in Heaven.” 
 
 In conclusion let me entreat my Hindu brethren to set aside 
 all misgivings and to dismiss from their minds the mistaken idea 
 that Christianity is the Foreigner’s Religion and lias been intro- 
 duced by European Agencies into this land with the main ob- 
 ject of out-casting us and of disintegrating our social constitu- 
 tion in order that the Rulers may succeed in obtaining entire 
 
political ascendancy over the country. All that we need is sober 
 reasoning, with an unprejudiced and unbiassed mind, to decide 
 and secure for ourselves the right path (=margam) which Avill 
 lead us to the Throne of Grace. To arrive at it let us ponder 
 over the initiatory prayer inserted at the commencement of every 
 Tamil School Book. I mean : 
 
 GUDfflspiii 
 
 Ki'otiT QYf £ 
 
 Q Qffc eu ctzsm 
 
 Hariom 
 Nanrhaga 
 Guru valhga 
 Guruve thunai 
 
 Here you see that after calling on Jehovah the disciple prays 
 for the well-being of his Guru and for the Guru’s companionship. 
 May we therefore endeavour to be in felloAvship with that genu- 
 ine Sat-Guru * who alone is able to obtain salvation for us. 
 Again on referring to I John 1 : 3, you will learn that “ our 
 fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.” 
 How true this appears when one compares the use of at—eysir 
 (= God’s fellowship) and ^iSsm (= Guru’s Fellowship) ! 
 
 and yet scarcely ever do our Hindu brethren trouble themselves 
 to know what these mean though these phrases are in common 
 usage among them. My country-men ! These are the facts and 
 conclusions, the result of my researches, and indeed they are 
 my convictions as well. Now I leave it to you to accept or re- 
 ject them. 
 
 * Compare this with the further light thrown on the subject by Agastya . — ■ 
 
 “ evvm!Ej(8)&imL Q&aQ&ir ^ Qujnq^ev (gp© 
 
 LDiTiSeJ Qiun^QiBn is-nS&) a v(3js,0> p LDsaaressfl p 
 
 (8jsmLDnesT LDetrfl'getDuiLiLb iSImL] 
 
 (ZjGLGtiUJ jg ts! p (Tr?SV)lSd JUS (^Q^GumU eufe'g) 
 
 &Gtsi£](9j60G>] Qwtreifr fSeJ GirriDfl 
 
 ■Pekeisf) tun& QuneSI(T^is^i geu 
 'Syemisigaeo gn&lkfr QumL® 
 
 gjSomi—ged^ Q&6tsr jssuetau ujem® 6unQLu. ,, 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 
 ' 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTE. 
 
 -yV"- 
 
 G. W. Spetit, Esq., Secretary, Lodge Quatuor Coronati, 
 on perusing my Lecture entitled “ Are not Hindus Christians ” 
 wrote to me as follows under date Margate, 1 Gth January 1894 — 
 
 “it has interested me in a higher degree.” 
 
 “ You maintain Krishna is Christ. But is he an echo of Chris- 
 tian teaching in India, since forgotten; or is he self evolved by 
 Hindu thought from pre-Christian teaching? "What is the date 
 of the earliest mention of Krishna?” In order to meet these 
 questions I have been necessitated to prepare this Paper making 
 it an Appendix to the Lecture. 
 
 April 1894. 
 
 S. P. A. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 KRISHNA. 
 
 RISHNA is, according to Hindu writings and 
 teachings, one of the ten avatars or incarna- 
 tions of Vishnu, lie being the ninth-, and the 
 tenth to come is termed KalJd signifying 
 “ white horse.” Probably this is connected 
 with what is said in the Hook of Revelations 
 by St. John, the Evangelist. The preceding 
 eight ara tars which have passed away, are 
 given as , 
 
 1. Matsya=tbe finli 
 
 2. KurmH=t,he tortoise 
 
 3. Viiraha = tlie boar 
 
 4. Narasimlia=the man lion 
 
 5. Vamana=the dwarf 
 
 t>. Para surama= Rama with the axe 
 
 7. Rama=the hero of Ramayarm 
 
 8. I3alaraina=the elder brother of Krishna. 
 
 The puranic or mythological accounts of these avatars do 
 not satisfy the enquiring mind of the lovers of truth, they 
 evidently possess allegorical allusions to the mysterious nature 
 of Providence here illustrated in the person of Vishnu, the all 
 pervading and preserving energy of divine nature personified. 
 It is however hoped, that time and diligent research will un- 
 ravel their mysteries and bring to light their true significations. 
 
 The Hindu writings do not give any conclusive evidence of 
 the occurrence of these avatars in chronological order. In fact 
 there is no chronology so to speak as a historical guide, but the 
 yagas mentioned with respect to these avatars are more al- 
 legorical allusions than actual calendar years, as it is very ap- 
 
20 
 
 parent when it is stated, that these several incarnations go 
 through a kind of cycle in each creative epoch, and in rotation 
 after the destruction of the world by each mahdpralaya or de- 
 lude, when Yislinu alone is left on the waters to float as Naray- 
 ana to reproduce the earth and the creatures to inhabit it, as 
 well as all that adorns creation. 
 
 The researches of ardent European Oriental Scholars have 
 brought to light the analogy that exists betAveen Hindu and 
 Christian doctrines to a noticeable extent, and haA r e lighted a 
 blaze of controversy as to their source or origin. One party 
 contending that Hindus have derived their knowledge of Krish- 
 na from Christians, and the other party supposing that such 
 like thoughts are likewise spontaneous growths, and evolutions 
 Avliich are common or natural to any human mind. The resem- 
 blance is so close which in itself is sufficient to bewilder any 
 enquiring mind. Let us, for instance, closely examine Krishna 
 himself as an illustration. 
 
 In its etymological form, the word Krishna itself exists in 
 various shades of phonation. The word is pronounced as kitta, 
 lcritta, kristo or Jcrista and Icitna, kistiui, kristna , and krishna, and 
 such a name as Kristodass Pal, which in a Christian sense means 
 Paul the servant of Christ, is borne by Hindus. Krishna is 
 said to mean dark, and the meaning thus given may allude to 
 the Asiatic origin of Christ, but, he is painted blue the symbol 
 of Love. Krishna is also called Gov'nula * Avliich conveys three 
 important meanings, as the word Go means a cow and a coay- 
 liouse, to protect, and king, which with the word rinda “ born ’ 
 signifies prophetically, born of a manger, saviour and king. 
 
 Krishna as an infant is represented as being fair and of great 
 beauty, and from the time of manhood or from the time of having 
 bruised the serpent’s head (Kallyamardhaini m) he is represented 
 in blue or “ love incarnate.” The word Krishna is derived from 
 a Sanskrit root Krish -to attract, to draw. (Cf. St. John 12 : 32 
 
 # Man or- born, Saviour-bon*. Kinir bi in 
 
“ And I, if I be lifted be up from the earth, will draw all men 
 unto me.”) 
 
 Again the reputed mother of Krishna is known as Yasoda. 
 This term, I am given to understand, really unravels the mys- 
 tery, as it is stated to be derived from two words. Yas= Yesu 
 
 (Jesus), sudau, ‘begat’, also Yasu= Yesu, da ‘ gave’ or in other 
 words She that begat Yesu, or She that gave Yesu, to the world.* 
 
 Krishna is puranically represented to be born of Yasudova 
 and Devaki to kill a king Kansa. Vasudeva literally means the 
 Supreme Being or God and Devaki, the Divine Mother. f Here 
 I trust, the allegory and the spiritual meaning become apparent 
 enough to understand the divine evolution of the true nature of 
 the incarnation for the destruction of the tyrant Kansa repre- 
 senting the principle of “evil or the power of Satan.” This 
 again bears testimony to the writings of Siddhas (who are pro- 
 bably, Rosicrucians) avIio have typified Joseph as God the 
 Father, Marv the mother of the world, and Jesus their offspring. 
 
 I have already stated in my lecture that the Puranic or 
 mythic accounts of Krishna are purely allegorical, and that they 
 should be comprehended in the same light as the song of Solo- 
 mon. In the lecture I have explained the exposition of the al- 
 legory of the much quoted vice of Krishna. He is charged 
 with the theft of Butter for which act Yasoda bound him as a 
 punishment with a cord to a Mortar. The Ball of Butter is the 
 heart of man, with its softening tendency which Krishna took 
 possession of unknown to its possessor, and the act of being 
 
 # Some Pandits give the derivation as Yassas “the illustrious” “ she that gave or begat 
 tho illustrious” perhaps with a view to deprive the word being understood to mean Yesu. 
 
 + Tatokhila jagatpndmn bodhayacchnta llianirna 
 
 Derail purva xandhyayam avirbhnfam mahatmana (Vishuupnranam ) 
 
 Then the lotus of the whole world is Devaki opening at the dawn by the Sun of Acchu- 
 ta manifesting himself as the Mahatma. 
 
 Brahmanyo devaki putra 
 
 Brahman no Madhusudaaom ( Atliarvisiroponishad) 
 
 Brahman became Dcvaki’s son 
 
 Brahman became Madhusndanam (the destroyer of Madhu, the Monster.) 
 The former allegor ises the descent of the Holy Spirit and the appearance of the Sun 
 of Righteousness, and the latter, the divine origin of the Son of Man for the destruction 
 of the power of Satan. 
 
fastened to the mortar signifies that lie should remain so bound 
 in that heart without leaving it. He is charged again with sen- 
 sual sports with Gopihas. Here the allegory is quite apparent 
 as agreeing with the teachings of Christianity. Christ is repre- 
 sented as the Bridegroom, and the Church as his Bride. Here 
 it is the same. The Gopikas alluded to are his followers, typify- 
 ing how he loves and sports in the minds of his believers. As 
 the Bridegroom is shewn as the Shepherd, so his followers are 
 represented, as shepherdesses. 
 
 The poet has sensualized this allegory in the usual oriental 
 exaggerated style as suited to the oriental mind of the people of 
 that time, which in course of time lost its true allusion and be- 
 coming abused exposed itself to odium and criticisms. Certainly 
 it has now become revolting and distasteful, not only to the 
 present generation of Hindus, but also to the delicate sensibili- 
 ties of an occidental mind. 
 
 In addition to the legends of Krishna agreeing in many res- 
 pects with those of Christianity, Krishna, as king of Dvaraka, is 
 reported to have also washed the feet of a friend and disciple 
 Kuchela, (“ wearing bad or ragged garments,”) just as Christ 
 washed the feet of his disciples. Here we must look upon the 
 word dvara * * the way’ to lead us to the true signification. 
 
 The puranic narration of this act of washing relates that 
 Kuchela was persuaded by his wife to go to Krishna with a 
 view to obtain relief for his poverty and supplied him with some 
 parched grains for his food for use on his way to Dvarka, 
 where he duly announced his arrival to Krishna who received 
 him with kindness, and Avashcd his feet, and ordered his 
 attendants to attend to his comforts &c. Kuchela took 
 leave of Krishna just in the same poverty stricken condition 
 clothed in rags. He felt disappointed as he expected to be well 
 
 * Qp5 i (6)evrT& QrfQ&tuuriu fbl <&r (rytysm 
 
 Quir/dlatiir/pp (ounirji^ SubvjSTj&ir 
 
 U)iie\)LniJ fiipstp mre\'Giij& & oil it p 
 
 fin ;r «v' u< ui .i a em < ~ 
 
 gjfiiupu.T 
 
provided with money, but on his return to his native place he 
 found his humble abode transformed into a mighty mansion 
 which he was not able to recognize nor his wife, who on the 
 contrary recognizing him received him into the mansion. So 
 the narration when allegorized means — 
 
 “ 1 have washed and cleansed you, fed you with spiritual 
 food, and clothed you with the robe of righteousness and 
 made you a tit inheritor of the richest mansion I have built for 
 in heaven.” 
 
 Xow L leave the other researchers to prove whether Krish- 
 na is an echo of Christian teaching in India since forgotten, or 
 is he self-evolved out of Hindu thought from pre-Christian 
 teaching ? 
 
 According to Professor Wilson a party of four Brahmans, 
 disciples of Siva, named Sveta ‘ white* Svetasva ‘white horsed’ 
 S vet asilha ‘ white haired’ and Sveta lohita ‘white blooded’ is 
 supposed to have visited Sveta dvipa ‘white island’ (which is 
 supposed by Professor Weber to be a colony of Syrian Christi- 
 ans) where these Brahmans saw white men worshipping the true 
 God and by them the legends of Christ became known to the 
 Hindus who incorporated it in their system. 
 
 It is also supposed that Mesopotamia was once a great cen- 
 tral Mart of the world where all nations met. It is from this 
 centre the knowledge of Christ, and the Mission of his advent 
 were carried, and spread over the world by the different nation- 
 alities in their respective lands. Thus by Hellenes the divinity 
 of Christ was carried into Europe ; the humanity of Christ by 
 the Mahomedans into Arabia and Persia, and the ethics of Chris- 
 tianity by the Indians into India where it has developed into 
 Buddhism. It is also stated that Jeoshophet was the founder 
 of Buddhism. It is likewise reported that Father de-Nobili, 
 who lived in South India in the disguise of a Brahmin, had a 
 great deal to do in the manipulation of the yajur veda with the 
 aid of his Brahmin disciples. In this the Purusha Suita is fully 
 
given and in it occurs the allusion of the self -sacrifice of the 
 Purusha, wliich account also occurs in the other Yedas but in a 
 summarized form. 
 
 Dr. L. A. Sakes, of Jubbalpore, says in his work on Christ 
 versus Krishna at page 29, as follows : — 
 
 “ I leave with confidence to all unprejudiced minds to judge whether the 
 explanation given is satisfactory or not. The Hindoo rests his main defence 
 of Hindooisrn on its being a symbolical and representative religion, and in 
 order to make the characters of gods more prominent attributes to them a 
 great variety of actions, which so complicate and intensify the plan of re- 
 demption that the whole sphere of the mental vision is filled, and God disap- 
 pears from view. Tlius the Hindus are unwilling to acknowledge a complete 
 sacrifice, as too humiliating to the conception of the mass of people, much the 
 same way that the Jews looked for the appearance of the Messiah as an earth- 
 ly king, corne to relieve them with pomp and splendour, and rejected the low 
 state of their real Messiah. Hence the Hindoos bring about no less than ten 
 separato incarnations of their Krishna, to keep up the delusion of his ulti- 
 mate reappearance in much grandeur ; whereas their system of theology 
 would have been more complete had it rested solely on the one incarnation, 
 represented as that which began at the Aheer, or cowherd’s house. This 
 theory of their’s constitutes the points where the analogy between the Chris- 
 tian plan of redemption as compared with their’s ceases, and more plainly 
 than anything else, proves the perversion of the doctrine’s imparted to them 
 by the Christians who came to India nine centuries ago. We have the autho- 
 rity of the Rev 7 . Krishno Mohun Bannerjee, the author of the Dialogues on the 
 Hindoo Philosophy in support of this very fact ; who states that: 
 
 “ In the eighth or ninth century, it was in the South India that the 
 Brahrninical genius was in those days most active, as is apparent from the 
 history ol Sankaracharya,' Ramanuja, and their followers. Largo congrega- 
 tions of Christians calling themselves alter the name of St. ’Thomas, had, for 
 some centuries bofore the formation of the Vaishnava sects, been maintaining 
 the great sacrifice for sin. It is not at all improbable that some enterprising 
 Brahmins had fallen in with them, and struck by the doctrine in question, 
 made use of it in giving it a more imposing character to their popular god 
 Krishna.” 
 
 Again Dr. Sakes in bis Preface, page 6, illustrates the posi- 
 tion which his researches have left him in : — 
 
 1. “ The early families of the Earth possessed an unwritten but definite 
 
 knowledge of the Great Jehovah, and His requirements of the race, morally 
 and spiritually. 
 
2. The. Old Testament records were disseminated and translated through- 
 out the ancient world, and furnished the basis of all law and religion. 
 
 3. The leading facts in Hindoo religions lore, divested of the fanciful, 
 sod the obscene with which age, superstition, and perverted imagination 
 have clothed them, are the leading facts of Holy Writ. 
 
 4. In the same way the sculpture in Hindoo temples was originally 
 pure, chaste and lofty in conception, embodying elements which were eleva- 
 ting and noble. 
 
 5. Oi iginallv. the intention on the part of those sages who wore the 
 early founders of Hindooi.sm in tho erection of sculptured representations of 
 Deity, was a pure and legitimate one, viz, in tho absence ot any permanent 
 and enduring ntemoi ial of holy things, arising from the scarcity, aud perish- 
 able nature of written MSS., to erect enduring monuments, illustrative of 
 the leading personages of the Ilible, and icpresenting the leading features 
 and characteristics of such personages. 
 
 6. Their intention was also, further, to present to the lower and un- 
 learned masses a tangible, visible, representation of Deity. 
 
 7. Jjater ages had diminished the force and purity of those original 
 sculptures by the addition of puciile and vulgar supplements, which were 
 calculated to gratify the carnal and degraded nature of the masses. 
 
 8. The original intention of the representations in the course of time 
 was forgotten and obscured by such innovations, and the pure being render- 
 ed impure, the priests directed the worship of those sculptures which origi- 
 nally were uut intended to be worshipped. 
 
 9. Notwithstanding these fearful corruptions of the primary, pure and 
 legitimate representations of Deity, and the leading Biblical characters, they 
 yet retain many redeeming features, which, separated from the additions, 
 furnish plain aud inefi agible testimony in favor of tise Truth of Holy Writ. 
 
 10. The Apostles of Christ, who are known to have disseminated reli- 
 gious truth throughout the entire known world of that time, communicated 
 such truths also to Eastern lands. 
 
 11. Such knowledge became also, in course of time, appropriated by 
 unscrupulous and designing men, who, aware of the purity and power of the 
 spotless holy life of Jesus Christ, introduced a character whom they named 
 Krishna who was represented to have lived and performed deeds similar to 
 those which Jesus Christ performed.” 
 
 I now quote Sir Monier Williams, a high European autho- 
 rity on the subject. In his work on Indian Wisdom, (4th 
 
 D 
 
26 
 
 Edition of 1893), Sir Monier Williams in a foot note on Page 131, 
 says : 
 
 “ Dr. Lortiiser, expanding the views of Professor Weber, and others con- 
 cerning the influence of Christianity on the legends of Krishna, thinks that 
 many of the sentiments of the Bhagavad-git.a have been directly borrowed 
 from the New Testament, copies of which he thinks, found their way into 
 India about the third century, when he believes the poem to have been writ- 
 ten. He even adopted the theory of a parallel in the names of Christ and 
 Krishna. He seems, however, to forget that fragments of truth are to be found 
 in all religious systems, however false, and that the Bible, though a true reve- 
 lation, is still in regard to the human mind, thiough which the thoughts are 
 transferred, a thoroughly Oriental book cast in an Oriental mould, and full 
 of oriental ideas and expressions. Some of his comparisons seem mere coin- 
 cidences of language, which might occur quite naturally and independently, 
 lu other cases, where ho draws attention to coincidences of ideas — as, for ex- 
 ample, the division of the sphere of self-control into thought, word, aud deed 
 in Chap. XVII. 14-16 (fee., and of good works into prayer, fasting, aud alms 
 giving — how could these be borrowed from Christianity, when they are also 
 found in Mauu, which few will place later than the fifth century B. C. ?” 
 
 Let me give another quotation from Sir Monier Williams’ 
 work, Page 141 : — 
 
 “ To any one who has followed me in tracing the outline of this remarkable 
 philosophical dialogue, and has noticed the numerous parables it offers to pass- 
 ages in our sacred scriptures, it may seem strange that I hesitate to concur in 
 any theory which explains these coincidences by supposing that the author has 
 had access to the New Testament or that he derived some of his ideas from the 
 first propagators of Christianity. Surely it will be conceded that the probabili- 
 ty of the contact and interaction between Gentile systems and the Christian 
 religion in the first two centuries of our era must have been greater in Italy 
 than in India. Yet, if we take the writings and recorded sayings of the three 
 great Roman philosophers, Seueca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius, we shall 
 find them full of resemblances to passages in our scriptures, while there ap- 
 pears to bo no ground whatever for supposing that these eminent Pagan wri- 
 ters, and thinkers derived any of their ideas from either Jewish or Christian 
 sources. Tn fact, the Rev. F. W. Farrar, in his interesting and valuable 
 work, ‘ Seekers after God,’ has clearly shewn that ' to say that Pagan mora- 
 lity kindled its faded taper at the Gospel light whether furtively or uncon- 
 sciously, that it dissembled the obligation and made a boast of the splendour, 
 as if it wero originally her own, is to make an assertion wholly untenable.’ 
 lie points out that the attempts of the Christian Futheis to make out Pytha- 
 goras a debtor to Hubraio wisdom. Platt) an Altioisnug Moses, Aiislotle a 
 
picker np of Ernies from a Jew, Seneca a correspondent of St. Paul, were due 
 * iu some cases to ignorance, and in some to a want of perfect honesty in con- 
 troversial dealing.’ 
 
 “ His arguments would be even more conclusive if applied to the llhaga- 
 vad-gita, the author of which was probably contemporaneous with Seneca. It 
 must, indeed, be admitted that, the flashed of true light, which emerge from 
 the mists of pantheism in the writings of Indian philosophers, must spring 
 from the same source of light as the Gospel itself; but it may reasonably be 
 questioned whether there could have been any actual contact, of tho Hindu 
 systems with Christianity without a more satisfactory result in tho modifi- 
 cation of pantheistic and ante-Chi istian ideas.” 
 
 In this connection I will refer my readers for further inform- 
 ation to the learned introduction of Dr. J. Muir in his work, 
 “ Metrical Translations from Sanskrit Writers” published by 
 Trubner & Co., Ludgate Hill, 1879. 
 
 The late Rev. Dr. Krishna Mohan Banerjea says in his Lec- 
 ture on the Relation between Christianity and Hinduism. 
 
 “lit. That the fundamental principles of Christian doctrine in relation to the 
 salvation of the world find a remarkable counterpart in Vedic principles of pri- 
 mitive Hinduism in relation to the destruction of sin, and the redemption of 
 the sinner by the efficacy of Sacrifice, itself a figure of Prajapati, the Lord and 
 Saviour of the creation, who has given himself up as an offering for that pur- 
 pose. 
 
 2 udly. That the meaning of “ Prajapati ” an appellative variously des- 
 cribed as a Parasha begotten in the beginning, .as Visvakarma, the creator of 
 all, singularly coincides with the meaning of the name and offices of the his- 
 torical reality of Jesus Christ, and that no other person than Jesus of Nazareth 
 has ever appeared in the world claiming the character and position of the 
 selt-saci ifieing Prajapati , at the same time both mortal and immortal.” 
 
 ****** 
 
 “The Vedas foreshew the Epiphany of Christ. The Vedas shed a peculiar 
 light upon that dispensation of Providence which brought Eastern sages to 
 worship Christ long before the Westerns had even heard of him.” 
 
 “The Christian, with the wide sympathy which invites him to invite all 
 nations to the faith of Christ, can only rejoice that the Jesus of the Gospels 
 responds to the self-sacrificing Prajapati of t lie Vedas, and that the evange- 
 list’s chief woik will be to exhibit, before l»is neighbours, and fellow subjects, 
 the true A.rk of salvation — that true “ vessel of sacrifice by which we may 
 
pscape all sin. ’ He will only liave to exhibit, for the faith of the Hindus the 
 leal personality of the title Prusha “ begotten brim e tlie win his” mortal and 
 yet divine, “ whose shadow, whose death is iinmorta lity itself.” 
 
 1 he tolerant Hindu, on the other hand, who has in so many depart- 
 ments of knowledge shewn his aptitude for the jvadv reception of truth un- 
 der any gai b, and from any quartet* especially where its rudiments are cog- 
 nizable in the ancient systems of his own country, who recognize in the Prut- 
 cijiia the perfect development of the elementary conception ot " Akarsnana” in 
 the iS iddhantci Siromuni , aud who can look proudly on Newton carrying out t he 
 principles of Bhaskaracharya, cannot find any difficulty, any national humili- 
 ation, in acknowledging the historical ‘ Jusus’ of the New Testament, to cor- 
 respond to the ideal Prajapati of the Veda, and to strengthen the not •ner stone 
 of the Yedic system, however corrupted by the impure accretions of ages, am' 
 disfigured by the rubbish of ignorance and caste craft.” 
 
 We have hitherto dwelt on the researches of scholars with- 
 out coming to a satisfactory conclusion whether the Hindus de- 
 rived their legends of Krishna from Christian sources, or it is 
 a self-evolution of Hindu thought. Let us however see what 
 we can further learn from the light of symbology. 
 
 The Hindus have personified the all pervading and preser- 
 ving energy of the divine nature under the designation of Vishnu. 
 He is represented in blue color seated on a Ganula ‘ Eagle’ with 
 four arms. In the hands of the two raised arms lie holds the 
 shank or shell, and the Chakram or Disc, and one of the hands 
 of the two lower arms is raised, and the other lowered. 
 
 The Shank, symbolizing knowledge or logos was originally 
 a five pointed star, (panchakshara) pentalpha, and the Disc a 
 Cross first* and then a double triangle (shadaksham) and now a 
 wheel. The raised hand and the lowered hands of the two 
 lower arms are named Abhayam and Varadam respectively sig- 
 nifying protection and the granting of one’s desires. Garuda re- 
 presents the Veda, the true knowledge. The bird is Also shewn 
 in the attitude of pecking at a snake. When the whole aspect of 
 the figure is studied it symbolises the very truth that God is 
 
 A specimen of it is to be seen am Dug sculptures at the Madras Museum. 
 
love* lie is the only one who is able to grant our wants and to 
 protect, shelter, and save man from his enemy the devil, serpent, 
 and with him the knowledge of redemption and of salvation of 
 mankind rests; or in plainer terms there is only one God, a crucified 
 Saviour through whom alone the knowledge of redemption and 
 salvation is to be obtained. This is what we learn from the 
 Vaishnava source ; let us now see what we can further learn 
 from Saiva symbolism. 
 
 Ganapati ((»7o«r=host, pu//=lord), though he is much mis- 
 represented and misunderstood by Hindus, yet tea’ches a great 
 deal of truth through his symbolism. He is represented as 
 having a pot-shaped belly, seated on a rat, with an Elephant’s 
 head, and four arras. In the hands of one he holds anJcusa, a 
 goad, in the other a cord, in the third a book, and in the fourth 
 a broken tusk as a style. The pot-shaped belly represents the 
 world ; the rat, vice and corruption undermining the world ; with 
 the style he records all good and bad acts, and with his 
 winnow-shaped ears, he fans off or separates the chaff from the 
 grain ; with the goad he keeps down and suppresses all unbe- 
 coming thoughts and passions ; with the cord he draws his 
 chosen, and with the trunk, he raises them up into heaven ; 
 in this struggle to dispel the illusion of the world, he has 
 broken one of his tusks, which he afterwards utilizes as a style 
 to record events. This is certainly a prophetic allegory im- 
 plying that gigantic efforts are requisite to release man from 
 the grasp of Satan and to raise him from his fallen condition. 
 
 Again, let us ascertain what the important mystic syllable 
 Om teaches. This is generally known as pranava mantram or 
 Ekalishara. It is composed of three letters, A-U-M. Ac- 
 cording to the rules of conjunction, A plus U=0 ; therefore 
 O plus M becomes OM. These three letters not only repre- 
 sent the creative, preservative and annihilative energies of the 
 
 * Swami Vivekananda says in his Paper ou Hinduism as a Religion, read before the 
 Parliament of Religions in Chicago, 1893. “ This is the doctrine of love preached in the 
 
 Vedas, and let ns see hovr it is fully developed and preached by Krishna, whom the Hin- 
 dus believe to have been God incarnate on earth. ” 
 
30 
 
 Divine nature (Brahma, Vishnu and Siva) but also A — Adi, 
 ‘beginning,’ U —AntarbJmtam, ‘the indwelling spirit,’ M = Ant am, 
 ‘the end’ ; thus when read together they collectively mean I am 
 Alpha and Omega and the Holy Spirit— thus giving a clear idea 
 of the Trinity. 
 
 Perhaps I may be asked, since you have so far pointed out 
 the three symbolisms as above shewn in illustration of the gene- 
 ral plan of salvation and of the nature of the Triune-God or the 
 Undivided Trinity agreeing with that of Christians, what about 
 the atonement of Christ ? 
 
 It is well known that Christ existed before creation and his 
 Cross represents creation. This foreshadow is cast in the per- 
 son of Vrat from whom the Purusha originated ; and this origi- 
 nator is Visvalcarma, who offered himself a sacrifice as the Pra- 
 japati to redeem his fallen creatures. Now let us see if we can 
 further trace anything about it in the symbology of the Hindus. 
 
 The sign of the Cross adorns the floor and frontage of every 
 Hindu dwelling in the form of Kolams in the execution of which 
 every Hindu woman delights in excelling. These crosses are 
 of various forms and patterns, among them one is known as 
 Krishna’s cradle. In the centre of this lcolam there is a Cross 
 of Hindu pattern on which the five points are clearly depicted. 
 
 The wedding square of the Pavilion raised for the occasion 
 is also adorned with a kolam of cross pattern in the centre of 
 which, the Yajnyam or sacrifice is offered. The high priests 
 are installed on a bed of rice marked with the sign of the Cross. 
 The sacred fire places are also made after the pattern of the 
 Cross. The wedding token known as Tali worn around the neck 
 of Hindu married women is not only suspended as a Cross but 
 the jewel actually bears on its reverse the emblem of a Cross sur- 
 rounded with the rays of glory. Above all the ceremony of 
 
01 
 
 Vpanayanam for the investiture of the sacred thread (Yajnopa. 
 mtam*) reveals the whole truth. 
 
 The spot of ground selected for the ceremony is nicely 
 swept and cleaned and the kolam known as manakkolam is drawn. 
 This is done in the shape of a Preceptor’s Cross arranged in a 
 double row. On the western row of the Cross the candidate 
 with his parents are seated in the order of father, son and 
 mother facing the East and on the Eastern row the officiating 
 priest with his assistants. The candidate with his parents go 
 through the ceremony of bathing before they present themselves 
 at the Cross. On the upper limb of the Cross some rice is spread 
 on which a double triangle is drawn over which three kalasams 
 or vases are placed and between these a cocoanut is inserted in 
 the centre representative of the undivided Trinity. On the low- 
 er limb of the Cross some rice is likewise spread over which a 
 five-pointed star (pentalpha) is drawn. The sacrifice is made 
 on the square centre of the Cross at the junction of the horizon- 
 tal with the perpendicular portion of the Cross after which the 
 candidate holding a branch of Ficus Religiosa as a staff in his 
 hand to support him from sin is duly initiated and invested with 
 the sacred thread, and the secret communicated in a whisper 
 under the cover of a silk cloth. Originally the skin of (Kriskna- 
 Mrigam) a Deer was used to envelope the candidate to represent 
 jarayuov the Uterus; the thread symbolises the umbilical cord and 
 thus the term dvijan or ‘twice born’ has come into use denoting 
 regenerated or spiritual birth in contradistinction to the natural 
 or carnal birth. A portion of saudhyavandanain prayer com- 
 municated to the candidate (Kavacchayi netratraydyushat dig - 
 bandha digvimochaka) attended with the shew of their respec- 
 tive signs which proves the act of crucifixion and which some 
 have admitted to me as such. The portion of the prayer allu- 
 ded to makes mention of the crossing of the arms, closing of the 
 eyes, and of being bound and released, and the fact of ascension 
 
 * “ YajnopovitumparamaiHpavitru.nl; prajapateryat sahajam purastat.” 
 
 “ Yajnopuvita is high and sacred ; it was born with Prajapati, of old.” 
 
is also shewn. A person possessing a sufficient knowledge of 
 masonry has only to witness the ceremony to comprehend it. At 
 the closing of every offering or prayer known as tarpanam the 
 phrase Srikrishna Narayana is pronounced both by Sivites and 
 Vishnuvites just as Christians conclude their prayers in the 
 name of Christ. In this ceremony of Upanayanam , on a closer 
 study, it will be learnt that both the baptism of water and of 
 fire is emblematically represented. Thus we not only trace the 
 analogy that exists between primitive Hinduism and the Christi- 
 an plan of salvation but those of the atonement of Christ as well 
 in an emblematic form. From these circumstances alone one will 
 be disposed to declare that primitive Hinduism is The Religion 
 of the Cross. 
 
 Now with reference to the earliest mention of Krishna. 
 According to the Hindu writings, the incarnation of Krishna is 
 stated to have occurred about the termination of the Dvapara 
 Yurja, and after his death the present Kaliyuga to have com- 
 menced. European oriental scholars fix the date about 350 
 years B. C. But according to Lassen, Krishna, as an object 
 of worship, did not come into existence till the fifth cen- 
 tury. Perhaps this point will remain disputable until sufficient 
 evidence is adduced to prove that the period of Krishna’s incar- 
 nation has been ante-dated by the Brahmin priesthood just as 
 the commencement of the Anno Domini has been post-dated by 
 Christian chronologists. 
 
 Professor Max Muller places the Sutra period at about 500 
 B. C., the Mantra period from 800 to 1,000 B. C., and the 
 Chhanda period from 1,000 to some unknown and indefinite time. 
 The collection and arrangement of the Vedas took place accord- 
 ing to some about 1,300 B. C., and according to others about 
 1,450 B. C. 
 
 There arc two points to be considered with reference to the 
 periods mentioned. The date of incarnation of Krishna is fixed 
 at about 350 years B. C., and allusion to the self-sacrifice of the 
 
no 
 
 O-J 
 
 Pmjapali occurs in the Vedas, the compilation of which is said 
 to have taken place fifteen centuries l>. C. Krishna’s legends 
 are spoken of in the literature of all the Hindu languages — a 
 point that requires to be taken into consideration to decide 
 whether such a thing could be possible if Brahmins have bor- 
 rowed t he idea from Christian sources, for in that case, it would 
 not have been possible for tin* authors of literature of other ver- 
 naculars to have done the same. 
 
 It should be borne in mind that Hindu writers have as a 
 rule traced every source of knowledge as emanating from the 
 Deity and they have invariably affixed dates to them the remo- 
 test period of antiquity possible. It is also believed that Vyasa 
 could not have compiled the then known Vedas in their entirety 
 and that interpolations and perversions of texts have also taken 
 place from time to time since Vyasa’s period. There had been 
 originally, it is said, five Vedas one of them named Prana re 
 Veda in has apparently been destroyed or allowed to disappear. 
 
 Hindus are not on the whole prepared to acknowledge that 
 they have received their doctrines from the Christians or from 
 any other sources. They on the contrary, go so far as to say that 
 their mystical teachings and doctrines have travelled from India 
 to Egypt where Moses obtained his materials for the Old Testa- 
 ment. Some of the observances and practices of the Jews have 
 their counterpart in India. Some of the feasts observed by 
 Hindus are traceable to occurrences mentioned in the Holy Writ. 
 For instance, the feast of SanJcranti which is now observed by 
 Hindus as [larvest-feast was, I believe, originally intended to 
 commemorate the Xoachiau deluge. It appears that Xva h and 
 his party after landing on shore from the ark, lit a fire to warm 
 themselves as the day was very cold and cloudy, as well as to 
 dry their clothes, and the thought of having lost so many of 
 their kith and kin by the great deluge made them lament 
 and weep over the calamity ; this day has become the Bo<jh r 
 festival of the Hindus. On the second day of landing the sky 
 
 £ 
 
34 
 
 cleared and the sun became clearly visible and as a thank-offer- 
 ing, they cooked the grains they had, offered the food to the 
 Sun and the party ate it. This day has come to be known as 
 Pongal which is kept up by the Hindus with great mirth and 
 joy; On the third day the cattles were allowed to graze, and 
 the day has become known as Mattu^pmgai day, and on the 
 fourth day, the calves were allowed to go with their mother 
 cows, and that day is now celebrated as the Kannoo-pongal day. 
 The annual festival of Thiriilcartigai Drpam celebrated on the 
 Tiruvannamalai Mountain on which a large fire is lit up with 
 splendid blaze is in commemoration of the Most High having 
 appeared to Moses in a burning bush. The feast of JJipauali is 
 in commemoration of the slaying of a giant named Nardsura ; 
 this is, perhaps, in allusion to Goliath having been slain by David. 
 There are also some Indian terms such as Togai etc., in the 
 Hebrew Bible and the modern researches unfold that some of 
 the places mentioned in the Old Testament are now traceable to 
 certain ports on the Western Coast, Kerala. The temple of Chi- 
 dambaram is admitted to be a Shrine of Solomon. The Artifi- 
 cers and Masons who built the Temple of Solomon are also be- 
 lieved to have been sent from India. These and other circum- 
 stantial evidences go to confirm that there has been, at least, at 
 one time close intercommunication between Hindus and Jews. 
 The followers of Zoraster also point out to certain sentiments 
 in the Old Testament as having been borrowed from them by 
 the Jews. 
 
 Though the early narrative of the fall of Adam and Eve by 
 the guile of a serpent and the account of them having worn fig 
 leaves do not occur in Hindu writings yet that very truth is ex- 
 hibited all over India, by the planting of A ram (Ficus Keligi- 
 osa) and Vemlm (Margosa) plants together and placing a sculp- 
 tured stone snake at their base. Here the whole truth is sym- 
 bolised in a most effectivo way though the truth has been for- 
 gotten, yet the priesthood is very solicitous in getting well-to- 
 do parties to undertake the celebration of the wedded union of 
 
these two plants which represent according to their traditions 
 “fecundity and prosperity”* The plant Arasu represents Adam 
 and the Mnrgosa, Eve, and the stone sculptured snake, the ser- 
 pent which tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit in the gar- 
 den of Eden. The practice of Hindus decking their girl babies 
 with a jewel of the shape of the leaf of Arasu o 
 
 is itself in acknowledgment of our original parents having worn 
 fig leaves. Arasu signifies king and the Margosa plant is dedica- 
 ted to Mari, the goddess of death ; the plant is very bitter, which 
 goes to signify that Eve under the crafty-device of the serpent 
 has brought the bitterness of death into the world. This sym- 
 bolic representation of the union of Adam and Eve has become 
 a phase of worship among the Hindus. 
 
 The Hindu written records are also silent about Man being 
 made in the image of his Maker as this admission perhaps will 
 not tally with the teaching that Brahmin was born from the 
 face of Brahma. Yet the truth occurs in a mystified syllable 
 of five letters <* w & eur iu used as devotional prayer with the 
 
 Na ma si m ya 
 
 prefix, Om : — 
 
 Na means two legs, Ma is the stomach, 
 
 Si is two arms, Va is the mouth, 
 
 Ya is two eyes, and why they both were made 
 ISo out of five letters we see Sivayam 
 Agreeable, beautiful standing.! 
 
 * It is not loug ago that Lord and Lady Wetiloek planted these two plants together 
 at the request of Itajuh Sir Saraiay Kamusawiuy Mudaliyar iu the compound of his choul- 
 try (ttesc House for Travellers) lately' erected by our woithy citizen who is becoming 
 known through his extensive charities us the “ Peabody” of Madras. 
 
 t See Page 174, The Folk Songs of Southern India by Charles E. Cover. 
 
 KsUa&j apnQ auetijSStriL/ msQiisrp tosua j su u5l p $ 1 iu r 
 @SUa3g SKldi (%$ IT Stroll ILJ? Sh&JcOJ SWTIU&.r 
 
 tusueQti ctntQ <t>ssx sxa uui-offt a ; a soot sj 
 
 QfsvsSl QtLi.Tf’ tl oir jdQ$ &^J,u uotnmi (cl j; Lpj jgj(d id. 
 
This very word Xamnsl.raya is traceable not only to the (irst 
 Adam but equally to the second Adam, the incarnate Son. (Cf. 
 St. John 1-1. In the beginning- was the Word, and the word 
 was with God and the Word was God, -14. And the word was 
 made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the 
 glory as of only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth.) 
 
 It is admitted by Hindus that long before J 'yasa compiled 
 the Vedas, a party of ancient Masons, known under the 
 terms of Visva Brahmins, Deva Brahmins and JJeva Kaniina - 
 lavs who are supposed to be the descendents of 1 is t ? alcanna en- 
 tered India by crossing the Panjab, It is by these Masonic 
 Brahmins, that the several sculptures were introduced, which 
 are admitted by Ur. Sakes as the divine truths in then- 
 purest form and are the leading facts of the Holy writ. This 
 party of Masons is supposed to have travelled all over the world, 
 and perhaps the Architect who built the temple at Jerusalem is 
 one of the Chief of that party. The founder of Jerusalem is 
 traceable in the Hindu writings as an Aryan King named Pains. 
 
 There is also a well-founded tradition in India that Sage 
 Bhoga went over to Europe and the races inhabiting that con- 
 tinent are supposed to be his descendents. Europa is said to be 
 the daughter of Brahma. At least this goes to show the origi- 
 nal relationship that existed between the people of the East with 
 those of the West. 
 
 This sage Bhoga was a member of the Antient. Masonic 
 community of India. He was also acquainted with the art of 
 healing, and was particularly skilled in Surgery. In his works, 
 us an artificer, on metals, lie symbolises the Metals as follows 
 
 Gold as the Mother of the Earth, Mary 
 Lead as the Prince of darkness 
 Copper (the sun) as the Sanctifier 
 Iron as the Holy Spirit 
 Zinc and Silver as Jesus Christ 
 PeWter as God, the Father. 
 
o / 
 
 The following is the text in Tamil — 
 
 it (ffjsy Soil jd s,/a3LDgjj <.30 S m.u — ( jy txnioa;-(J,x./9j 
 
 mai/i/i e&i &, i if iULo ^uui on i 0 l — 
 
 Q<‘T0aiy« ! o37 ( 'D Q&U UjfrlaljUi Oi^iLj LDil ,0iX ((Vjifl iUo3T ) 
 
 ^j^SjSoirjD J?0 aynty tC7 0 t — oUJui') 
 
 ft 6 Z 1 V) Rt+ID'gp J^BIIU (^C olUJi) 
 
 S- iFfSuisjr QousbofPiLnt) £ip i ssz u_ <^)(cLn. -—^i9 j>n'j ((%ui &ii S 3 ctaid ) .) 
 
 There is also a prophecy current among Indian Masons, 
 that Visvakarma, the Architect of the Universe, will appear in 
 the world as Prajapnti, the Lord of creatures, and after civili- 
 sing Europe, he will return to this land with all the reform and 
 discoveries of the West to establish his sovereignty over this 
 peninsula. 
 
 There is also a tradition current in Southern India that 
 the Divine Artificer is the Priest of the world and the Lord 
 who rides over the clouds * 
 
 I have hitherto endeavoured to put forth matters relating to 
 theories both for and against the supposition whether Hindus 
 are indebted to divine truths to Christian sources or not. My 
 readers are at liberty to think, reflect and judge for themselves. 
 
 When the subject is studied with an unprejudiced mind, it 
 goes to prove that there was, and there is from the beginning- 
 only one source of Light which pointed as the guiding star of 
 our saving Faith. This truth was promulgated by our ancients 
 in an imperishable form by a party of divinely inspired Masons 
 who have sculptured the divine truths, on rocks, and not on the 
 sands of time.f This party who came to India on and after 
 the separation from the original stock of the human family 
 have communicated these truths in a prophetic form and through 
 prophetic symbols. Mr. Duffield in his work “on the Prophe- 
 cies” p. 226 , says, — 
 
 * “ &LLLC>r31TolW jjg35^00 Q> LA Z6UT aotfl ill .” 
 
 t All the liberal arts ami sciences were once the monopoly of the Masonic bodies. 
 
38 
 
 “ The iniiumei able nature of the thing which is used as a symbol, forms 
 a better representative then the changing character of the words which de- 
 note that tiring. It matters not how much living languages may change, or 
 how much the sound of words, which express things, may vary, if we under- 
 stand the thing, the thing itself is the same, and stands art immutable sym- 
 bol, much to be preferred as a representative of thought to naked, unfigura- 
 tive language. What we thus say of one is true of every symbol, and there- 
 fore the definite and fixed import of symbolical language renders it the best 
 and fittest vehicle of prophecy.” 
 
 Mr. Duffield quotes Mr. Faber, as saying, “The language 
 of symbols, being purely a language of ideas, is, in one respect, 
 more perfect than any varied language ever known and employ- 
 ed : it possesses the varied elegance of synonyms without the 
 obscurity which springs from the use of ambiguous terms.” 
 
 Let us then be contented to study from the sculptured mo- 
 numents of truth bequeathed to us by our ancients, and not al- 
 ways from perishable and ever varying interpretations of writ- 
 ten documents. It is certain that the early families of the Earth 
 possessed an unwritten but definite knowledge of the great 
 Jehovah, and his requirements of the race morally and spiritu- 
 ally, and that the divinely inspired party of Masons who sepa- 
 rated and travelled throughout the world implanted, and illus- 
 trated the divine truths in the edifices built by them. The re- 
 cent researches of savants in connection with the Great Pyramid 
 of Egypt bring us to the miraculous discovery of this very truth. 
 This Great Miracle in stone is supposed to have been built in 
 2170 B. C., and the researches and study of Professor Piazzi 
 Smith, the Astronomer Royal of Scotland, combined with those 
 of other savants in connection with this monument brought to 
 light from its symbolism the truths of Christianity — in fact all 
 the incidents related in the Old and New Testaments, besides 
 proving that in substance it contains all the scriptural treasure 
 from the beginning to the end of the world along with Astrono- 
 mical and other Scientific truths. From these and others facts 
 we are led to conclude Primitive Hinduism which corresponds 
 closely with Christian truths has been introduced by antient 
 
Masons of India and the import of their sculptured monuments 
 since coming under the custody and management of a wily 
 priesthood, the descendents ofVasishta, the purity and teachings 
 which this Masonic School taught ivere lendeied impure, mys- 
 tified, and perverted by adding innovations of their own. I 
 would therefore, for the purpose of distinction define Primitive 
 Hinduism and Revelation, Masonry, and the current and popular 
 religion of the Hindus, Braiimimsm. 
 
 Masonry is believed to be co-eval with creation and the 
 Masonic Light constitutes the religious instinct of the world by 
 pointing out the Saving Truth to redeem mankind from its fallen 
 condition. The rays of this saving true light have been divert- 
 ed and even perverted into several religious systems by man 
 under the sacred garb of the Priest. Just as a ray of a pure 
 white light when seen through the medium of a prism in a dark 
 chamber become decomposed and appear as if it is made of seven 
 different colours thus by man’s ignorance, inclination and pre- 
 judice the world has now become filled with so many man-made 
 spurious religious systems like quackery in the practice of medi- 
 cine, or in other words the world abounds with quack doctors 
 for the healing of the ailments of the body and soul. To make 
 my meaning more explicit, let me narrate an illustration. A 
 certain medicinal drug was known to be a sovereign remedy for 
 all ills our flesh is heir to and for the cure of which the whole 
 plant was originally administered in an appropriated form by 
 the Physician who discovered it. In course of time the virtue 
 of that drug became established and the people themselves be- 
 gan to resort to it directly. But the Pharmaceutists fearing 
 that their livelihood was likely to be interfered with, one Drug- 
 gist selected the root of the plant and converted it into an Infu- 
 sion, a Decoction or Tincture with other adjincts to disguise it. 
 Another took up the bark and made a similar use of it ; a third 
 either used the fresh juice of the leaves or made an extract of 
 it ; the fourth used the flowers as a confection, and the fifth, 
 converted the seeds into an Electuary. Thus each Druggist or 
 
40 
 
 Practitioner tried to pass of these preparations under spurious 
 names to hide the secret from the world in order that each may 
 thrive. In a similar manner one may reasonably conclude that 
 the several spurious religious systems of the world have come 
 into existence by the wily man-made inventions under the Sac- 
 red disguise of a priestly inst itution and thereby detain a certain 
 number of followers to each Creed, under the firm belief of their 
 faith in it, just as many people still continue to resort to quacks, 
 instead of availing themselves of the services of a well trained 
 Scientific Physician. 
 
 The conclusions which one could arrive at after due consi- 
 derations that all nations are the branches of one human family 
 and the languages they speak have also a common origin like- 
 wise their religious systems are traceable to one common source 
 or revelation. The earliest family of mankind on separating 
 from the original stock emigrated from place to place, settling- 
 in their course in places which were found convenient for their 
 purpose. Among each, party there must have been persons to 
 whom divine truths were known, and who in the absence of 
 written language sculptured those divine truths as prophetic 
 symbols on imperishable rocks for the guidance of future gene- 
 rations, and these divine truths became incorporated in the 
 national life of each isolated branch of the human family. Thus 
 the Old Testament consolidates the career and the history of 
 the National life of the Jews and the Malia Bharata of the 
 Hindus. 
 
 The branches of the human family in course of time, had to 
 localise and limit their settlement into a sacred shrine, and in 
 order to retain, and give currency to the divine truths they were 
 necessitated to fix upon a Mountain as the residence of the Most 
 Holy, and Rivers as their sacred streams which washes away 
 their sins. Thus Ave find Jerusalem as the Sacred City of the 
 Jews. Mountains of Lebanon, Olives, Sinai and others as their 
 Sacred Hills, River Jordon as tlicir Sacred River. Here in North 
 India, Benares as the Sacred City; Ganges as the Sacred River 
 
41 
 
 ami the range of Hymalayas as the Holy Mountain. Again in 
 South India, we have such mountains as Tripati as the sacred Hill 
 of the Vaishnuvites, and Tiruvannamalay and the Pulney Hills 
 as the Holy Mountains of the Saivites ; as for rivers we have the 
 Godavery, Krishna, Cavery &c. Thus, as time advanced and 
 letters were invented, literature came into vogue and each 
 place now boasts of a Sthala-puranam in which the local priest- 
 hood and the bard vied with each other to excel in proclaim- 
 ing and praising their favorite shrine as the only goal where 
 man could rest his soul. Unfortunately the families that colo- 
 nised India have not preserved the Divine truths committed to 
 them in their entirety, and having lost sight of them, the ordinary 
 masses of people had to rely upon their preceptors or the priest- 
 hood who, as the blind leaders of the blind, either designedly or 
 unconsciously brought the pure worship of the Most High to 
 flow into impure channels of polytheistic idolatrous worship. 
 Just as Christianity has become warped and twisted during the 
 past nineteen centuries, Hinduism has suffered a similar fate 
 under its priestly leaders and priestcraft. 
 
 As researches among written resources available have not 
 brought us to a satisfactory conclusion there is yet another 
 source left for future explorers to discover, I mean, the labours 
 of the archeological survey now employed in India. If their 
 efforts could bring to light that there existed sculptured monu- 
 ments illustrating the legends of Krishna long prior to Christian 
 Era the point now at issue could be easily decided in favor of 
 Hindu writings. There is an excellent sculpture of the kind on 
 the rocks at Mavalivaram known to Europeans as the ‘ Seven 
 Pagodas’ but the dates are variously fixed by European experts. 
 
 “ Mr. Fergussou writing of the Rathas states as his opinion that they 
 were “ carved by Hindus probably about 1,300 A. D.” The researches of Sir 
 W. Elliot led him to fix the era of the oldest Tamil inscription on the rocks 
 at Mavalivaram at the latter part of the 11th century and that of the rock ins- 
 cription at Saluvar Kuppam at the commencement of the 1 2th century.” 
 
 “The Rev. Mr. Taylor conjectures that the excavations and sculptures, 
 
 ¥ 
 
42 
 
 together with these older insniiptions w r eie Rpeomplislied in tlie sixteenth or 
 seventeenth century. Sir Wither Elliot on the other hand is of opinion that 
 they could not have been made Inter than the sixth century.* 
 
 As far as my researches go, I am convinced that Primitive 
 Hinduism is pure Masonry. This Masonic light has existed 
 irom t lie very Creation. The practices of the Saivites reveal 
 mysteries connected with both the garden of Eden and of the 
 garden of Gethsemane ; and the doctrines of the Vislniuvite 
 correspond with those of Christianity. When the whole is 
 studied with an unprejudiced mind under the guidance of the 
 Masonic light Saivaism will be admitted to be the religion of 
 the first Adam and Yaishnavism, the religion of the second 
 Adam; and the whole structure of Hinduism as it now ex- 
 ists if thoroughly weeded out of its parasitic growths and priest- 
 ly innovations will j r et reveal itself a purely Emblematic Church 
 ( Nidarsana Mandiram — 
 
 In a great many celebrated temples masonic emblems are em- 
 bedded or concealed under the Idols open for public wor- 
 ship. These emblems are generally engraved on a plate of 
 Metal of Copper, of Silver or of Gold. These are generally 
 squares, circles, triangles, and double triangles containing their 
 mystic letters within them. Even the Yogies assume in their 
 Asanams or attitudes of prayer, those of squares and compasses, 
 levels, triangles and double triangles, a clear proof of the sys- 
 tem being based on Masonry. The plate on which the Masonic 
 Emblems are engraved is called Yantram which the priesthood 
 has Tantramised (cunningly deviced) to pass off as mighty Man- 
 trams (Magic spells) of wonderful power either for good or evil 
 on their credulous worshippers for their personal aggrandise- 
 ment, besides impressing upon their minds that those Mantrams 
 are under the control of the priesthood, and therefore that the 
 Brahmin is their God. 
 
 It is also bkely that as Christ is prefigured in the Old Testa- 
 
 * See Cn.pt. M. W. Cair’s Descriptive anil Historioul Papers relating to i lie Seven Pa- 
 godas on the Cor&tnandttl Coast. 
 
roent, and ns the Great Pyramid of Egypt built in 21 7^ B. C. 
 portrays the prophetic Advent and Mission of the Son of Man, 
 the Hindu Masons who originated from the same source of light, 
 have also introduced the Saving Truth in their land as prophe- 
 tic symbols in the same manner as the Gospel was first preach- 
 ed in the East by St. John the Baptist, and afterwards spread 
 its divine influence to the West by the preachings of St. John 
 the Evangelist. These two are the patron saints of Masonry. 
 Thus according to the light of Masonry it is quite apparent, 
 that the saving truth existed before creation, it exists now, and 
 will continue to exist till the end of the world. This Light of 
 Truth has now become properly focussed into the saving truth 
 of Christianity. If we could study the other religious systems 
 we find tli is light penetrating them though its rays are diver- 
 gently scattered in them, thus we will find Buddhism to be 
 no other than the Ethical form of Christianity (Karmanushtami 
 Rakshal'am Mahornedanism to be the Epi- 
 
 curean form of Christianity ( lihotjaparayana Italafkakam ( Hui * 
 ua TiL/53r <7\35}Mif ) and the primitive Hinduism or Masonry to be 
 the Spiritual form (G nanannshfana Rahshakavi ,<sa) _jn ai,_7 nr 
 
 it and Yogaism, the Ascetic form of Christianity ( Yoga - 
 nnshtana Rahshaham f ?!tjr*T^7s{£t_Ts?jr and those of the 
 
 people of Europe of the Historical form of Christianity (Chari f- 
 niparayana Rakshahivi Jiau-rmiusaiir a From these it 
 will be conceded that there is only one Religion universal alike 
 to all nationalities, though the Priesthood is anxious to keep one 
 brother at enmity and at variance with one another by their 
 sectarian teachings. 
 
 The Architect who built the Great Pyramid of Egypt must 
 have been divinely inspired to introduce such a system of symbo- 
 logy twenty centuries before the Christian Era as to predict the 
 whole scriptural and scientific truths in this miracle of stone; in 
 the like manner it would have been possible for the Antient 
 Masons of India to have achieved the same. In illustration of 
 their prophetic skill I shall here state one or two instances. 
 
44 
 
 There is an inscription in the great Bull Temple of Tanjore to 
 the effect that after a sovereignty of fourteen Cholas, four Naidu 
 and twelve Mahratta Rulers that kingdom will pass into the 
 hands of the dominant power which has actually taken place.* 
 
 The other is “ the name of a well-known stanza, believed 
 to have been written during the period of a Tamil Dynasty in 
 Ceylon, foretelling as it is interpreted, a succession of different 
 foreign powers, and the final restoration of Native rule, in those 
 regions. It is as follows : — 
 
 (z psiicfoiTh (ajztriQ 5 ^Q^ 'ju6jsf}.nniuu 
 uinaSl djI.'fluLjGsaT — Lhsrn * sir 
 
 i&SSXI Q & IB & 6337 L-join i i & oB31 SS31 (o&fSIttl L—lSt 637 l-J 
 Lr>n(o&n guQ&'thj si/0'ii. 
 
 “ Tlie sacred edifices which the king Koolakottan reared, the Portuguese 
 will demolish, listen O King — after the reign of the cat-eyed, the red eyed, 
 and the smoke-eyed, O thou deer-eyed, the Vadnca will succeed. There is a 
 different version of the last line, hut it does not effect the general meaning — 
 the smoke-eyed are said to be the piesent dominant power/’t 
 
 So far the sculptured monuments left by antient Masons 
 retain the divine truths intact; it is only the literature of the 
 Hindus that differ as to their details. It strikes me that Hindu 
 writers have not been preserving the events in order or that they 
 have lost their recorded matter, and the present current litera- 
 ture as to their form of belief has been written from memory 
 just as their imagination and prejudices led them. There is a 
 clue traceable to this effect. It occurs in their writings, that 
 their Vedas were carried away by a demon named Iliranyakshah 
 and hid under the depth of the sea, for the recovery of which 
 Vishnu himself assumed the form of Matsya (=Icthus) the fish. 
 
 * /s.r^gyj 
 
 JJJ i5,T«37 0L_(Js37 Q 4- oOl T) i§l 691 s! Sbi) 0§JO 5 £>] 
 
 eu 6 jjSUQfj a aiwiiLi siiotnxjjULSu (B u / sir t$l ov Ly 
 ■w SfflColL II 1 7 \1oY7j LL3 &r t 
 
 t fc>ee Winslow’s Tamil Dictionary 
 
Perhaps this lias some allusion to the divine truths having been 
 carried away to other lands, and the importation of those truths 
 back across the sea into this land by the Messengers of the Savi- 
 our who, to the Western world, was known under the Greek 
 appellation of Icteius, the fish.* 
 
 It is evident anyhow that as Christ was the First-born of 
 all creation (Col. I. 15), His sacrifice was foreknown before 
 the foundation of the world (I Peter 1-20), that He was slain 
 from the foundation of the world (Rev. XIII. 8) and that the 
 Church is said to have been chosen in Him before the founda- 
 tion of the world (Eph. 1-4), His saving truth was fore-known 
 to the world though it lias been since forgotten. However the 
 Hindus still retain these truths in a crystallized form against all 
 the perverted teachings of their priesthood : it is therefore 
 plain that primitive revelation and the form of belief is 
 purely spiritual though they cannot boast of a reliable histori- 
 cal record, and that by the efforts of the people of the West, it 
 is becoming daily apparent that the lost records are being 
 brought back to them in the teachings of the Christ of History 
 as well as the restoration of the Light which travelled from the 
 East to their land, with compound interest. 
 
 Now it is left to the Hindus to compare notes with the Light 
 of Historical Christianity to adjust their differences and to own 
 Christ as their elder brother. He returns to them after a long 
 journey and sojourn in the West developed more powerfully 
 both physically and mentally as is natural to a prolonged resi- 
 dence in a colder region, clothed in the Western garb which 
 stands in the way of my Hindu brethren recognizing Him as 
 their Elder Brother, as they naturally expected to see him in 
 his oriental form and in his ascetic garb devoid of all worldly 
 embarassments. It will be therefore prudent on the part of 
 
 * I esous=Jesus. 
 
 Ch ristos=Christ. 
 
 Tli eou=God. 
 
 U ios=Son. 
 
 S oter=Saviour. 
 
 I CU TU U S— Jesus Christ, the sou of God. the Saviour. 
 
46 
 
 those engaged in the work of the Indian Vineyard to till, manure 
 and cultivate according to the nature of the soil in order to 
 bear fruit in abundance, otherwise not much success is likely 
 to attend the labours of the present bodies of Mission- 
 aries whose efforts, I am afraid, have been hitherto direct- 
 ed without the usual adjuncts requisite for complete suc- 
 cess. If sincere Christians will give up their sectarian differ- 
 ences, and study to adopt themselves to meet the spiritual cra- 
 vings of the people of the East, it should be their endeavour to 
 study the existing systems of beliefs of the children of this soil, 
 and with the aid of the information they possess about the Christ 
 of History to proceed to raise a true Eastern Church of Christ- 
 They will find in the land materials enough to enlighten them 
 further in the interpretation of the scripture, a portion of which 
 still remains a locked up treasure to an occidental mind. I am 
 certain, though the treasure has travelled away to the West, 
 yet its key is left behind, and by strenuous search that key will 
 be found in this land. 
 
 A true Eastern Church is all that is wanted to render 
 Christianity acceptable to the people of the East when the re- 
 turning light of our Saviour is sure to penetrate more power- 
 fully into the domiciles of the Hindus, instead of through the 
 present glimmering and much clouded light presented to them 
 through sectarian channels. It will be then alone, I am certain, 
 that our Elder Brother will be disclosed to them and to the whole 
 world in His natural state. He will be then left free to knock 
 at every door to find his entrance by pulling down every barri- 
 er raised against Him, and finally, dethrone the prince of dark- 
 ness from the face of this earth and enthrone himself as the 
 ruler of the whole universe, as he was at the beginning of its 
 creation. That, that time may soon arrive should be the prayer 
 of every soul, for says the Book of Revelation, Chap. XXII. 
 “ 12. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to 
 give every man according as his work shall be. 13. I am Alpha 
 and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 
 
47 
 
 14. Blessed nrr they that do his commandments, that they may 
 have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates 
 into the city.” Here I hope my Hindu brethren will be able to 
 recognise in the words, ‘ the lirst and the last,’ Adi-xeshan, and 
 in the phrase “enter in through the gates into the city,” 
 Dtra rakapuri&Megprised and revealed to them in their true im- 
 port and signification. 
 
 -CO- 
 
Explanation of Plate II. 
 
 Figure 1. 
 
 2 . 
 
 3 . 
 
 4 . 
 
 5 . 
 
 6 . 
 
 7 . 
 
 8 . 
 9 . 
 
 10 . 
 
 11 . 
 
 Vishnu. 
 
 Granapati 
 
 Transformations of the Chakram or Disc. 
 
 „ „ Shank. 
 
 „ „ Namam. 
 
 Krishna’s Cradle. 
 
 Manakkolam. 
 
 Tali or the wedding token. 
 
 Union of Ficus Religiosa (jjy a&) and Margosa (GouLl/) 
 with a Sculptured Snake. 
 
 Arai-mudi. 
 
 Man in the image of his Maker. 
 
c. rA LtTfi 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 r * 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EXTRACTS 
 
 FROM 
 
 THE TWO BABYLONS; 
 
 BY THE LATE 
 
 REV. ALEXANDER HISLOP, 
 
 OF EAST FREE CHUKCH, A li BKOATH . 
 
 Fifth Edition, 1873. 
 
 BRAHM. 
 
 The ancient Babylonians, just as the modern Romans, recognised 
 in words the unity of the Godhead; and, while worshipping innumerable 
 minor deities, as possessed of certain influence on human affairs, they 
 distinctly acknowledged that there was One infinite and Almighty Cre- 
 ator, supreme over all. Most other nations did the same. “ In the 
 early ages of mankind,” says Wilkinson in his “ Ancient Egyptians,” 
 “ the existence of a sole and omnipotent Deity, who created all things, 
 seems to have been the universal belief : and tradition taught men the 
 same notions on this subject, which, in later times, have been adopted 
 by all civilized nations.” “The Gothic religion,” says Mallet, “taught 
 the being of a supreme God, Master of the Universe, to whom all things 
 were submissive and obedient.” — (Tacit, de Morib. Germ.) The ancient 
 Icelandic mythology calls him “the Author of every thing that existeth, 
 the eternal, the living, and awful Being; the searcher into concealed 
 things, the Being that never changeth.” It attributeth to this deity 
 “ an infinite power, a boundless knowledge, and incorruptible justice.” 
 We have evidence of the same having been the faith of ancient Hindos- 
 tan. Though modern Hinduism recognises millions of gods, yet the 
 Indian sacred books show that originally it had been far otherwise. 
 Major Moor, speaking of Brahm, the supreme God of the Hiudoos, 
 says : — “ Of Him whose glory is so great, there is no image.” (Veda.) 
 He “ illumines all, delights all, whence all proceeded; that by which 
 they live when born, and that to which all must return.” (Veda.) In 
 the “ Institutes of Menu,” he is characterised as “ He whom the mind 
 alone can parceive ; whose essence eludes the external organs, who has 
 
 o 
 
oO 
 
 no visible parts, who exists from eternity .... the soul of nil 
 beings, whom no being can comprehend.” In these passages, there is 
 ■i tiace ot tin' existence ol Pantheism j but the very language employed 
 bears testimony to the existence among the Hindus at one period of a 
 far purer faith. 
 
 Nay, not merely had the ancient Hindoos exalted ideas of the no fu- 
 nd perleetions of God, but there is evidence that they were all aware 
 of the gracious character of God, as revealed in his dealings with a lost 
 and guilty world. This is manifest from the very name Brahm, appro- 
 priated by them to the one infinite and eternal God. There has been 
 a great deal of unsatisfactory speculation in regard to the meaning of 
 this name, but when the different statements in regard to Brahm are 
 carefully considered, it becomes evident that the name Brahm is just 
 the Hebrew Halim, with the digamma prefixed, which is very frequent 
 m Sanscrit words derived from Hebrew or Chaldee. Halim m Hebrew 
 signifies “ The merciful or compassionate one.” But Halim also signifies 
 the womb or the bowels, as the seat of compassion. Now we find such 
 language applied to Brahm, the one supreme God, as cannot be account- 
 ed for, except on the supposition that Brahm had the very same mean- 
 ing as the Hebrew Halim. Thus, we find the god Crishna, in one of the 
 Hindoo sacred books, when asserting bis high dignity as a divinity and 
 his identity with the Supreme, using the following words : “The great 
 Brahm is my womb, and in it 1 place my feet us, and from it is the pro- 
 creation of all nature. The great Brahm is the womb of all the various 
 forms which are conceived in every natural womb.” How could such 
 language ever have been applied to “The supreme Brahm, the most 
 holy, the most high God, the Divine being, before all other gods ; with- 
 out birth, the mighty Lord, God of gods, the universal Lord,” but from 
 the connection between Halim “ the womb,” and Halim “ the merciful 
 one 'l ” Here, then, we find that Brahm is just the same as “ Er-liahmau,” 
 “ The all-merciful one,” — a title applied by the Turks to the Most High, 
 and that the Hindoos, notwithstanding tlieir deep religious degradation 
 now, had once, known that “ the most holy, most high God,” is also “ the 
 God of Mercy,” in other words, that he is “ a just Lod and a Saviour.” 
 And proceeding on this interpretation of (he name Brahm, wo see how 
 exactly their religious knowledge as to the creation had coincided with 
 the account of the origin of all things, as given in Genesis, it is well 
 known that the Brahmins, to exalt themselves as a priestly lialf-divine 
 caste, to whom all others ought to bow down, have for many ages taught 
 that, while the other castes came from the arms, and body, and- feet of 
 
r> 1 
 
 Brahma — tho visible representative and manifestation of ‘the invisible 
 Brahtn, and ident ified with him — they alone came from the month of the 
 creative God. Now wo find statements in their sacred books which 
 prove that onre a very different doctrine must have been taught. Thus, 
 in one of the Vedas, speaking of Brahma, it is expressly stated that 
 “ai.l beings” “are created from his MOUTH.” In the passage in question 
 an attempt is made to mystify tho matter; but, taken in connection 
 with the meaning of the name Brahm, as already given, who can doubt 
 what was the real meaning of the statement, opposed though it be to 
 the lofty and exclusive pretensions of the Brahmins ? It evidently meant 
 that He who, ever since the fall, has been revealed to man as the 
 “Merciful and Gracious One” (Fxod. xxxiv. <>), was known at tho same 
 time as the Almighty One, who in tho beginning “spake and it was 
 done,” “ commanded and all things stood fast,” who made all things by 
 the “ II uni of his power.” After what has now been said, any one who 
 consults the “ Asiatic Researches,” vol. vii , p. 293, may see that it is 
 in a great measure from a wicked perversion of this divine title of the 
 One Living and True God, a title that ought to have been so dear to 
 sinful men, that all those moral abominations have come that make the 
 symbols of the pagan temples of India so offensive to tho eye of purity. 
 
 (pp. 22 — 20.) 
 
 VISHNU. 
 
 Vishnu is just the Sanskrit form of the Chaldee “ Tsh-nuh,” the 
 man Noah or the Man of rest. t (p. 219’. 
 
 t Wo find the very word Ish, “man" used in Sanskrit with the digam- 
 ma prefixed : Thus Vishampati, “ Lord of men.” See Wilson's India 3,000 
 years ago, p. 59. 
 
 THE DIVINE MOTHER. 
 
 That the birth of the Great Deliverer was to be miraculous, was 
 widely known long before the Christian era. For centuries, some say 
 for thousands of years before that event, the Buddhist priests had a 
 tradition that a Virgin was to bring forth a child to bless the world. 
 That this tradition came from no Popish or Christian source, is evident 
 from the surprise felt aud expressed by the -Jesuit missionaries, when 
 they first entered Thibet and China, and not only found a mother and a 
 child worshipped as at home, but that mother worshipped under a clui- 
 racter exactly corresponding with that of their own Madonna, “ Virgo 
 Dei para,” “ the Virgin mother of God,” and that, too, in regions where 
 
52 
 
 they could not find the least trace of either the name or history of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ having ever been kuown. The primeval promise 
 that the ” seed of the 'woman should bruise the serpent’s head/’ natu- 
 rallv suggested the idea of a miraculous birth. 
 
 (pp. 123—125) 
 
 THE DIVINE SON. 
 
 This son, thus worshipped in his mother’s arms, was looked upon 
 as invested with all the attributes, and called by almost all the names 
 of the promised Messiah. As Christ, in the Hebrew of the Old Testa- 
 ment, was called Adoni, The Lord, so Tammuz was called Adon or Ado- 
 nis. Under the name of Mithras, he was worshipped as the “ Medi- 
 ator” As Mediator and head of the covenant of grace, he was styled 
 Baal-berith, Lord of the Covenant — (Judges viii. 33). In this charac- 
 ter he is represented in Persian monuments as seated on the rain- 
 bow, the well-known symbol of the covenant. In India, under the 
 name of Vishnu, the Preserver or Saviour of men, though a god, he was 
 worshipped as the great “ Victiin-Mau,” who before the worlds were, 
 because there was nothing else to offer, offered himself as a sacrifice. 
 The Hindu sacred writings teach that this mysterious offering before ail 
 creation is the foundation of all the sacrifices that have ever been offer- 
 ed since. Do any marvel at such a statement being found in the sacred 
 books of a Pagan mythology ? Why should they ? Since sin entered 
 the world there has been only one way of salvation, and that through 
 the blood of the everlasting covenant — a way that all mankind once 
 knew, from the days of righteous Abel downwards. When Abel, “ by 
 faith,” offered unto God his more excellent sacrifice than that of Cain, 
 it was his faith “ in the blood of the Lamb slaiu” in the purpose of God 
 “ from the foundation of the world,” and in due time to be actually 
 offered up on Calvary, that gave all the “ excellence” to his offering. 
 If Abel knew of “ the blood of the Iamb,” why should Hindoos not havu 
 known of it ? One little word shows that even in Greece the virtue of 
 “ the blood of God” had once been known, though that virtue, as exhi- 
 bited in its poets, was utterly obscured and degraded. That word is 
 Ichor. Every reader of the bards of classic Greece knows that Ichor 
 is the term peculiarly appropriated to the blood of a divinity. Thus 
 Homer refers to it : — 
 
 •• From t fie clear vein the immortal Ichor (lowed, 
 
 Such stream as issues from a wounded god. 
 
 Pure emanation, uncorrupted flood. 
 
 Unlike our gross, diseased terrestrial hloud.” 
 
53 
 
 Now, what is the proper meaning of tho term Ichor ? Iu Greek it has 
 no etymological meaning whatever ; but, in Chaldee, Ichor signifies 
 “ The precious thing.” Such a name, applied to tho blood of a divi- 
 nity, could have only one origin. It bears its evidence on the very face 
 of it, as coming from that grand patriarchal tradition, that led Abel to 
 look forward to the “ precious blood” of Christ, tho most “ precious” 
 gift that love divine could give to a guilty world, and which, while the 
 blood of the only genuine “ Victim-Man,” is, at the same time, in deed 
 and in truth, “The blood of God” — (Acts xx. 28). Even in Greece it- 
 self, though tho doctrine was utterly perverted, it was not entirely lost. 
 It was mingled with falsehood and fable, it was hid from the multitude ; 
 but yet, iu tho secret mystic system, it uecessarily occupied an import- 
 ant place. As Servius tells us that the grand purpose of the Bacchic 
 orgies “ was the purification of souls,” aud as ip these orgies there was 
 regularly tho tearing asunder and the shedding of the blood of an ani- 
 mal, iu memory of the shedding of the life’s blood of the great divinity 
 commemorated in them, could this symbolical shedding of the blood of 
 that divinity have no bearing on the “purification” from sin these mys- 
 tic rites were intended to effect ? We have seen that the sufferings of 
 the Babylonian Zoroaster aud Belus were expressly represented as vo- 
 luntary, and as submitted to for tho benefit of the world, aud that in 
 connection with crushing the great serpent’s head, which implied the 
 removal of sin and the curse. If the Grecian Bacchus was just another 
 form of the Babylonian divinity, then his sufferings and blood-shedding 
 must have been represented as having been undergone for the same 
 purpose, viz., for “ the purification of souls.” From this point of view 
 let the well-known name of Bacchus iu Greece be looked at. That name 
 was Dionysus or Diouusos. What is the meaning of that name ? Hither- 
 to it has defied all interpretation. But deal with it as belonging to the 
 language of that land from which the god himself originally came, and 
 the meaning is very plain. D’iun-nuao-s signifies “ The sin-beaker,’’ a 
 name entirely appropriate to the character of him whose sufferings were 
 represented as so mysterious, and who was looked up to as the great 
 “ purifier of souls.” 
 
 Now this Babylonian god known in Greece as “ The sin-bearer,” 
 and in Iudia as the “ Victim-Man,” among the Buddhists of the east, 
 the original elements of whose system are clearly Babylonian, was com- 
 monly addressed as “ The Saviour of the world ” It has been all along 
 well enough known that the Greeks occasionally worshipped the supreme 
 god, under the title of “Zeus the Saviour,” but this title was thought 
 
to have reference only to deliverance in battle, or some such-like tem- 
 poral deliverance. But when it is known that “ Zeus the Saviour” was 
 only a title of Dionysus, the “ sin-bearing Bacchus,” his character, as 
 “ The Saviour,” appears in quite a different light. In Egypt, the Chal- 
 dean god was held up as the great object of love and adoration, as the 
 god through whom “ goodness and truth w T ere revealed to mankind.” 
 He was regarded as the predestined heir of all things ; and, on the day 
 of his birth, it was believed that a voice was heard to proclaim, “ Tlio 
 Lord of all the earth is born.” In this character he was styled “ King 
 of kings, and Lord of lords,” it being as a professed representative of 
 this hero-god that the celebrated Sesostris caused this very title to be 
 added to his name on the monuments which he erected to perpetuate 
 the fame of his victories. Not only was he honoured as the great 
 “ World-King,” he was regarded as Lord of the invisible world, and 
 “ Judge of the dead ; ” and it was taught that, in the world of spirits, 
 all must appear before his dread tribunal, to have their destiny assigned 
 them. As the true Messiah was prophesied of under the title of the 
 “ Man whose name was the branch,” he was celebrated not only as the 
 “ Branch of Cush,” but as the “ Branch of God,” graciously given to 
 the earth for healing all the ills that flesh is heir to. He was worship- 
 ped in Babylon under the name of El-Bar, or “ God the Son.” Under 
 this very name he is introduced by Berosus, the Chaldean historian, as 
 the second in the list of Babylonian sovereigns. Under this name lie 
 has been found in the sculptures of Nineveh by Layard, the name Bar 
 “ the Son,” having the sign denoting El or “ God” prefixed to it. 
 Under the same name he has been found by Sir H. Rawlinson, the names 
 “ Beltis” and the “Shining Bar” being in immediate juxtaposition. 
 Under the name of Bar he was worshipped in Egypt in the earliest 
 times, though in later times the god Bar was degraded in the popular 
 Pantheon, to make way for another more popular divinity. In Pagan 
 Rome itself, as Ovid testifies, he was worshipped under the name of the 
 “ Eternal Boy.” Thus daringly and directly was a mere mortal sot up 
 in Babylon in opposition to the “Son of the Blessed.” 
 
 (pp. 113—120.) 
 
ADDENDA. 
 
 Page 23, Line 8, /or I have built for read I have built for you. 
 
 „ 2G, Insert as a foote * see Dr. Lorinser’s Article in the Indian Antiquary, 
 
 October, 1873. 
 
 „ 28, Line 32. Insert between the termination of the sentence the * true 
 
 knowledge’ and the commencement of another sentence ‘ The bird.’ 
 the following: — 
 
 Vishnu is also said to possess a Cruciform Scar on 
 his left breast called Srivatsam and thereby called 
 Srivatsankita-vakshasa. 
 
 „ 34, Insert as a foot note: — 
 
 * Professor Max Muller says in his work on India What could it 
 teach us ? Lecture I, page 10, — “ We may go back even further 
 into antiquity, and still find strange coincidences between tha 
 legends of the West, without as yet being able to say how they 
 travelled, whether from East to West, or from West to East. 
 That at the time of Solomon, there was a channel of communica- 
 tion open between India and Syria and Palestine is established 
 beyond doubt, I believe, by certain Sanskrit words which occur in 
 the Bible as names of articles of export from Ophir, articles such 
 as ivory, apes, peacocks, and sandal wood, which, taken togethec 
 could not have been exported from any country but India. Xor 
 is there any reason to suppose that the commercial intercourse 
 between India, the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and the Mediterra- 
 nean was ever completely interrupted, even at the time when the 
 Book of Kings is supposed to have been written.” 
 
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