But again we endeavoured to show, in the outset, that England had a religious trust, being the steward of truth as well as power. But the Indian Government, on the other hand, has taken up the position of absolute neutrality between the Gospel and the most foul idolatry. Indeed, so far has this gone, that in some instances it might have been almost supposed that they looked with a more favourable eye to idolatry than Christianity.
For example. Until a very recent date the Government has not merely maintained some idol temples, but paid the expense of the idol worship, not merely paying the priests, but actually going one step further, and providing the payments for the abandoned females who are connected with the idolatrous rites. Such honour has the Indian Government paid to idolatry, that British troops have been ordered out, under British and Christian officers, to fire salutes in honour of foul and filthy idols, such as Juggernaut. Nor has this deference to idolatry even yet altogether ceased, for to this very day the filth and obscenity of idolatry is spared, while decency is enforced in other quarters. There was a law passed not long since against obscene paintings and publications, but there was this clause inserted, “Nothing contained in this Act shall apply to any representation sculptured, engraved, or painted on, or in, any temple, or on any car used for the conveyance of idols.” So that even public decency has been set aside out of respectful deference to an obscene and filthy idol. Oh! brethren, have we not reaped what we have sown in the late most awful outbreak of abominable and polluting passion?
But much has been done in India in the way of _education_. Large schools have been established at the expense of Government, and a great effort has been made to elevate the standard of intellect amongst the natives. But here again there has been the same fatal principle of indifference, I cannot say of neutrality in religious matters. The education given in those schools has been secular not Christian. There have been many books read and taught there. The Koran has been studied there. The Hindoo Shastres may have been seen on the table, English literature of all kinds is taught in the classes. There you may find Bacon, and Milton, and Gibbon, and Shakspeare, and other great authors that adorn our own libraries; but there has been one book till very recently excluded, one book that even now you can merely find on the shelf, while the Koran and the Shastres are on the table; one solitary book on which is placed the ban of the East Indian Government, and that one book is the Bible, the only book that has come direct from God; the only book that claims, by its divine authorship, the universal study and obedience of mankind. Who can be surprised, then, if the pupils in those schools grow up without scriptural principles? And are we not reaping the fruit of our own seed when such a wretch as Nena Sahib, who is reported to have been one of the pupils in these very schools, teaches us, by his foul acts, the awful atrocities of which educated human nature, without the grace of God, is capable.