Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/992

 946 BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE., [Chap. Vindicates ‘During the greater part of the period of Rama or nea Mohana Roy’s residence at Calcutta, the whole powers of his mind were directed to the vindica- tion of the doctrine of the unity of God. In this, he maintained, the sacred books of the Hindus and Mussalmans, Jews and Christians agreed; and that all apparent deviations from it were modern cor- ruptions. He propagated it day and night by word and writings, with the zeal of an apostle and the self-denial of a martyr. He was ever ready to maintain it against all gain-sayers, from the be- liever in thirty three millions of God to the denier of one, for both extremes are common in the East. The writer remembers finding him at his Garden House near Calcutta, one evening, about 7 o’clock, closing a dispute with one of the followers of Buddha, who denied the existence -of the Deity. The Raja had spent the whole day in the contro- versy, without stopping for food, rest or refresh- ment, rejoicing more in confuting one atheist than in triumphing over hundred idolators: the credulity of the one he despised; the scepticism of the other he thought pernicious ; for he was deeply impress- ed with the importance of religion for the virtue and happiness of mankind.”’* His pro-Christian tendencies are well known. Yet he would not agree With the missionaries in Rejects —_ their orthodox views. When the Cri Ramapur mis- miracles, sionaries advanced their arguments in support of them iracles of Christ, the Raja quietly remarked :— ‘“His miracles were less stupendous than those of the Hindu who drank up the ocean and discharged ono _ র্যা 4772 না শীল 22
 * “Last Days in England” by Miss Mary Carpenter, page 299,