Page:Life in India or Madras, the Neilgherries, and Calcutta.djvu/207

Rh be brought to submit themselves to the righteousness of Christ, that they may become new creatures.

An account of a conversation of a missionary in Bengal with a Brahmin, whom he fell in with while preaching, gives a good idea of their mode of argumentation, and also of the importance of understanding their belief, that we may not be put to silence by them.

The missionary, in answer to the question, "What do you preach here?" replied, "We teach the knowledge of the true God." "Who is he? I am God," said the Hindu.

The missionary thought it would be an easy matter to confute him, but he soon discovered his mistake. "This is very extraordinary," said he; "are you the Almighty?"

"No," he replied: "had I created the sun I should be almighty; but that I have not done."

"How can you pretend to be God, if you are not almighty?"

"This question shows your ignorance. What do you see here?” said the Brahmin, pointing to the Ganges.

"Water."

"And what is in this vessel?" at the same time pouring out a little into a cup.