Page:Life in India or Madras, the Neilgherries, and Calcutta.djvu/557

Rh course, have been a trick, the sword being divided and passing around his body under his cloth; but the deception was complete to the eye, and doubtless, the gaping crowd believed that the transfixed person was miraculously preserved from death by his god. It is by such deceptions that the reputation of their deities is sustained. Another common miracle is that of having the tongue restored by the power of the god, after being cut off. A man will give out that in fulfilment of a vow he has cut out his tongue. His mouth is bandaged, and a tongue (supposed to be his, but really a sheep's) is exposed by his side. The credulous multitude look on with admiration; and when, some days after, the bandages are removed, and his tongue is found in his mouth again, they are loud in their praises of the might of their wonder-working god.

Coimbatoor is not, however, entirely without the light of the gospel. A diligent and persevering missionary of the London Missionary Society has been stationed here for a number of years, and has proclaimed the truth extensively in the town and province. His parish consists of about a million souls! Were he multiplied into ten men, each might have a