Page:The history of caste in India.pdf/50

 versely if two races of people come together and do not intermarry, one would have to assume inferiority to the other. When the Chinese first came to the United States they were filled with prejudice against the white people and therefore did not intermarry; the whites and the yellows are two mutually exclusive communities, and the yellows are compelled to assume an inferior position. In South Africa, when the Hindus migrated there, and on account of their caste notions did not intermarry with the English settlers, a feeling of superiority and inferiority of race which did not exist before that time came into existence. When two people come together and do not intermarry freely, a feeling of superiority and inferiority is sure to come into existence.

One interesting feature in the hierarchy of caste is the preeminent position which the priests hold. I intend to write a special treatise on the question as to how the Brahmins attained such a high position in Hindu society and managed to maintain it for so long a time. At present I only remind the readers that this supremacy of the priest is not confined to India. The extravagant claims which the priest makes are always coexistent with the primitive character of the people. In ancient Persia, as well as ancient Egypt, the priest was always at the top. In Europe, till the nations were emancipated from the temporal control of the Pope the clergy was always superior to temporal authority. Even to-day I have known of Christian missionaries in India who are not much behind the Brahmins of olden times in making pretenses to occult superiority and omniscience and exalted position over the ignorant masses that came in contact with them. The scholar holds the highest posi-