. India, past and present / C. H. Forbes-Lindsay. hose money-bags wouldfill a good-sized vault, and whose jewels would pay akings ransom—see him prostrate himself before thehomeless, penniless Brahman, rich only—but vastlyrich—in the sacred thread across his breast and thesignificant daub of ash upon his forehead. Pitiful picture of deterioration as he is, nothingcan deprive him of his rightful pride of in the olden days the purest blood and therichest intellect of the people detached itself from theruck, and isolated itself by the hedge of caste, andbound itself to a life of ref
. India, past and present / C. H. Forbes-Lindsay. hose money-bags wouldfill a good-sized vault, and whose jewels would pay akings ransom—see him prostrate himself before thehomeless, penniless Brahman, rich only—but vastlyrich—in the sacred thread across his breast and thesignificant daub of ash upon his forehead. Pitiful picture of deterioration as he is, nothingcan deprive him of his rightful pride of in the olden days the purest blood and therichest intellect of the people detached itself from theruck, and isolated itself by the hedge of caste, andbound itself to a life of refinement and culture, therewas laid the foundation of a magnificent race of men,whose downfall is due to abuse of power. The influ-ence of the Brahman is fast slipping away from himwith the spread of education and the increase ofenlightenment. The people are beginning to under-stand that he is no longer the embodiment of virtueand morality. They are beginning to leara somethingof the fraud and deceit by which this class has High Caste Child. THE PEOPLE. 119 imposed its yoke upon the masses. In many casesthe Brahman himself has helped to break down thebarrier by availing himself of the Western education,and accepting employment under the British Govern-ment. Many of the more intellectual members of theBrahmanic Order have recognized the futility of theirposition, and while cherishing the pure and truthfulin the customs and religion of their fatheis, aremaking a courageous effort to weed out the immorali-ties and superstitions which have become grafted uponthem. Whether such institutions as the Brahmo-Somaj are destined to live, or whether they willprove but stepping-stones to something more perma-nent, time alone can tell. In theory an eclecticsystem of theology may be sound ; in practice a creedbased on compromise ever lacks the stamina necessaryto stand the stress and strain of religious conflict. One thing is certain : modern conditions make itimpossible for any but a re
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