Each caste has its laws, the breaking of which is
attended with great disgrace, and even degradation below all the other
castes. For instance, if a Brahmin should, by eating any forbidden
thing, break his caste, he would sink below all the other castes. He
would become an outcast, or pariah. For beneath the fourth, or lowest
caste, there is a class of people belonging to no caste--a class of
outcasts, held in the utmost abhorrence.
By the system of castes, the Hindoos have been divided into so many
selfish sections, each scowling on all the rest with feelings of hatred
and contempt. The spirit which upholds it, is similar to that spirit
which says, "Stand by thyself, for I am holier than thou," and, of
course, is nothing but pride. This is one of the greatest obstacles to
the spread of Christianity in this dark land, and for the exhibition of
which we were lately obliged to cut off many of the members of our
churches.
The Brahmins, in consequence of their being of the highest caste, and of
their having been taught from their infancy to regard all other classes
of men with the utmost contempt, are very proud. They make great efforts
to keep themselves pure, in their sense of the word, both without and
within.
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