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A Series of Lessons on the Inner Teachings of the Philosophies and Religions of India1314
In the above list we have included the Jews, who are found principally in
the large cities like Bombay, Calcutta, etc.; and the Christians, who are found
in certain sections where the missionary work has been vigorous for several
centuries. About one-half of the native Christians in India belong to the
Roman Catholic Church, the other half being divided among a number of
Christian denominations. The Parsees are found principally in the Bombay
Presidency, and are the descendants of Persian Fire-Worshipers who settled
in India over one thousand years ago, and who have never been interfered
with in their faith by the orthodox Hindus, so tolerant is the Hindu race.
Another instance of this tolerance is found in the case of the million of
Aboriginal people in India, the descendants of the dark-skinned natives of
India who were found there by the Aryans when they came into the land
many thousands of years ago; and these natives have never been disturbed
in the original worship, nor have they been exterminated as were the native
American Indian tribes who were the aborigines in the land now called
America. They have been allowed to maintain their original nature worship,
ancestor worship, or spirit-worship of the forefathers, without opposition
or hindrance, and without being subjected to “missionary work” on the part
of the Hindus. These people are included in the list of “Animistic Religion,”
the remaining nine million of this class being composed of scattering tribes,
peoples, and sects who adhere to the ancient nature-worship, of worship
of the early personifications of natural forces, under the name and form
of numerous “gods,” and demi-gods, as mentioned in the preceding lesson.
In the above list we have included the sixty-three million Mahommedans
in the British Indian Empire and Provinces, who are the descendants of
those who were converted to Mahommedism during the period when the
adherents of that religion overran India (where they maintained a foothold
for several centuries), together with the descendants of the original invaders.
The Buddhists, numbering ten million in all India; are principally located in
Burmah, and the Indo-Chinese Peninsula, Ceylon, Napal, etc., at least nine