THE GALCUrraokahira school. , , (ty אשלג שtאbאי of young men, and give them a regular course ed by the metopolitan and provincial Brahma of instructions in Brahmic Theology and Ethics. Week after week I and my coadjutor used to deliver tectures on these subjects, which, I must say, were duly appreciated by our auditors and conduced to their mental and moral improvement. We have every reason to congratulate ourselves on the fruits of our humble labors, which even exceeded our most sanguine expectations. Of about fifty regular students more than twenty creditably passed the periodical examinations, obtained testimonials of proficiency, and went forth into the world with sound ideas of religion and morality, lofty aspirations and an improved tone of thought and character, of which they have since given abundant proofs in their daily intercourses with the world. Through them and others who used to attend the Sebool only now and then a salutary influence was also produced on the Brahma community in generai. Some of the exstudents have also vur holy faith, and are engaged in communieating to others those truths in which they load been originally indoctrinated in the School, and which they subsequently developed by their own mature reflection and I am glad to see some to them before me. It cannot be denied, therefore, that the School was a success. }sowever, it was closed after three years, as the course of instructions was finished, and the immediate object of the School seemed to have been accomplished in regard to the existing pupils. The idea of opening a new classes of pupils at the end of the final year and repeating our instructions, with a view to train up a fresh batch of young men, did not occur to us at the time. Several important events, hows ever,have since transpired, which have impressed us with the necessity of reviving this useful institution. You are no doubt aware of the immense progress made by the Brahma Samaj of late in Bengal as well as in the North-Western Provinces,the Punjab and Madras. The number of Theists and Theistic Samajes has steadily increased, and a great religious agitation is strikingly manifest on all sides,which is destined to settle in the fulness of time, into a mighty Theistic organization. This progress is owing partly to English education and partly to the numerous tracts, books and periodicals publish ractical experience. bec issionarie f : 頓習 貿 歌 *..." " city for disseminating the truths of Brahma | | Samajes, and to the exortions of our itinerant missionaries who have been preaching the doctrines of our faith for the last four years in different parts of the country. In the midst of these cheering indications of progress Calcutta appeared of late to be in a comparatively neglected condition. While our preachers were propagating Brahma Dharma far and wide in the mofus8il and in other and remote provinces, our mission was all but closed in the metropolis—the primitive seat of Bramicmovement. This was indeed painful to contemplate; the more so as Calcutta being the centre of native improvement should occupy a permanant and prominent place in our mission field, so that we may draw constant accessions from the ranks of the alumni of our schools and colleges, and render education, what it ought to be, a stepping-stone to religious improvement. Is it not a matter of grave regret that there is no public institution in this | | Dharma among our educated young men. I admit isolated attempts are now and then made in this direction by private individuals according to leisure, inclination and covenience, either in the shape of imparting instructions or merely lending books to such as come forward as enquirers; but there is no institution where young men may resort and receive systematic religious and moral training. Such a want has been long felt, in fact ever since the Brahma School was abolished. But never was it so forcibly felt as at present, when the tendencies of our leading educational institutions have become alarmingly prejudical to the spirituai interests of the rising generation of our countrymen. I am fully alive to the importance and expediency of the policy of religious neutrality on which Government education is based. For wise and benevolent purposes that policy was laid down, and it is necessary that it should be strictly adhered to in all schools and colleges under direct Governmental management. It is not only sound and unimpeachabla on political grounds but also acceptable to all religious denominations, being based on the principle of toleration. Secular education in itself is not defective or injurious ; on the contrary it is highly useful so far as it goes,
