And why not?  Because he is too great, the Hindoos say, to think of men on earth.  He is always in a kind of sleep.  What would be the use of worshipping him?

Next to him are three gods, and they are part of Brahm.

Their names are—­

    I. Brahma, the Creator. 
    II.  Vishnoo, the Preserver. 
    III.  Sheeva, the Destroyer.

Which of these should you think men ought to worship the most?  Not the destroyer.  Yet it is him they do worship the most.  Very few worship Brahma the creator.  And why not?  Because the Hindoos think he can do no more for them than he has done; and they do not care about thanking him.

Vishnoo, the preserver, is a great favorite; because it is supposed that he bestows all manner of gifts.  The Hindoos say he has been nine times upon the earth; first as a fish, then as a tortoise, a man, a lion, a boar, a dwarf, a giant; twice as a warrior, named Ram, and once as a thief, named Krishna.  They say he will come again as a conquering king, riding on a white horse.  Is it not wonderful they should say that?  It reminds one of the prophecy in Rev. xix. about Christ’s second coming.  Did the Hindoos hear that prophecy in old time?  They may have heard it, for the apostle Thomas once preached in India, at least we believe he did.

Why do the people worship Sheeva the destroyer?  Because they hope that if they gain his favor, they shall not be destroyed by him.  They do not know that none can save from the destroyer but God.

The Hindoos make images of their gods.  Brahma is represented as riding on a goose; Vishnoo on a creature half-bird and half-man; and Sheeva on a bull.

Sheeva’s image looks horribly ferocious with the tiger-skin and the necklace of skulls and snakes; but Sheeva’s wife is far fiercer than himself.  Her name is Kalee.  Her whole delight is said to be in blood.  Those who wish to please her, offer up the blood of beasts; but those who wish to please her still more, offer up their own blood.

[Illustration:  THE SWING.]

Her great temple, called Kalee Ghaut, is near Calcutta.  There is a great feast in her honor once a year at that temple.  Early in the morning crowds assemble there with the noise of trumpets and kettle-drums.  See those wild fierce men adorned with flowers.  They go towards the temple.  A blacksmith is ready.  Lo! one puts out his tongue, and the blacksmith cuts it:  that is to please Kalee:  another chooses rather to have an iron bar run through his tongue.  Some thrust iron bars and burning coals into their sides.  The boldest mount a wooden scaffold and throw themselves down upon iron spikes beneath, stuck in bags of sand.  It is very painful to fall upon these spikes; but there is another way of torture quite as painful—­it is the swing.  Those who determine to swing, allow the blacksmith to drive hooks into the flesh upon their backs, and hanging by these hooks they swing in the air for ten minutes, or even for half an hour.  And WHO all these cruel tortures?  To please Kalee, and to make the people wonder and admire, for the multitude around shout with joy as they behold these horrible deeds.