Fainter now, and fainter still,
    Breaks the cry upon the ear;
    But the mother’s heart is steel,
    She unmoved that cry can hear.

    Send, O send the Bible there,
    Let its precepts reach the heart;
    She may then her children spare,
    Act the mother’s tender part.

I have heard of a little boy who learned this hymn.  He was deeply affected by it, and wanted very much to give something to send the Gospel to India.  But he had no money.  He was, however, willing to labor in order to earn some.  Hearing that a gentleman wanted the chips removed from the ground near his woodpile, he hired himself to him, removed the chips, got his money, and, with glistening eyes, went and delivered it up, to be sent to the heathen, repeating, as he went,

    Send, O send the Bible there,
    Let its precepts reach the heart;
    She may then her children spare,
    Act the mother’s tender part.

About one hundred miles above the mouth of the Hoogly is the city of Calcutta, and about five hundred miles above that city is the city of Benares.  In these cities, as well as in other places, we see how much the heathen will contribute to support their wretched religion.  A rich native in Calcutta has been known to spend more than one hundred thousand dollars on a single festival—­the festival of the goddess Karle—­and more than thirty thousand dollars every year afterwards during his life, for the same purpose.  Not long since, a rich native gave at one time to his idols more than one million two hundred thousand dollars.  And what have Christians ever done to honor their Saviour, which will bear a comparison with what the heathen do for their idols?  Alas, alas, few Christian men or Christian women, in all the church, are willing to give even one-tenth of their annual income to the Lord.  Most of those who are rich, hoard up their money, instead of spending it for the purpose of saving souls.  And there are many persons who have never given a farthing to send the Gospel to the heathen.  O, what will such say, when they must meet the heathen at the bar of God?

CHAPTER XIII.

THE GODDESS DURGA.

My dear Children—­From what I said, in my last chapter, about the goddess Gunga, you see that the Hindoos worship goddesses as well as gods.  There is another goddess much worshipped the wife of the god Siva.  She has appeared in a thousand forms, with a thousand different names.  Of all these thousand forms, Durga and Karle are the most regarded by the people.  I will speak of Durga first.  Of all the festivals in Eastern India, hers is the most celebrated.  She has ten hands, in which she holds an iron club, a trident, a battle-axe, spears, thunderbolts, etc.  Thus armed, she is ever ready to fight with her enemies.