der I call this sort of thing a look deep down into hell? Do
you wonder we burn as we think of such things going on in the Name of
God? For they think of their god as God. In His Name the temples are
built and endowed, and provided with "Servants" to do devil's work. Yes,
sin is deified here.

And the shame of shames is that some Englishmen patronise and in measure
support the iniquity. They attend entertainments at which these girls
are present to sing and dance, and see nothing disgraceful in so doing.
As lately as 1893, when the Indian Social Reformers of this Presidency
petitioned two notable Englishmen to discountenance "this pernicious
practice" (the institution of Slaves of the gods) "by declining to
attend any entertainment at which they are invited to be present," these
two distinguished men, representatives of our Queen, refused to take
action in the matter. Surely this is a strange misuse of our position as
rulers of India.[2]

* * * * *

There are so many needs everywhere that I hardly like to speak of our
own, but we do need someone to work among these temple women and girls.
There is practically nothing being done for them; because it is
impossible for any of us to work among them and others at the same time.
The nearest Home to which we could send such a one is four hundred miles
away. Someone is needed, old enough to have had experience of this kind
of work, and yet young enough to learn the language.

Many of these Slaves of the gods were bought, or in some other way
obtained, when they were little innocent girls, and they cannot be held
responsible for the terrible life to which they are doomed by the law of
the Hindu religion. Many of them have hardened past any desire to be
other than they are; but sometimes we see the face of a girl who looks
as if she might have desire, if only she had a chance to know there is
something better for her.

Can it be that, out of the many at home, God has one, or better, two,
who can come with Him to this South Indian District to do what must
always be awful work, along the course of that crack? If she comes, or
if they come, let them come in the power of the Holy Ghost, baptised
with the love that endures!

This, then, is one look into Hinduism, this ghastly whitened sepulchre,
within which are dead men's bones.

FOOTNOTE:

[2] For details, see _The Wrongs of Indian Womanhood_, by Mrs. Fuller.

CHAPTER XXII

Behind th