8? Hindu Community. They do not th. efore stand in need of any law for putting down bigainy almongst them. Their own practices and public opinion would, your Memorialists believe, he a sufficient safe-guard against the evil sought to be prevented by the provi's T above alluded to, 幢 , F'}yst.- That according to the fundamental principles of Hrahmo Samaj, the word Braluno has a very wide sigartication, and hence the difficulty felt by experienced gentlemen like ... Mr. Maine in defining the term, as will be porceived on a reference to his speech on the occasion of the Native Marriage Bili lt, in fact, includes all men who }*heve in the essential doctrines of the {}rahmo S. unaj, namely, the Existence and the Infinite Perfections of the One True (iod, the duty of worshipping llum in spirit, and doing the works He loves, and the existence of a Future State -- articles of faith, in which the undersigned believe, and which they try to the best of their to power to act up to Secondly. --That not only Brahmos, but men of other sects and denominations such as the smembers of the Praithana Somaj in Bombay, and the Theists of England, and America, whose social customs and manuers differ widely from their brethren in Bengal, may come within the definition aforesaid. In social matters therefore the Brahmo So inaj does not consider it essential that its members should remonnce the usages and customs of the societies to which they respectively belong, so far as t?n, rse usages and customs do not inili tate against the fundamental principles above set forth That with respect to marriage, tlte irahnno Somaj of Bengal retained the Hindu ceremonies, i" ving left out those portious only, a hich are objectionable on the ground A blong idolatrous, and which, your M, i.lorialists, have reason to belelieve, ar, not essential elements of a valid tlinda Marriage. Thordly. - That this form of marriage was adopted by the general body of brahmos, without any opposition, and has prevailed since its adoption among the members of the 13rahmo Somaj, Fourthly. That the opinion of the Advocate-General, cited by the Hon ble Mover of the Bill, is not ap• துர் It is unmeecss:try I | 1 | * তত্ত্ববোধিনী পত্রিক | איז ש ל יי-אל שו plicable to their case. It simply says, that marriages, not contracted, according to forms not prescribed by Hindoo Law, are invalid. The Bill being passed into Law, will give rise to much complication—and will only add new difficulties. First. —That the application of the law, if passed, would be a matter of considerable difficulty, and will give rise to much complication, inasmuch as the Brahmos, as a body, do not constitute a sect separate from the |Hindoo Community, in a social point of view. Secondly. That your Memorialists
- labor under the serious apprenension. , that the passing of the proposed law
will lead to serious complications with regard to questions of succession and inheritance amengst the descendants of those who would avail themselves of the provisions of the proposed enact ment to marry out of the pale of the present Hindoo Society. For instance. supposing a Hindoo, who has become a Brahmo, should marrry thę daughtêı of a Christian convert or a Mahome dan girl, according to the form pres. cribed in the proposed Bill, there is nothing in the law, as it at present stands, to regulate the succession of tho children of such a marriage, to the property's left either by the father or the 1nother. The Bill is not wanted by the Brahmic {'omniunity * That your ‘Memorialists in conclu sion, beg respectfully to represent, that the law in question is not wanted by the Brahmo Community at large, since Brahmo marriages inay be centracted, as lave hitherto been done, irresper tive of any legislation on the subject, according to the rites and ceremonies prescribed by the Adi Brahimo Somaj. which are quite in consonance to the , 8iprjt of the usages *and customs ob taining among the Hindoos, bereft of the idolatrous practices observed by the orthodox Hindoo Community. , And your Memorialists under the circumstances above represented res pectfully pray, that your Excellency in Council will be pleased to take their representation into consideration, and act according to your Excellency's best judgment in the matter, involving as it does your Memorialists' dearest and most sacred concérns in this life.
