goddess Durga, were collected together, they would amount to a much
larger number than Solomon offered.

After the worship and offerings have been continued for three days, the
festival closes. As the morning of the first day was devoted to the
consecration of the images, the morning of the fourth is spent in
unconsecrating them. This work is done by the Brahmins. They profess, by
various ceremonies, to send back the goddess to her heaven, concluding
with a farewell address, in which they tell her that they expect her to
accept of all their services, and return and pay them a visit again in
the coming year. Then all unite in bidding her a sorrowful adieu, and
many seem affected even to the shedding of tears.

Soon afterwards the images are carried forth into the streets, placed on
stages or platforms, and raised on men's shoulders. As the procession
moves onward through the streets, accompanied with music and songs, amid
clouds of dust, you might see them waving long hairy brushes to wipe off
the dust, and to keep off the flies and mosquitoes, which might trouble
the senseless images. But where are these processions going? To the
banks of the Ganges. And for what purpose? For the purpose of casting
the images into the river. When all the ceremonies connected with the
occasion are finished, those who carry the images suddenly fall upon
them, break them to pieces, and then throw them with violence into the
river. After this the people return to their homes.

I have now given you a specimen of the image-worship of the Hindoos; and
how different is it from the worship which the Bible enjoins. "God is a
Spirit; and they who worship him, must worship him in spirit and in
truth." The very reverse of this, as you have seen, marks the worship of
the heathen. They are not satisfied, unless they can have some object