_puranis_ is their echoing list of their opponents,--namely, Christians
_(kerani_ being a corruption of _Christiani_), and believers in the
Koran, and believers in the Purans, _i.e._ the later Hindu books. And
that there is much more than political feeling is apparent in their
latest developments. The leaven of modern ideas has now led to the rise
of a party among the [=A]ryas which is prepared to stand by reason out
and out, and repudiate the founder's bondage to the Vedas and his _à
priori_ expositions. Popularly, the new party is known as the
"flesh-eaters." At present the Sam[=a]j is about equally divided, but
the more rationalistic section comprises most of the new-educated
members. Should the [=A]rya Sam[=a]j retain, as their chief doctrinal
positions, the perfection of pure original Hinduism and opposition to
every other ism, no great foresight or historical knowledge is required
to predict for the [=A]ryas, despite their vigour, a speedy lapse from
their reforming zeal into the position simply of a new Hindu caste,
reverting gradually to type. Their fate is still in the balance.

[Sidenote: The Bombay [=A]rya Sam[=a]j.]

The [=A]rya Sam[=a]j in Bombay does not repudiate caste. One of their
principles is that no member is expected to violate any of his own
special caste rules. Why, one cannot help asking, this invertebrate
character of the new Indian religious associations in Western India? It
is patent that what the Pr[=a]rthan[=a] Sam[=a]jes of Western India are
to the Br[=a]hma Sam[=a]j of Bengal, the [=A]rya Sam[=a]j in Bombay is
to that in the Punjab and the United Provinces--only feeble echoes.
Bombay Indians lead their countrymen in commercial enterprise, and in
political questions they take as keen an interest as any of the Indian
races. With hesitation and with apologies to Parsee friends, we ask
whether it is the numerous Parsees in Bombay who have made their