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Show Lecture on India. Mr. Wm. V.'illrs delivered a lecture on li.Jia labt i vtnirg in the Twentieth Twen-tieth waid fchoolhouse, under the audpice of the Twentieth ward institute, insti-tute, which embraced religious, chronological ar,d statistical items. He commenced by setting (oith the, mystery, confusion and idolatry which has ever been the prominent features in the religiouB system of that country, and dwelt at Bcme length upon the Vedic, Epio and Puranic systems; of the doctrines of atonement atone-ment and proxy; ol human sacrifices aud penances in the different degrees and orders of priesthood. He then turned to the nature and effects ol caste; of the cities of refuge, which had from time immemorial been the resort of those who were either onab'e or unwilling to regaiu their lost standing iu the difleient sectd from which tuey had been disfelioweuipped on account ot transgression, etc. He neit gave a few interesting items upon the filteeul year?, curriculum to oe tone turoub in the Bunarea college, which was necessary to qualify any one of their number to become a pundit, the billies', position in the Brahminical pnt?atl:Oud. 1 lie idea the Hindoos entertain concerning this city ol Binnns is that it is the hub of (he universe, aud stands upon a foundation founda-tion of gold, having around on the outside a circle of silver, next a circle ol brass, then one of iron, and outtide of all a circle of earth, the wboie arrangement being intended to represent the diflerent nations, the most remote from this sacred of all cities being the farthest from divine favor. Iu speaking of the inner li'e of Hindoo society, he adverted to a very interesting feature, which had boen obiervable from time immemorial, in the midst of the general disturbances disturb-ances of a political character which had taken place, allowing the village system of organization to remain un disturbed consisting of its head man, (pot ail) or mogistrate, registrar, priest, schoolmaster, astrologer, smith, carpenter, potter, barber, dector, dancing girl, musician aud poet, all being sustained out of the revenue raised from the cultivation of the Land and holding these positions by heri ditary descent. He also gave an approximate statement of the number of inhabitants, designating the different differ-ent sects as follows: Mahommedans, 25.000,000 ; aborigine?, 12,000,000; Bhuddists, 8,000,000; native Christians, Chris-tians, 1,000,000; Hindoos, 110,000,-000; 110,000,-000; Pareees, 160,000; Eurasians, 91,000; Jews, 10,000; British, 125,-000. 125,-000. Total, 151,406,030. Much information was furnished in relation to the native Christians; ihpse who had been enrolled under the banner of the different Christian sects, having been converted by the missionaries Bent there from Europe and America, and remarked that their reputation in the estimation of the genuine unconverted native was not of a very exalted kind. Altogether Al-together the lecture wag of an interesting inter-esting character, more especially so, as the lecturer spoke from personal experience, during his sojourn in that country from 1S51 to 1S55, while there on a mission. |