BRAHMO-SAMAJ'H, a small reforming Hindu sect, who regard their views as a pure theism, recog nise the absolute unity and spirituality of God, the abolition of caste, and the elevation and instruction of woman. During a very few years, Brabmoism ran through three different stages. In the first it had for its foundation Vedic testimony tempered by reason ; in the second stage, reason and philosophy ; and about 1870 it was supposed to stand on intuition guided by reason. But quite one-fourth of the total number of Brahmo rest on Vedic testimony, and nearly one-third look up to reason alone. And though the intuitive Brahmo have done away with Srads, Anoprashans, etc., their brethren of the first stage perform those Hindu ceremonies in all their forms. The Brahmo of the second stage hold a middle place. On its decline, another theistical body arose, the Dharma Sabha. Brabmoism, in all its phases of develop ment, has carried on a crusade against the institu tion and usages of caste. Its leading members
have strongly advocated a repudiation of two great social customs, that of infant marriages and the prohibition of widow marriages. They have deprecated polygamy, and have striven to place the marriage institution on a footing similar to that which has received the moral and practical sanction of civilised communities. In 1880 there were 149 Samajls scattered throughout India. In Calcutta alone there were 20; in Bengal, 54 ; in Assam, 7; Chutia Nagpur, 3 ; Behar, 7 ; Orissa, 2; N.W. P., 8 ; Central Provinces, 1 ; Punjab, 5 ; Sind, 3 ; Gnjerat, 8 ; Bombay, 6; and Madras, 6. Of these, 44 have mandirs, or places of worship. In connec tion with the society eighteen different periodicals were published. Of these, six were in English, nine Bengali, one each in the Hindi and Uria I languages, and one in Anglo-Mahratti. There are schools kept up by tho society, besides schools and classes kept up by the local Samaj'li.