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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(JANUARY, 1926
appear to be thoroughly Hinduised, and there is nothing "aboriginal" about them. They claim Rajput origin, and a legend of a typical Brahmanio type tells how they fell from grace by eating carrion. They worship Hanuman, Ganapati and Narasimha, and the various "Mothers " who are incorporated (more or less) in the Hindu Pantheon. Mrs. Stevenson gave numerous instances of their belief in the Evil Eye, the Evil Shadow, Evil Spirits and Evil Spells, and their antidotes, and closed with some remarkable analogies between the
istianity teaching of some of their sages and Christianity.
Three other meetings were held before the Session closed.
On June 9th, 1925, the Right Rov. Bishop Whitehead opened a discussion on " Anthropology in the Mission Field": -
Bishop Whitehead, who was Bishop of Madras from 1899 to 1922, and whose Village Gods of 8. India has opened up new fields for research, illustrated from his experienoe the practical necessity of & knowledge of Anthropology in mission work, both as a safe-guard against unwitting blunders and as a means of establishing confidence between pastor and flook. Among numerous instances of mistakes made, he cited the attempt of a certain Metropolitan to suppress the use of the tali as a marriage badge in favour of the ring, & faux pas which almost rent in twain the Anglican Church in S. India. Fortunately the veto was revoked.
The Bishop's view was strongly corroborated by Prof. Alice Werner from her experience in East Africa, and by Miss Underhill from hers in Gujarat. The Rev. E. W. Smith, whose field lay in N. Rhodesia, urged that Anthropology should be taught in every theological college, in order that the clergy at home too might realise its value. Mr. J. P. Mills gave a vivid account of the harm done among oertain Naga tribes in Assam by the deliberate destruction of their culture by missionaries, who do not understand its merits, while Capt. PittRivers put in a strong plea for protecting primitive peoples from the corrosive influences of European civilization.
The outcome of the discussion was the appointinent by the Council of the Royal Anthropological Institute of a Committee to draft proposals for the furtherance of Anthropologioal studies in the Mission Field.
