It poisoned to death our mother;

The fruit of temptation, 'Do thou eat it not.'

In the beginning it poisoned to death our father and

mother.

The tree of death came by woman,

The tree of life by Man!"

The Curse.

"O children and grandchildren! because in the beginning man ate the fruit of the tree of death, poison descends to us and we all die."

Angels.

The Karens believe that there are beings in heaven who have never sinned, and that they are employed in executing God's purposes :

"The sons of heaven are powerful,

They sit by the seat of God:

The sons of heaven are righteous,
They dwell together with God;
The sons of heaven are good.

They lean against the silver seat of God.

The beings whom God employs to execute His pur

poses,

Have, to the present time, the reclining-place of God."

Satan.

Satan is known by several names; among which the most common are Ku-plau, the deceiver, from his deceiving the first man and woman, and Yaw-kaw, the

neck-trodden, from the belief that man will ultimately tread on his neck, or overcome him. The Karens believe that he was formerly a holy being in heaven, but that he disobeyed God, and was driven from heaven :

"Satan in ancient times was righteous,

:

But he transgressed the commands of God;
Satan in ancient times was holy,

But he departed from the love of God;

And God drove him away,

He deceived the daughter and son of God,

And God drove you away;

For you deceived the daughter and son of God."

"O children and grandchildren! though we were to kill Satan, he would not die; but when the time of our salvation comes, God will kill him. Because that time has not yet arrived, he still exists."

Deluge.

Though I have never met with any direct traditions of the deluge, indirect allusions are occasionally found in their fabulous stories. For instance, "It thundered, tempests followed; it rained three days and three nights, and the waters covered all the mountains." Again, Anciently, when the earth was deluged with water, two brothers, finding themselves in a difficulty, got on a raft. The waters rose and rose, till they reached to heaven; when seeing a mango-tree hanging down, the younger brother climbed up it and ate; but the waters suddenly falling, left him in the tree."

Dispersion of Men.

"O children and grandchildren! men had at first one father and mother; but because they did not love each other, they separated. After their separation they did not know each other, and their language became different; and they became enemies to each other and fought."

"The Karens were the elder brother,

They obtained all the words of God;

They did not believe all the word of God,
And became enemies to each other:

Because they disbelieved God,

Their language divided.

God gave them commands,

But they did not believe Him; and divisions ensued."

Resurrection.

The astronomical systems of all the nations around the Karens teach that the sun, moon, and stars revolve round a great north mountain, in planes parallel to the surface of the earth; while the Karens retain the old idea, that the heavenly bodies go round the earth, descending under and rising above. Under the earth they suppose that there is another world, where people go at death. It is enlightened by the same heavenly bodies as the earth; but its days and nights are the reverse of ours, the sun rising there when he sets here. It is regarded as an intermediate state, where all the dead go, and where the inhabitants are employed much

as the inhabitants of the earth, corresponding to the

Jewish idea of Sheol.

Connected with this subject, the Karens have an obscure notion of a final resurrection.

prophecies says

One of their old

"O children and grandchildren! you think the earth large. The earth is not so large as the Entada bean. When the time arrives, people will be more numerous than the leaves of the trees, and those who are now unseen, will then be brought to view. O my children, there will not be a hiding-place for a single thing on earth."

The Karens explain this by saying that the earth is as large as a bean when compared with the whole of God's works. Concerning the numerous people that are to appear, they confess their ignorance, but think that the inhabitants of Hades (the invisible, or lower world) are intended, whom God will cause to come up on the earth.

Another statement is, that after the world is burned up, God will come and raise men to life again; when "the lazy shall become dogs, but the industrious, men.”

TRADITIONAL PRECEPTS.

APPARENTLY DERIVED FROM THE SCRIPTURES.

Love to God.

"O children and grandchildren! love God, and never so much as mention His name; for, by speaking His name, He goes farther and farther from us."

Prayer.

"O children and grandchildren! pray to God constantly by day and by night."

Repentance and Prayer.

"O children and grandchildren! if we repent of our sins, and cease to do evil, restraining our passions, and pray to God, He will have mercy upon us again. If God does not have mercy on us, there is no other one that can. He who saves us is the only one God."

Idolatry.

"O children and grandchildren! do not worship idols or priests. If you worship them you obtain no advantage thereby, while you increase your sins exceedingly."

Honour to Parents.

"O children and grandchildren! respect and reverence your mother and father; for, when you were little, they did not suffer so much as a musquito to bite you. To sin against your parents is a heinous crime."

"If your father or mother instruct or beat you, fear. If you fear not, the tiger will not fear you."

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Love to Others.

"O children and grandchildren! do not be fond of quarrelling and disputings, but love each other. God in heaven looks down upon us; and if we do not love each other, it is the same as if we did not love God. O children and grandchildren! quarrel not, but love each other."