t ] KESHAB CHANDRA SEN. One of the greatest moral forces in Bengal in the 19th century was Babu Keshab Chandra Sen. Born in 1838 in the great Sen family of Colootola, he joined the Hindu College in 1845. In 1852 he entered the New Metropolitan College, and when that College failed, he returned to bis old college- - In the school by diligent studies he attracted lha attention of his teachers and won school prizes. At the end of his college career, he secured through the in- fluence of his grandfather, a good job in a Government office ; but his religious instincts now growing too strong for him, he left service never to return to it. Free from the trammels of service, therefore, he devoted himself to religion and prayers, and attended the lectures of Dr. Long and others. Thus he contracted a leaning towards Christianity which, though modified afterwards, was noticeable in his subsequent career. In 1S57 Keshab Chandra joined the Adi B rah mo Soma] under Babu (afterwards Maharshi) Debendra Nath Tagore, when he began to study Hindu and western modes of thought, and mora particularly theology. Soon he became so prominent in the Sarnaj, that Debendra. Nath gave him the title of Brahmananda (rejoicer in God) and appointed him, a Vaidya, to be the Acharya or Minister of the association. But Keshab could not long continue under the tutelage of DebenJranath. The latter, though a reformer, seemed a conserva- tive to his more progressive followers who carried his principle of rationalism to its logical conclusion, A large number of his followers could not relish this, and in 1866 they seceded under the leadership of Keshab Chandra and founded the Br&hmo Samaj of India with Keshab as its Secretary. Seven or eight Missionaries were appointed to teach the new doctrines of the society. In 1869 discriivtinatety from the Bible, the Koran, the Zend-Avesta and the the Brahma MunJir was formally opened. In 1S70 Keshab went to England, attended by a devote<t band of workers, in order to study Christianitv, as taught and illustrated in England, where he -soon became famous for his fine oratorical powers and deep piety. He had an audience of the Queen, who was pleased to present her two books to him with her autograph.
