The name of the Rajah Ram Mohun Roy, is too well known to need any particular notice in this brief narrative of the rise and progress of the "Brahma Samaj". In the history of this country, his name will always be mentioned in glowing terms as the first Hindoo reformer, since the advent of the English into this country, to whose energetic exertions, we owe the abolition of the inhuman Suttee rite. He was the first native of rank and wealth of this country who personally set an example, by his voyage to England, of how to break through the trammels of deep rooted prejudices. He was the first native of Bengal, who assisted by his valuable suggestions the British Government in carrying out certain political reforms that took place during Lord Bentinck's administration of this country. It was he who first made attempts to improve the Bengallee language. He was the first native, who established an independent English School for the education of the children of the soil. It was he who first of all directed his attention towards the amelioration of the religious condition of this benighted land, immersed as it was, since the promulgation of the Puranic doctrines, in the gulf of superstition and false religion; and the result of his endeavours* towards that end, was the establishment of the "Brahma Samaj".
He was born in 1774, at Radhanagar, a village in the District of Murshidabad, came into Calcutta in 1814, went to England in 1830, and died at Bristol in 1833.
In 1816 he established a Society for the purpose of spiritual improvement: " Its proceedings consisted simply of the recitation of texts from the Vedas and the chanting of Theistic hymns". This Society did not continue long owing to the attempts, made by the orthodox parties, who were awakened to a sense of their danger by the numerous anti-idolatrous publications of the Rajah, to oppose him to carry out his views of monotheism. But in spite of their feelings of indignation and attempts at opposition, he continued with unabated zeal and earnestness to work out his plan of reform by the publication of books and tracts, exposing the absurdities of Puranic Idolatry and popular polytheism.
In 1828 at the suggestion of a few select friends, who used to attend with the Rajah the weekly prayer-meetings, held by Rev. W. Adam, a Protestant Missionary, who had been converted to Unitarian Christianity by his influence, he again endeavoured to establish a prayer meeting Of a broader principle for the benefit not only of his own countrymen but of all the children of God, and with the aid of his influential friends (some of whom were appointed as Trustees of the building, dedicated to that purpose) and by the grace of Him who is the Father of all, succeeded in instituting the same and securing its permanency.