having a moral, social, philosophical, or educational end in view, together with historical instruction. It might be an advantage, according to circumstances and surroundings, to develop the teaching of this new science in one of these three directions, but the important thing was that it should be recognized in university circles as a necessary element for a healthy understanding of human evolution in the past, and even for the psychological, moral, and social problems of the present, for at the present time the struggle for life is carried on between men of every race and every form of religious belief.

This, naturally, was placing the objects of the Congress upon a very high level indeed, and though it may not have come to all who heard the lecture with all the force which it deserved, it must have been recognized by many as a noteworthy utterance. Indeed, it is one which all ought to keep in mind, for it has a practical bearing on the everyday life of hundreds and thousands who have now, or who will have in the future, dealings with those of other religions and of other nationalities. If all who travel in other lands understood rightly the thoughts and feelings of those of other races and religions with whom they came into contact, there would not only be a better understanding and sympathy between them, but the possessor of this knowledge would be in a better position to discuss with such persons the things whereon they differed and agreed, and whenever such might be the case, he would assuredly have a much greater power for good, and setting aside in this connection the chances of conversion, would at least find greater respect, if nothing more.

At the next general meeting, September 6th, at the Sorbonne, a paper upon Islam and Parseeism, by Professor Goldzieher, was read. The author showed, by examples drawn from the Hadith, the most ancient Mohammedan tradition, that it was not only Judaism and Christianity which exercised their influence on the historical formation of the religion of Mohammed, but that we must also recognise the influence exercised by the religion of the Persians, namely, Mazdeism. The subject was an interesting one, especially proceeding as it did from such a scholar as Professor Goldzieher.

Count Goblet d'Alviella spoke of the historical relations between religion and morals. Religion has acted, from its beginning, as a force tending strongly to social consolidation.

It acted by developing the spirit of sacrifice, by enforcing the principle of authority, by evoking the fear of vengeance hereafter, by inculcating (through the taboo) respect for property, by sanctioning customs (worship of ancestors, etc.), by guaranteeing oaths. The progress of morals, in its turn, forces religious and theological traditions to modify themselves, and finishes by obliging men to place ethics above rites and ceremonies. The idea of retribution, whether in this world or in the next, has contributed much to the strengthening of morals. Here, again, however, religious ritualism has, at a later date, fettered the upward rising towards a higher moral state. But religion contains other motives than fear and interest, namely, love of God, and the desire for communion with divine activity having good for its object. Thus there are continuous and successive action and reaction. The feeling of duty regenerates the feeling of religion, which, again, strengthens the feeling of duty.

M. Marillier, one of the Secretaries of the Congress, then read a paper upon "The Relations between Folklore and the Science of Religion." In a series of well-chosen examples, he showed how much the survival of ancient beliefs or practices in the popular traditions of our civilized countries, and how much the methodical study of the religious beliefs of noncivilised peoples at the present time, explain the origin and evolution of historical religions, and what precious elements they furnish for religious psychology.

The fourth general sitting was held on the 8th of September, at the Sorbonne. The only paper recorded as being read is that of M. Fournier de Flaix, who, with running comments, gave an account of the statistics of the religions in the year 1900, from the censuses, the estimates given by missionaries, the works of economists, and consular agents. These offered a basis for comparison with the statements published in former years, and some of the estimates made were sufficiently noteworthy. In all probability statistics had never been listened to more patiently than on this

occasion.

After announcing the works presented to the Congress, the various resolutions passed in the different sections were read. They were as follows:

M. Marillier to draw up a report upon the terms in use in the history of religions, and especially those used by noncivilized peoples.

The Buddhist churches in Japan to unite in the creation

of a journal in which bibliographical notices would be published of the principal works dealing with the Buddhist religion appearing in Japan and in the Japanese language.

A group of savants to draw up an inventory of Arab Christian literature, Judeo-Arabic literature, and nonMussulman literature in general.

The reading, by Professor Réville, President of the Congress, of a remarkable paper from the pen of Mr. Conybeare, of Oxford, gave rise to the resolution that the attention of learned men and historians should be directed more and more to the liturgies, rites, and practices of the Christian Churches of the East, beyond the influence of Greece and Rome, so as to complete our present knowledge of ancient Christianity, which is founded almost exclusively upon documents of Græco-Roman origin. (The paper in question, which refers to sacrifices in the early Christian Churches, will be noticed in its place.)

Upon the motion of M. Camerlynck, of Amiens, the Congress agreed to the following resolution :

That at the next Congress attention be drawn to the relations which may have existed, at the commencement, between Buddhism and Christianity.

Certain other resolutions, namely,

That the Philosophy of Religion should be included within the scope of the Congress;

That future Congresses should apply themselves to the task of resolving the problem as to the order in which the various religions have appeared upon the earth; and

That the Congress, in view of the religious elements in Dante, should contribute to the constitution of a Dante Society,

were rejected.

The question of periodicity was then considered, and it was decided that the Congress should meet every four years. In consequence of this, the proposal of the secretaries of the British group of the International School at the Paris Exhibition, that the Congress should be held in Glasgow in 1901, in connection with the Glasgow Exhibition, and that of the Organizing Committee of the Universal Exhibition to be held at Liége in 1903, that the Congress should reunite there in that year, were declined. It was decided that the present commission should continue in power, and constitute an international commission, which should choose the city where the Congress should next be held, and procure, in that

city, the formation of a national committee which should organize the same.

The fifth and last General Meeting of the Congress was held at the Exhibition, in the Congress-Hall, on the 8th of September. On that occasion Mr. Carus read a notice sent by Professor Bonney upon the Parliament of Religions held at Chicago on the occasion of the International Exhibition held there in 1893, to which reference has already been made. In this communication the great value of such a reunion as that at Chicago was emphasized, forming an apt illustration of what Count Goblet d'Alviella had said in his paper upon the historical relations between religion and morals. In this "Parliament" a Roman Catholic Cardinal took a leading part, and the meetings were closed with the Lord's Prayer, led on one occasion by Rabbi Dr. Hirsch, and on another by Mr. Mozoomdar, of the Brahmo-Somaj. It must be admitted that Dr. Bonney has good reason to be satisfied with the great assembly over which he presided, for out of the Parliament of Religions" the Congress for the History of Religions of this and future years has undoubtedly

grown.

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After this, Count Angelo de Gubernatis spoke at great length, in French, upon the future of the science of religion. He rendered homage to what France and French historians had done in this work, and referred to the Révue de l'Histoire des Religions, in its forty volumes. He showed how study renders all religions worthy of respect. He referred to the part of popular inspiration in the various religions, that of artists and poets, who have made them live, and emphasized the fact that, to understand them well, it is needful not only to analyze and dissect them, but to have, at the same time, such religious feeling as will permit one to seize and to reconstruct them as they were when they had a living reality. It is, it is true, possible at the present time to approach the study of the comparative history of religion, but this comparison can only be of use for the popular and spontaneous elements of the subject. The ritual element instituted by the churches, and the moral elements furnished in general by individuals, are too diversified to be easily. made the subject of fruitful comparison. He insisted upon the importance of folklore seriously studied as an aid to the comparative study of religions, and strongly recommended his colleagues to work quietly and to seize the inherent logic of religious history, which is a popular logic.

D

The abstract which I have had to use for the above is evidently far from being satisfactory, and the subject and argument of the latter part of it at least seems weak. As a matter of fact, Count Gubernatis introduced some ideas into his long address which were, it seemed to me, worthy of being noted, but which are not included in the procèsverbaux. One of these was a practical illustration as to the way in which, in the heathen past, a single goddess became, in consequence of being viewed in two different aspects and worshipped at two different places, two distinct goddesses. This he illustrated by the veneration given in Catholic countries to the Virgin Mary, who, though regarded by all educated persons as a single personage, became, in the eyes of the lower classes, a different personality for each aspect under which she was venerated. Nevertheless, the learned professor spoke of the Catholic Church with every respect.

After thanks to the Count de Gubernatis, the President, Professor Réville, spoke of the work of the Congress and its success, congratulating the members upon the excellent spirit which they had caused to reign over all their deliberations. They were going to separate, he said, with that feeling of human fraternity which unites conscientious men above diversities of opinion or of confession. The Congress for the History of Religions had thus created a precedent which would determine the character of all future Congresses. M. Jules Oppert then congratulated the President of the Congress in his turn, attributing to him the merit of this success.

Of the papers read in the sections only very summary reports have been published, so that, not having been able to hear them all, I am not in a position to give a very full account of them. This, however, is in all probability not a thing to be regretted, as, to say the truth, I do not feel by any means competent to report lectures upon so complex a subject. The feeling of bewilderment which I had after listening to a paper at one of the general meetings upon, I believe, certain aspects of Brahmanism, I can hardly describe. It was so interlarded with Indian words, expressions, and technical terms as to be quite incomprehensible to me, and in all probability many others who heard it were in similar case to myself.