solve the problems of life in a similar spirit, although we differ in our modes of expression. The Christian, however, whose faith is a belief in the letter of his dogmas will regard the Buddhist, be he ever so highly educated, as a pagan and Buddha as a false prophet or even "an impostor."* The latter kind of Christianity is still regarded as orthodox, but the time will come and is near at hand when its flagrant paganism will be recognized by the very authorities of the Church. The former kind of Christianity will be established as the only true Christianity, and the old narrow orthodoxy of bigotry and blind faith will be supplanted by the new broad orthodoxy of scientific truth.

Christianity, at present the second largest religion in the world, can very well become the universal religion of mankind, but there is one condition which must be fulfilled before it can gain the victory. It must discard all paganism; it must become conscious of the symbolical element of its symbols; it must with impartial justice recognize the truth wherever it be; it must be courageous enough to acknowledge its own errors of former misinterpretations, and appreciate the good that is contained in other religions; in a word, it must become a cosmic religion-truly catholic and orthodox.

What is more orthodox than that which with methodical exactness has been proved to be true, and what is more catholic than science? We must

*See Spence Hardy in his Legends and Theories of the Buddhists, p. 207.

learn to understand that science is a religious revelation.

This, in essence, is the lesson which a comparison of Buddhism with Christianity can teach us: Above any Hinâyâna, Mahâyâna and Mahâsêtu is the Religion of Truth, and the truth reveals itself everywhere, to every one who has the religious spirit to seek it, and dares to find it.

CHRISTIAN CRITICS OF BUDDHISM.

THE MISSIONARY PROBLEM.

MISSIONS are highly recommendable. They are in themselves a good thing and ought to be continued with vigor and enthusiasm. That religion is dead which does not missionarize. No worse objection can be made to the free-thinkers of to-day, who frequently boast of representing the world-conception of the cultured and the intelligent, than their utter want of the missionarizing spirit. Free thought can become worthy of consideration only when it begins to missionarize. So long as free-thinkers do not bring sacrifices for a wide propagation of their views their faith is plainly of a negative kind. A positive faith always engenders an enthusiasm to spread it. Missionarizing, far from being "ill-judged and unreasonable" is a sure symptom of the life that is in a religion. But while missions ought to be encouraged, we ought to spread at the same time the right spirit of missionarizing.

The missionary who wants to spread his faith must not revile the people whom he wants to convert. He must not distort nor misrepresent their religious views, and not unnecessarily desecrate

what is sacred to them. There are Christians among whom the opinion prevails that the good qualities of pagan religions are an obstacle to Christianity. Whenever such views obtain it is a sure sign that the right missionary spirit is missing. Let a missionary always look for the good sides of other religions, and let him carefully search for all the points of contact. Only by utilizing the good in paganism, only by gaining the sympathy of the pagans, can Christianity hope to conquer.

When St. Paul came to Athens he did not revile the Greek gods. On the contrary, he looked for some point of contact, and found it at last in an inscription written upon the altar dedicated to the Unknown God. Praising the scrupulous and conscientious religiosity of the Athenians, he proceeded to preach to them the Unknown God whom they had unwittingly worshipped.

There is a papal brief still extant written by Gregory the Great, in the year 601, and addressed to the missionary monk Augustine, in which the policy of a very ingenious method of missionarizing is outlined. The Pope was apparently a practical psychologist who knew how to treat men and make innovations acceptable. Whatever criticism may be made on the Pope's advice as being a kind of compromise with paganism, it certainly shows great keenness and good judgment. The success of his missionaries in England was a good evidence of the cleverness of his methods. Churches were built right on the shrines and sanctuaries of the old gods, and

the pagan festivals were continued under Christian names. Pope Gregory says:

"Because they (the Anglo-Saxons) are wont to slaughter at the feasts of the devils (i. e., of the pagan gods) many oxen and horses, it is decidedly necessary to let these feasts be continued and have another raison d'être given them. On kirmess and on the commemoration days of the holy martyrs, whose relics are preserved in those churches which are built on the spots of pagan fanes, a similar feast shall be celebrated; the festive place shall be decorated with green boughs and a church sociable shall be held. Only the slaughter of animals shall no longer be held in honor of Satan, but in praise of God, and the animals shall be slaughtered for the sake of eating them, and thanks shall be given for the gift to the Giver of all goods." *

Gregory advises not to destroy the pagan temples, but to transform them into churches. He urges the adoption, as much as possible, of pagan rites, and the substitution of the names of saints for the names of heroes and gods. In the same spirit Bishop Daniel writes to Winfrid, commonly called Boniface (Epist. xiv., 99), to be tolerant, patient, and to avoid all objurgation lest the pagans be embittered. "A missionary should not at once repudiate the genealogies of the gods, but should rather use them to prove their human character. He should propose questions which would set the pagans to thinking about the origin of the world and the origin of the gods, whence the gods came and what be the origin of the first god, whether they continue to generate

* See Beda Venerabilis, Hist. Eccles. Britorum, I., Chap. 30.