THE ROYAL INSTITUTION. MAX MULLER ON THE SCIENCE OF RELIGION. ON Saturday morning, February 19th, Professor Max Müller, M.A., LL.D., delivered the first of four lectures at the Royal Institution, upon “The Science of Religion," Prince Christian presided. The theatre of the Institution was well filled, and among the listeners present were Dean Stanley, of Westminster; Professor Tyndall; Sir Henry Hollaud, Bart., M.D., F.R.S.; Mr. J. M. Peebles; and Mr Moncure D. Conway. Professor Max Müller began by pointing out what very great progress the science of language has made, since he first advocated its claims at the Royal Institution, chairs of Sanscrit and Comparative Philology having of late been established at many of the chief universities in Great Britain and upon the Continent. On the present occasion, while advocating the founding of a science of religion, he felt in much the same position as when he advocated in that theatre several years ago, the study of language as a science. He felt that he had chosen a subject on which it was scarcely possible to speak without giving offence, for many people think reli gion too sacred a subject to be touched, whilst others class it with alchemy and astrology, and think it beneath the notice of a man of science. The truest reverence is to give the sub ject close examination. Although he should be most careful against giving offence, he knew that some things he should have to say would jar upon the ears of many, quite as much as did the title of the lecture. The science of religion is not all gain, for it entails the loss of many cherished ideas, but the gain is immcasurably higher than the loss. A few hundred years ago, the belief that Hebrew was the original language of the world, was accepted almost without question, and sometimes was made a matter of faith. Of late the fallacy of this notion has been demon strated; it is now known that the invention of words was left to man, and that languages originate from the workings of the human mind. Some look upon religion as so many tradi tions handed down to Jew, Christian, Hindoo, and so on, but the word religion is also used in a different sense. There is a faculty of religion in the mind, independent of all this, and without that faculty no religion would be possible; in all religions there is a longing for the infinite, and a belief in the love of God The foundation of a science of comparative theology will not be complete, until all the religions of the world have been analysed and classified, and as a science this subject has never yet been seriously taken in hand. The materials for such a science were not within reach in olden times, but now they surround us in rich profusion. The Emperor Akbar, 250 years ago, had a passion for the study of religions, but he could not get possession of many of the sacred books which are now in the hands of students, and if at present we have not English translations of all of them, it is our own fault. Of late years also, very much knowledge of the re ligions of savages has been gained, and this unveils much about religions in their early growth. Now, we have not only these materials, but we have the rules of critical analysis. We know that the questions to be settled about any books are - When was it written? Where? By whom? Was the author an eye-witness? Had the writer any party feeling? Was the whole book written at once, or at different times, and how can we separate them? We must know the most ancient forn of every language, before we can begin the work of compara tive philology, and so must it be with the study of religion. for religious tenets change with time. Buddhist literature teems with accounts of miserable miracles, yet Buddha him self ordered his disciples not to perform them, except by hiding their own good deeds, and confessing to the world their evil actions, and Buddha says nothing about the castes of modern times. While Buddha was in the world his presence was sufficient for his disciples, it was only after his death that they began to put his deeds on record, and everything that could glorify their beloved master they seized upon with avidity. Those who made suggestions in opposite directions had no chance of a hearing, dissension and sects sprang up. and very shortly words equivalent to “ unbeliever ” and “heretic” were invented. Then, as in other religions, the secular power was invoked, to settle disputes about creeds and canonical books. King Asoka, among others, was called upon to decide what books were sacred. Canonical books require more stringent criticism than others. In the science of religion no partisans are wanted, who wish to lift up or depress Christianity in comparison with other religions—the same close rule and method must be applied impartially to all. This is a favourable time for the work, and no creed but Christianity and perhaps early Buddhism, would have tolerated a scientific investigation of religion at all Comparative philology has already done much efficient work. It has proved that the notion that Pagan religions and ideas of one God are not corruptions of the ancient Jewish religion - that theory is now entirely abandoned. The languages of antiquity are not like those of the present day, for many words change their meaning by lapse of time ; the same words also often do not mean the same thing in different languages. To learn the truth, ancient thoughts must be applied to ancient words. For instance, what we call “Divine guidance,” the ancient Jews called “ a pillar of cloud,” and the fault is ours if we do not understand their words, and believe in the mate rial instead of the spiritual. More than half the difficulties and disputes in the history of religions, arise from this inter pretation of ancient words by modern thoughts. Is it likely that the Hebrew and the other Semitic languages should have escaped changes by growth, such as have changed all other languages, and should we not try to get at the ancient meaning rather than the modern interpretation ? Before the Gods of the Trinity had been worshipped, one supreme Deity had been made by the ancestors of our race, and He was known by a name which has never since been erased. The ancient religion, after its rust and dirt have been removed, will come out bright and clean and pure ; it will be the word of God revealed where it alone can be revealed—in the heart of man.