New-York tribune., 1872-10-15
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
,n,,NcoN,s oRIENTAL RELIGIoNs.

uho vital pFipcple Of this work is the identity OF
,ho yelioious sentiment under all its great historical
Ems Connected with this fundamental thesis is
a. .ondcncv Of every distinctive religion to merge
its exclusive claims in a higher supreme UNITY III
she opinion of the author the Universal IN rehgon
10 the only point of view from when the various eA
oss;ons of human belief can be treated with Just
innreciation. The cornerstone of worship must no
Ioncer he laid in what is special exclusive or anom-
alovs but in that which is essentially human ana
,horafove absolutely divine The revelation OF Oou'
IN other words can only be given in the na''un
constitution and culture of man.
The historical process Of the genesis of universal
religion. as developed by the author elucldateS tne
general score and purpose of his work. Mans iu-
stinctye sense of divine origin explains his lhlau
tile dreams of primitive golden age 1t is IN TINS
rrnde form that he first recognizes his relations 10
The Infinite and Perfect. These dreams have per
manent symbolic value as a significant mytholoey'
but they no longer stand data OF positive history
er clements Of enlightened belief Man experiences
= anroqressive education. through his own inherent
relations with the Infinite, commencing at the low
est stage and at each step advancing 10
n HIGHER progress. This experience is as
natural as It is divine 1t grows ont OF the
essential immanent laws of humanity,-laws whose
ahsoluteness is an Affirmation of INFINITE Mnlu' anu
whose continuous onward movement is lnsplrauoh'
Hence MI johnson concludes, the olStlnctOh
hitherto made between prOiane and sacreo hlStoiy
utterly vanishes. PTofane history Is hlsAoleI'
iSnoripc the universal presence ot DIVINE Law III
The evolution Of humanity In all TehglONs theIe
60 ironerfections The claim to exclusive or inial-
Hble revelation is alike untenable in all Yet IN all
expcrience has-reached the plane OF authority ana
fonnd an element of certainty. The intmuve
facultv. IN every one OF them, has pressed beyond
expercnce into the domain Of invisible undehnaDle
md indeluOpstrable realities. In all, the human
soul besot by the same problems Of life and cealh
has seen the positive relations OF man with the
order of the universe face to face The one spiritual
nature has found utteTance in all IN some eteInaly
valid form OF thought and conduct
The difference between the ancient and modern
conception Of life is simply the natural difference be-
tween the child ard the man. in either case the
transition is not marked by any sudden changes III
the nature Of growth. Nor are any new iacuiueS
enc!af.ed The process is not by special supeInat
uTal interference, but is gradual and normal. he
fection suppants instinct, and the unfolding OF self
consciousness brings higher powers and boldel
claims. In the child there was more than childish
ness. His whole manhood was there in germ. The
leaf needs no miracle to become a flower, MOI
The child to become a man. The whole process OF
growth is the miracle the product Of a divine per
vadue force. The history Of religion follows the
same law. There is no point where Deity enters fol
there is no POINT where Deity is absent. There Il
no need Of divine interference, for the very law by
whicL an proceeds is itself divine. Whatever forms
may alise require no fresh lsgitmatiOn Iheh
germs lay in the earlier FORMS their finest fruit in
closing the primal seeds The history of religion
shows a substantial unity between God and man
under an outward alterations
Starting from these principles, Mr. Johnson con-
tends, that il ia time the older religions were
studied in the light of their own intrinsic values
They are the spontaneous expression OF desire and
faith tle clements in an indvsibe unity of growth
which at each stage includes the natural guarantees
of future progress. We should 90 back to them, IN
the maturity Of science, with the same tenderness
that we feel for earliest ntuitions and emo
tions. They can be cCmpreherded only by rever
ent use Of the faculties Of imagination and cOntcm
plation which form the real way Of access to essen
tia relations and eternal truths. The cardinal ylr-
tuos and beliefs belong not to one religion, but to
aI religions. The diversities of form into which
each of these ideals is broken by differences Of race
and culture do not affect its essential identity in
them all I've everywhere find ourselves
At home in the worlds great faiths
through their common appeal 10 what Is nearest and
most familiar to Us in solving the great central facts
and relations with which the soul is forever called
to deal Everywhere we greet essential meanings of
The unity Of God with man. Of fate aud freedom, OF
sacrifice, inspiration, progress, Immortality, practi-
cal duties and hUmanities, just as we everywhere
find the mysteries Of birth and DEATH the bliss of
loving and sharing the sefTepoct Of moral loyalty,
the stress Of ideal desire. 1t VIII be found in fol-
lowing the course Of these studies, that all those
forms of moral and spiritual perception which are
wont 10 he regarded peculiar gifts Of Christianity
are visible through the crude social conditions Of the
old Asatc communities i'll such brave strug-
rie. TOO. for growth demonstrates not only
their vitality under those conditions, but also the
fact that they fulfill functions inherent and constant
in the nature of man. Such are tine recognition OF
ultimate good through transient evil; Of spiritual
gain through suffering and hinderance; Of freedom
through acceptance Of diyinely natural conditions
of love beyond thought Of consraining law; Of the
rchtful authority Of the soul over the senses OF the
eacredness of conscience, and Of somewhat immuta-
be in its DEGREES Of the meyitableness of moral
penalty, and the beauty Of disinterested motive
OF invince remedial energies in the spiritual uni
verse of Divine Fatherhood and Human Brother
hood and Immortal Life"
Tie volume is divided into three general sections,
the first two of which are devoted to the religion
and life. and the religious philosophy of the Brah-
mans willie the speculative principles and practical
ethics Of Buddhism are considered in the last The
characteristics Of the Hindu mind described by
the author with rare psychological acumen. His
ANALYSIS represents It subtle, intToversiye,
tenplative It spins its ideals out Of ts brain sub
stance. and may properly be called cerebral. "The
latest philosophical and religious systems lay pre-
figured in the depths of this Hindu Brain.
1t exhausted most forms Of devotional mysticism
and subtle speculation. In these spheres, it left
it, pupils little to learn from ZenO or Aristotle, or
ii