, 1878-12-21

have given col"ring to the narrative it.
self. and have cndeavnred to strengthen
the sanction oftheir ow n caste and usages
Go to the Bible from the standpoint Of
modern criticism AMI it thus tells a
deeply interesting story OF the unfolding
of n spiritual faith. through the pressure
of the Divine Mind upon mans needs, as
against his wants, wants expressed in
his frantic clinging to Idols and cphods,
his localizing of the Divinity in the ark,
his long submission to the vicarious
worship of sacrifices and localities, and
the strcnuousness with which he strug-
gled against prophetic voices and n
gainst the dislasteiul summeEs foa loft
ier Idcal ot faith and works. II sim.
liar example is sought for in The dcvel
opment of other nations, that ot Socra-
trs Immediately occurs. This greatest Of
the Greeks by his lofty philosophy and
stcrn morality. and more than these, by
his spiritual faith, cane into ,lircct au-
tngoni.m with the hardened institutions
ol his day nnd died as a victim Of the
collision between the want aud the need
ot Greek civilization. A less familiar
name ia that of the Ilinloo Nanak,
founder, in 1888, of the Sikh religion
the spirit Of whose creed may he inferred
from the legend ofhis death. Part OF
his disciples were lIindoos and part
Mlhommcdans, who began strife ut
the bed side of the dying saint, as TO
which should have the honor of dispos
ing Of his body. Then Nunak said "Put
flowers on both sides ot me, the flowers
of the HindOos on the ilght, and those Of
the Musslen.an on the left aud if to.mor-
row the flowers of the Hindoos remain
fresh, then shall my body he burned, but
il the flowers of the Musslcmans alone
remain fresh then shall my body be bur-
ried. So tLcy did, and on the next day
as they lifted up the sheet which had
been spread over him, they found that
his body hnd disappeared and that all
the flowers had remained fresh. Nanak
began his ministry crying "thcre is
neither HindOo nor Mussleman" "Ihe
paths are two, but the Lord is one" for
which words he was called lunatic
He named the different sects, after colors
of the prism, sail proceeding from the
one liz ht," other doctrnrs Of his may he
seen in his words. "The Lord acknowl-
edges the light there is in u man, not the
caste to which he belongs" salvation
is not affected hy pilgrimages,' II alb
olu.ons produce holiness, then are the
frogs which never cease to wash, the
elect OF saints" "Spotlsss is the religion
of that man who wOrketlI and lookcth
not to the future reward 1t is need
less to say of this spiritual religion that
it encountered persecution. In the
hands of Nannk's successors it became
II religion ut "bood and iron" in con-
formity with the principles of propo
gandsm usually adopted in the East
departing however in this from Ntnak's
preccpt, that Truth should grow ly
peaceful means only"
Mature" says Shakespeare lis sub
ducd to what it works III. like the dycr's
hand" The mind using certain turmu.
laries ol truth, cc:iillsrs these Inrmuhrirs
with the ultlmates pt Truth ITSELF. As
the dyers hand takes status from the
coor he haLitually uses. so the religious
nature OF men fits itsyi 10 the shapes and
cOlors vt The customary creed. | thiuk
the examples given have answered the
purpose To- which they were citr,i; spilit
ual religion. that is to sly, Il conception
of God and his service higher lnnn the
traditional one, IL \ s,u:u Ing block to
man. lie ever nre'is such higher ryvcl b..
tIous. aud suffers f,r tic nrrl uf them.
lie wants an undisturhrd creed. tad.-
iional hilh. ever seeks out Mat Cod
stIl 10 another. uot, what Is IL s1yiag
TO met 81, Chri~l.,a.ty Is ihc ctuan-
ing Illustration ul ga.s truth. lurh ip it,
besinu.1. un.l %. elurs. through H-ar.y
~ NY cgaiarirA We ats 8, nUs.asf