Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-11-28


III one were told that many centuries ago
q celestial ray shone into the body Of a sleep
ing woman as it seemed to her in II dream
that thereupon the advent Of wondrous child
Was predicted 10y the soothsayers that an
gels appeared at this child's birth that mCr-
chants came from afar bearing gifts to him
that an ancient saint recognized the babe as
divine and fell at his feet and vorshipped
him that in his eighth year the child con
founded his teachers with the amount Of
his knowledge. still showing them due revor-
encc that lie grew up full Of compassionate
tenderness to all that lived and suffered that
10 help his felow-creatures he sacrificed ev-
cry worldly prospect and enjoyment that he
went through the ordeal Of a terrible tempta-
ton, in which all the powers Of evil were let
loose upon him, and came out conquoror
over them all that be preached holiness aud
practised charity that be gathered disciples
and sent out apostles, who spread his doc
trines over many lands and peoples that
this Helper Of the Worlds could claim "A
more than earthly lineage aid II life that
dated from long before Abraham was. Of
whom would he think this wonderful tale
was told Would be not say at once that
this must Toe another version Of the story Of
one who came upon our earth in a Syrian
village, during the reign Of Augustus Caesar
anu 0ltG ny Hlh4tINN NAlAAiE Al4f fIbAA VI J.
berius What would be say if he were told
tina, the narrative Was between five and six
centuries older than that Of the Founder Of
Christianity =
Such is the story which Edward Arnold
tells Of Gautama, the founder Of buddhism
in his new poem, The light Of Asia, as
noticed by Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes in the
October International Review. Mr.. Arnold is
author ofthe lines He who died at Azan, and
H and She" This poem, Tn, Light Of
Asia is an idealizing Of the life and teach
ings of Gautama-t though still true to what
history hands down Of the life and doctrines
Of the wonderful teacher. whose influence so
largely dominates the East Four hundred
and seventy millions Of the race live and die
in the faith which Gautams has given
To those who have been taught to believe
that the religions Of India and China are
gross heathensh superstitious, the doctrines
Of devils, this poem will be revelation, if
| they viii only read it, And they will be
amazed at nothing more than the similarity
! IN the teachings Of GRutAn8 to what is best
| in the teachings of Jesus. Not that We can
accept it as superior or even equal 10 the
religion OF the prophet OF Nazareth, but that
it is far from being what the average Sunday
school literature has led the average Chris
tian man and woman 10 believe. On it.
MAYNARD side, its lumRnitariRnisn, it leaves
little to be desired but on the spiritual the
Godward side i; is weak and unsatisfactory
to the soul that has been led into the deep.
which most. if not all souls, have to be led
into sooner or later. Still the story Of eau.
tama Is told in The Light Of Asia vii
well repay careful reading. Nor says Dr.
Holmes, need any one fear TO ind it dull
the general inhrmity Of religious poems. i
has all the fascination Of fairy tale, Will,
impar;ing some Of the highest and fartLes
reaching moral truths, We are glad TO learn
that, since DR.. Holiness review was written
The Light Of Asia has been published il
this country by Roberts Brothers, Boston.