Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-06-18
8eli9ipns Department.
TEN GREAT RELIGIONS.

Rev. James Freeman Clarke, d. D.,
gave to the public his volume, comparing
the great religions of the world in 1871.
In that volume he tried to show that nine
of these religions were incomplete and
unsatisfactory, and pointed to Christian
ity as their completion and crown. They
are not so much dnti-Christian as-with
the exception of Mohammedanism-an
Christian. He tried to show that the
claims of Christianity, as the universal
and perfect religion, was established by
a comparison with otherl religions. That
work which met with very kind recep-
ton from all denominations, has now
been followed by another, entitled Ten
Great Religions, published by Houghton,
Miffiin & Co., Bostsn.
The substance of this volume was Civ
en- in course of lectures before the
Lowell Institute in Boston, and was aft
erwards revised. The aim of the work
is to present what each one of the great
religions teaches on the great problem of
life. What do they say respecting God,
the soul, the future life, sin, salvation,
duty, prayer, worship, inspiration, art?
And DIR. Clarke presents the different
teachings on their pivotal doctrines, thus
showing what each OF them offers to its
devotees for consolation, faith, and guild
ance. This is a new field Of inquiry, and
Dr. Clarke's able and learned work is the
first book that deals with it in an ade-
quate way. Within twenty years a vast
deal of light has been thrown upon the
whole subject by the studies of mission
airy scholars, by the translation Of religi-
Gus books, and by the researches Of spec
ialists, like Max Muller, Bunyan and
Renan. To-day we have a more adequate
idea of what Buddhism actually was in
its origin, and what it has finally became,
than any one Of the millions of its adher-
Brahminism and the system of Confucius.
This new data furnishes the material for
the comparative study DR.. Clarke has
made. He divides the ancient religions
luJO GNO CldSSCS3 bllC VI lu1dHG IT,
ligions-showing the earliest develop
ments of religious faith and sentiment;
national religions, which are those of ma
lions and races; and Catholic religions
which aim at universally. The earl
lest forms Of religious faith are inter-
esting, as the first dawnings Of intelli-
gence and affection in children are inter-
esting, as illustrations of human nature
and the spirit of God, ''who has never
left the world without Witness" In
other words, DR.. Clarke compares religi-
OnS which were formerly regarded as an
tagOnists; and by the comparison of
their different answers to the great ques-
tions of life, and duty, and Immortality
he learns rot only which religion is the
highest, and purest, and most satisfacto-
ry, but also how God has always been
with men, adapting Himself to their ca
pacities, trying even through their super
stitions to draw them to Him. This is
an interesting view; and DR.. Clarke's
volume carries it out with great learning
and ingenuity. AS to the success of his
work, there will be differences of opinion
1t will not entirely satisfy evangelical
scholars. 1t falls short of the mark OF
many important points of doctrine. Blu
it contains SO much that is valuable ant
new, and is so fall of suggestions, and it
spirit is so generously Catholic ant
partly forgotten in the merit of what
gives. And it will doubtless tempt othe
scholars to labor in the same field.