Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-07-24
FASHIONABLE RELIGION.
A Rage Among the English People tor
Eastern Theosophy.
I..o,,oa;-,. ea1I,

The Providence Journal, discussing fash
ionable religion, says;
| Zone OF the latest crazes which ha
seized the English people, and which ha
! been imported to our country, is the rag
! for the Eastern theosophy, which, we ar,
/ told, is TO supplant Christianity in thu
minds of cultivated people The study o
| the Oriental religions has received a new
| impetus within the last decade, and mer
are carried away with the new fashion il
somewhat the same manner as they were
| captivated by the esthetic mania, which
was itself successor of the first popular
| phrase of Darwinianism. TO this Matthew
Arnold has kept time and tune with hi:
evolution of sweetness and light from 6
Christianity which ne had sWeetened anC
enlightened for genteel people by elimi
mating all that is supernatural and Eniracu
lous.
But of all the crazes and 'fads' of the
day, nothing strikes us as more curious
than the mixture of enthusiasm and Ian
guor with which certain Boston young
women proclaim themselves to be Budd-
hists in religion, adopting their new opin-
ions somewhat on the same principle as
the latest fashion in dress. at the present
day it is no secret that the attacks on the
DiU!t-RulCu IHlo dJ6SltGdlly Suuultu, ds
if to show how truth is an anvil that
wears out every hammer that rings upon il
has been abandoned in favor of new
device.
"Some of the rejectors of Christianity are
making experiments in the new philosophy
of comparative and competitive religions.
The beauty of Buddhism-the Light OF
Asia'-the wisdom of Vedar and the sub
lime morality Of Indian theosophy are set
forth in captivating style, and we are asked
to lay aside the teachings of Christianity as
an exclusive religion, or to admit the new
faith TO the same place in our affections as
that which is held by the religion of Christ
las Rome conquered Greece, to be her
self subjugated by Greek culture and art,
and conquered Palestine to be in turn sub
dned by the faith born at jerusalem, so it
would seem as if some English poets, phi
losophers and dilettanti dreamers fancy
they have annexed India only to be con-
verted to the pure and precious worship OF
the natives OF the country. What is this
beautiful and celestial creed which is being
50 boastfully paraded by intellectual exqui-
sites as being not only equal in inspiration
with the sacred Book of Christendom, but
as being far more suited for the choice and
adoption of men and women of taste and
mental acumen?
"One of the foremost Oriental scholars
in Europe, Sir NJ Monier Williams, Pro-
feSsor of Sanscrit at Oxford, who has
studied the Indian religions for forty years,
most Of the time in their own land, has
lately spoken with studied moderation. but
with justly dogmatic emphasis, which
should be decisive for every balanced mind.
Thoroughly learned in the sacred scriptures
of the East, he speaks not with empirical
criticism, but with the authority of mas
ter He has literally nothing to say but
what exalts the Bible TO the utmost dis
paragement of the whole Buddhist library
+" He declares the very diapason. so to
speak, of all the doctrines of the East to
be the prescription of self-righteousness
The hope of extinction or absorption of be-
ing, to escape universal suffering and de
spair, is the cream of Buddha's teaching
and this sour and curdled essence of despair
is the new gospel which our boosted mod
ern culture is giving us as being noble
teaching and equal to or only second to the
wisdom of Christ