The required books of the C. L. S. C. are recommended by a Council of Six. It must, however, be understood that recommendation does not involve an approval by the Council, or by any member of it, of every principle or doctrine contained in the book recommended. These essays have been selected from the admirable series of Present Day Tracts , published by the Religious Tract Society, London, and are reprinted with permission....

The place of Hinduism—which is professed by about a hundred and ninety millions in India—among the religions of the world, and its great antiquity, are pointed out. The comparative simplicity of the system contained in the Vedas, the oldest sacred books of the Hindus, its almost entire freedom from the use of images, its gradual deterioration in the later hymns, its gradual multiplication of gods, the advance of sacerdotalism, and the increasing complexity of its religious rites are set forth. T

The system of religious belief which is generally called Hinduism is, on many accounts, Hinduism deserving of study. eminently deserving of study. If we desire to trace the history of the ancient religions of the widely extended Aryan or Indo-European race, to which we ourselves belong, we shall find in the earlier writings of the Hindus an exhibition of it decidedly more archaic even than that which is presented in the Homeric poems. Then, the growth—the historical development—of Hinduism is no

Regarding the earliest form of Hinduism we must The most ancient writings of India. draw our conceptions from the Veda, or, to speak more accurately, the four Vedas. The most important of these is the Rig Veda; and internal evidence proves it to be the most ancient. It contains above a thousand hymns; the earliest of which may date from about the year 1500 B. C. The Hindus, or, as they call themselves, the Aryas, had by that time entered India, and were dwelling in the north-western portion, the

During the Vedic period—certainly toward its conclusion—a tendency to speculation had Speculation begins. begun to appear. Probably it had all along existed in the Hindu mind, but had remained latent during the stirring period when the people were engaged in incessant wars. Climate, also, must have affected the temperament of the race; and, as the Hindus steadily pressed down the valley of the Ganges into warmer regions, their love of repose and contemplative quietism would continually deepen. A

But the Hinduism that grew up, as Buddhism faded from Indian soil, was widely different Revival, in an altered form, of Hinduism. from the system with which early Buddhism had contended. Hinduism, as it has been developed during the last thousand or twelve hundred years, resembles a stupendous far-extended building, or series of buildings, which is still receiving additions, while portions have crumbled and are crumbling into ruin. Every conceivable style of architecture, from that of the statel

The immense difference between the Hindu and Christian religions has doubtless already frequently suggested itself to the reader. It will not be necessary, therefore, to dwell on this topic at very great length. The contrast forces itself upon us at every point. When, about fifteen centuries B. C., the Aryas The Aryas and Israelites—their probable future, about 1500 B. C. were victoriously occupying the Panjab, and the Israelites were escaping from the "iron furnace" of Egypt, if one had been as

We have used the word reformer in this Tract. Attempted reforms. We formerly noted that, in India, there have arisen from time to time men who saw and sorrowed over the erroneous doctrines and degrading rites of the popular system. In quite recent times they have had successors. Some account of their work may form a fitting conclusion to our discussion. With the large influx into India of Christian ideas it was to be expected that some impression would be made on Hinduism. We do not refer to con

The progress of Islam was slow until Mohammed cast aside the precepts of toleration and adopted an aggressive, militant policy. Then it became rapid. The motives which animated the armies of Islam were mixed—material and spiritual. Without the truths contained in the system success would have been impossible, but neither without the sword would the religion have been planted in Arabia, nor beyond. The alternatives offered to conquered peoples were Islam, the sword, or tribute. The drawbacks and

Among the religions of the earth Islam must take the precedence in the rapidity and force Islam pre-eminent in its rapid spread. with which it spread. Within a very short time from its planting in Arabia the new faith had subdued great and populous provinces. In half a dozen years, counting from the death of the founder, the religion prevailed throughout Arabia, Syria, Persia, and Egypt, and before the close of the century it ruled supreme over the greater part of the vast populations from Gibra

The personal ministry of Mohammed divides itself into two distinct periods: first, his Two periods in the mission of Mohammed. life at Mecca as a preacher and a prophet; second, his life at Medina as a prophet and a king. It is only in the first of these periods that Islam at all runs parallel with Christianity. The I. Ministry at Mecca, A. D. 609-622. great body of his fellow-citizens rejected the ministry of Mohammed and bitterly opposed his claims. His efforts at Mecca were, therefore, confin

Having thus traced the rapid early spread of Islam to its proper source, I proceed to the Islam stationary in area, and in civilization retrograde. remaining topics, namely, the causes which have checked its further extension, and those likewise which have depressed the followers of this religion in the scale of civilization. I shall take the former first—just remarking here, in respect of the latter, that the depression of Islam is itself one of the causes which retard the expansion of the fait

I pass on to consider why Mohammedan nations occupy so low a position, halting as almost Social and intellectual depression. every-where they do, in the march of social and intellectual development. The reason is not far to find. Islam was meant for Arabia, not for the world; for the Arabs Islam intended for the Arabs. of the seventh century, not for the Arabs of all time; and being such, and nothing more, its claim of divine origin renders change or development impossible. It has within itself