In the next place, we looked at the circumstances of the people of the towns, inquired as to how caste has affected them for good or evil, and came to the conclusion that not only does no good arise from caste, but that it is plainly and unmistakably an unmitigated evil.

Keeping these conclusions firmly in mind, let us now advance to the consideration of a third question, which naturally arises out of those facts which I assume to have been established.

That question is—­How far has caste acted beneficially, or the reverse, in helping to retard our interpretation of Christianity?  Pursuing the same order as before, let us ask, in the first place, whether caste has, as regards the country populations, acted beneficially in this as well as in the other points we have looked at.  But, before attempting to answer this question, it may be as well to offer a few general remarks which tend to show that, independently of any question of caste, it is hopeless to expect that any ignorant and generally unenlightened race can possibly derive any benefit from adopting the formulas and dogmas of a pure faith.

To illustrate this old and well-established truth, let us point to four of the many instances which may be adduced as decisively confirming it—­the history of Christianity in Europe, of Islam amongst the Indian Mahomedans, and the history of Christianity in Abyssinia and India.  As to the first, to use the words of Buckle, “after the new religion had received the homage of the best part of Europe, it was found that nothing had really been effected.”  Superstition was merely turned from one channel into another.  The adoration of idols was succeeded by the adoration of saints, and for centuries after Christianity had become the established religion it entirely failed to produce its natural fruits, because ignorance imperatively demanded superstition in some shape or other.  To some it may seem, at first sight, a curious circumstance that the same remarks may be applied to the history of Mahomedanism in India.  The idols were broken and the one God declared.  But how long was it before the people, like the Israelites of old, fell away from the grand central doctrine of Mahomedanism—­the unity of God?  How long was it before the adoration of idols was followed by the adoration of saints?  The exact coincidence, however, is no more striking than that given causes produce fixed results with an Eastern as well as with a Western people.  When we turn, thirdly, to Abyssinia, what do we find?  How have the dogmas of Christianity fared there?  The Abyssinians did not rise to the level of the dogmas and principles of Christianity—­that we all know.  They simply reduced it to their own level.  Look, lastly, at our native Christians in India.  I believe it is quite certain that, in the general opinion of Englishmen, they are, to say the least, very far from being the best class in India; in fact, I do not think it too much to say