Classical Studies were Pursued by the Sons of the more Enlightened Christian Fathers—­Method Among the Leaders—­The Necessity for a thorough Knowledge of the Systems to be Met, as it was then Recognized—­The thorough Preparation of Augustine, Ambrose, Iraeneus, and Others for their Work—­Origen’s Masterly and Successful Reply to Celsus—­The Use Made by the Early Fathers and by the Churches of a Later Day, of the Philosophy of Plato and Aristotle—­Heathenism thus Conquered with its Own Weapons.

LECTURE III.

THE SUCCESSIVE DEVELOPMENTS OF HINDUISM 73

     The Great Variety in India’s Religious Systems—­The Early
     Monotheistic Nature Worship and its Gradual Lapse Into
     Polytheism—­The Influence of Environment on the Development of
     Systems—­The Distinction between Aryanism and Brahmanism, and the
     Abuses of the Latter in its Doctrines of Sacrifice and Caste—­The
     Causes which Led to the Overthrow of this System of
     Sacerdotalism—­The Upanishads and the Beginnings of Philosophy—­The
     Rise of Buddhism and the Six Schools of Philosophy—­Points in
     Common between them—­The Code of Manu and its Countercheck to
     Rationalism—­Its Development and its Scope, its Merits and
     Demerits—­The Meaning of the Word Hinduism as here Used and the
     Means by which it Gained Ascendency—­The Place and Influence of the
     Two Great Hindu Epics, their Origin, the Compromise which they
     Wrought, and the New and Important Doctrines which They
     Developed—­The Trimurti and the Incarnations of Vishnu—­The
     Deterioration of the Literature and the Faith of India—­The Puranas
     and the Tantras—­The Parallels between Hinduism and Christianity.

LECTURE IV.

THE BHAGAVAD GITA AND THE NEW TESTAMENT 111

The Great Interest Felt in this Poem by a Certain Class of Readers—­Its Alleged Parallels to the Scriptures—­The Plausibility of the Recent Translation by Mr. Mohini M. Chatterji—­Its Patronizing Catholicity—­The Same Claim to Broad Charity by Chunder Sen and Others—­Pantheism Sacrifices nothing to Charity, because God is in All Things—­All Moral Responsibility Ceases since God Acts in Us—­Mr. Chatterji’s Broad Knowledge of Our Scriptures, and his Skill in Selecting Passages for His Purpose—­His Pleasing Style—­The Story of Krishna and Arjuna Told in the Interest of Caste and Pantheism—­The Growth of the Krishna Cult from Popular Legends—­The Origin of the Bhagavad Gita and its Place in the Mahabharata—­Its Use of the Six Philosophies—­Krishna’s Exhortation—­The Issue of the Battle in which Arjuna is Urged to Engage—­The “Resemblances” Explained by their Pantheistic Interpretation—­Fancied Resemblances which are only in the Sound of Words—­Coincidences Springing from Similar Causes—­The Totally Different Meaning which Pantheism gives them—­Difference between Union with Christ and the Pantheistic Pervasion of the Infinite—­The Differentials of Christianity.

LECTURE V.