In its broad influence Christianity has raised the once savage tribes of Europe to the highest degree of culture, and made them leaders and rulers of the world; but Hinduism has so weakened and humbled the once conquering Aryans that they have long been an easy prey to every invading race.  Christianity shows in its sacred Book a manifest progress from lower to higher moral standards—­from the letter to the spirit, from the former sins that were winked at to the perfect example of Christ, from the narrow exclusiveness of Judaism to the broad and all-embracing spirit of the Gospel, from prophecy to fulfilment, from types and shadows to the full light of Redemption; the sacred books of Hinduism have degenerated from the lofty aspirations of the Vedic nature-worship to the vileness of Saktism, from the noble praises of Varuna to the low sensuality of the Tantras, from Vedic conceptions of the creation, sublime as the opening of St. John’s Gospel, to the myths of the divine turtle or the boar, or the escapades of the supreme and “adorable Krishna."[71]

Christianity breaks down all barriers which divide and alienate mankind, and establishes a universal brotherhood in Christ; Hinduism has raised the most insurmountable barriers and developed the most inexorable social tyranny ever inflicted on the human race.  The Hebrew economy also recognized a priestly class, but they were chosen from among their brethren and were only a distinct family; they made no claim to divine lineage, and they were guiltless of social tyranny.

Christianity enjoins a higher and purer ethic than it has ever found in the natural moral standards of any people; it aims at perfection; it treats the least infraction as a violation of the whole law; it regards even corrupt thoughts as sins; it bids us be holy even as He is holy in whose sight the heavens are unclean.  Hinduism, on the other hand, is below the ethical standard of respectable Hindu society.  The better classes are compelled to apologize for it by asserting that that which is debasing in men may be sinless in the gods.  The offences of Krishna and Arjuna would not be condoned in mortals; the vile orgies of the “left-handed worshippers” of Siva would not be tolerated but for their religious character.  The murders committed by the Thugs in honor of Kali were winked at only because a goddess demanded them.  The naked processions of Chaitanya’s followers would be dispersed by the police anywhere but in India.

It is the peculiar distinction of India that it has been the theatre of nearly all the great religions.  Brahmanism, Buddhism, and Mohammedanism have all made trial of their social and political power and have failed.  Last of all came Christianity.  The systems which preceded it had had centuries of opportunity; and yet Christianity has done more for the elevation of Hindu society in the last fifty years than they had accomplished in all the ages of their dominion.  Neither Buddhism nor Mohammedanism had made any serious