adherents fragments of divine truth due to natural origin.

This is another

basis for mutual tolerance and coöperation. The work for theologians and scholars is to seek in each religion its essential foundation. Only when the principles dominating details have been brought out, can rational religious comparison be proceeded with, which shall assign to each religion its right place, its definite rite, in the religion of humanity.

Meanwhile, morals furnish a neutral ground where all religious friends of humanity can meet. Men are everywhere nearer to an understanding on man's duties toward his fellows than on definitions of belief and dogma. Morality is the most active agent in the evolution of religion. · The Christian inspired in his relation to non-Christian religions by the truth that purity, integrity, benevolence, active sympathy for every man suffering, the triumphant beauty of gentleness, pardon and generosity, are of universal morality, renders homage to a teaching whose authority he cannot as a Christian contest, whose sublimity he cannot as a thinker deny. Upon morality can be established a sympathetic understanding among the religions.

At present it would be vain to seek doctrinal accord among the great religions. But preparations for that accord can be made by pacifying their relations. This pacification can be obtained by respecting all forms of religious sentiment, by recognizing natural revelation, and by emphasizing the moral content and worth of each religion. This Parliament marks the first step in the sacred path that shall one day bring man to the truly humanitarian and universal religon.

PRINCIPLES OF THE SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION OF RELIGIONS.

BY JEAN RÉVILLE, LecturER AT THE SORBONNE, EDITOR OF THE "Revue de L'HISTOIRE Des ReligionS."

The variety of classifications proposed proves that uncertainty still exists as to the principles of classification. This arises from two facts: our knowledge is incomplete; we come to no common understanding as to the characteristics of the several religions.

The chief hindrance to a scientific determination of religions historically known is that each of them includes under a single name the most widely different phenomena.

Rule 1. Recognize that religions are not fixed quantities, nor invariable organic systems, but living organic products of the human mind, in perpetual flux, even when they seem fixed; that under seemingly like external forms they may include very different contents; that in each historic religCopyright, 1893, by J. H. B.

ious unit may be individual manifestations as varied as individual capacities in any modern people. In an inferior religious system may be found ideas, sentiments and practices of a superior order, and inversely. The science of religions is a moral science, and its classifications cannot be rigorous like those of natural science.

Rule 2. Exclude every abstract principle of classification imposed from without by a philosophical or theological system, and not springing from the facts themselves. Discard as anti-scientific any classification resting upon a distinction between revealed religion and natural religion, primitive monotheism and polytheism, or proposed by the speculative idealism of the Hegelian school, or of the symbolic school, or by the positivism of Comte, or by any systematic or dogmatic notion of history.

Rule 3. Found the classification of religions, to begin with, exclusively on the historic analysis of religious facts and phenomena. Examine inscriptions, documents, national poets, historians, philosophers and dramatists; study cults, rites, practices, popular traditions, usages and morals; examine monuments, plastic representations and religious utensils. Make this analysis in chronological order for each religion historically known, relying on the clearer documents to interpret the more obscure, and applying the gen eral rules of historical criticism. It is better that this should be done by a man who knows by experience what religious thought or emotion is.

Rule 4. In analyzing each religion never forget that it is intimately connected with the civilization of its country, and that, if for convenience of exposition, we study the religion apart from other manifestations of that civilization, we need to keep constantly in view its social environment.

Rule 5. In the most ancient teachings in regard to every religion, as well as in the manifestations of superior religions among their least civilized adherents, we constantly meet beliefs and practices just like those of peoples still uncivilized. In order to understand these primeval or inferior manifestations belonging to a time or a social plane that have no history, we must make a preliminary study of the present religions of uncivilized tribes; not in pursuance of any evolutionist theory, but simply to explain facts otherwise unintelligible by like facts among peoples within reach of our observation.

Rule 6. Complete the analysis of each religion by comparison with the analyses of other religions. Comparison brings out their common characteristics and specific differences, and permits classification in various categories. Such classification may afford instruction, but does not generally offer scientific exactitude without dissecting the history of religions at their various stages of development.

Rule 7. Complete thus the historical criticism by whatever testimonies the analyses have brought to light, clearing up what is obscure in one religion by what is clear in others.

Rule 8. Make this comparison with all the resources at the disposal of science, unaffected by the spirit of system or sect.

Rule 9. The comparison of results obtained by the analytico-historical study of the several religions is the basis of every scientific classification, according either to historic filiation or to form of development. We are not to find historic connection between religious phenomena separated in time or space, except when there is substantial evidence of relation, or when philology shows the common origin of names having a religious use. Otherwise the analogies may simply result from the spontaneous action of the human mind in independent but like conditions.

The study of religions must precede the study of religion. The only scientific classification is the historic. This springs from the facts instead of being imposed upon them. It is easy to understand these rules--in the present state of science it is hard to apply them.

THE DEV DHARM.

BY A MEMBER OF THE MISSION.

1. Sketch of the Mission.-Mahamaniya Pujniyabar Pandit Sattyanand Agnihotri, founder of the Dev Dharm, was born, a high-caste Brahman, in 1850. From boyhood he was rich in spirituality, and his early manhood was devoted to religious studies and philanthropic work. In 1882 an intense internal experience culminated in his announcement that he was an apostle to save from sin, disciples flocked around him, and he devoted himself to evangelization and pastoral care. His denunciations of worldliness and sin awakened persecution. For a time he still continued to work with the Brahmo-Somaj, but this body did not receive his teaching, and in 1887 he founded the Dev Dharm. After shaping the principles of Devat-ship he promulgated the four mahatas in 1892. He has written eighty books or tracts, and founded two journals. In 1893 came new light and power, and the reorganization of the mission on that higher basis.

2. Cardinal Principles.-Man is conscious of his existence and of other existences. He has no existence independent of them, and is but a part of the universe. Therefore he cannot escape its influences. His first duty is to adjust each part of his organism to every other part, and his whole being to every existence. The means consist in knowing what principles can effect the adjustment, and what power can apply them. In man and in his relation to others are permanency and transiency. In his knowledge of self and of others are truth and untruth. In his being and his relationships are harmony and disharmony. In his higher interests are self-denial and selfishThe discernment of permanence, truth, harmony and self-denial, with love of them and hatred and denunciation of all opposed to them, constitutes complete spiritual life. Absence of spiritual life and love of trans

ness.

iency, untruth, disharmony and selfishness constitute the natural life. Only through spiritual life can man attain adjustment. Spiritual life is the root of perfection, natural life the source of evil. Master-souls save man, create spiritual life, and fulfill the law of redemption. Spiritual life is no spontaneous outgrowth from natural life; without master-saviours man feels no desire and has no power to save himself. By cultivating spiritual life man can effect progressive union with all. To attain this union and to establish the kingdom of union is the object of life. The most blessed and noblest man is he who attains spiritual life, strives to spread its blessings, and strug gles to save his fellows. This is the mission of our teacher.

3. The four fundamental principles.—(A) Love the eternal interests of the spiritual life, but hate whatever binds the soul to the temporal. (B) Love the search for and attainment of truth, but hate untruth. (C) Love harmony and regard rights, hate and renounce discord. (D) Love to do good and to sacrifice self; hate selfish desires and relationships. Then follow two-score minor principles representing the type of spiritual life developed in every soul uniting with Agnihotri in faith, love, and obedience.

4. Characteristics of the religion of the spiritual life.-A religion dispensing with law is unscientific and unauthoritative. The Dev Dharm is based on the laws of biology, and is therefore scientific, logical and philosophical. It gives new birth and makes holy life and character, and is thus a practical religion. It raises man to divinity, brings the divine kingdom of spiritual life, and establishes universal union; it is therefore of divine origin.

ORIGIN OF SHINTOISM.

BY TAKAYOSHI MATSUGAMA.

Shinto is not our original religion. A faith existed before it, which was its source. It grew out of superstitious teachings and mistaken tradition. The history of the rise of Shinto sects proves this. I will therefore trace the rise of the name and the growth of Shintoism, and state the primitive faith.

1. The name of Shinto.-Though Shinto occurs a few times in the old writings it was not used with our meaning. It signified the way of worshiping, the manner of reverencing the doctrine that the gods founded Japan. Though the term occurred before A. D. 740, it signified no system of relig ion. As the name of a faith it was first used after A. D. 804.

2. Growth of Shintoism.—In the ninth century the blending of two fundamental doctrines. of Shingonese Buddhism with the primitive Japanese worship produced Riobu-Shintoism. About A. D. 930 Japanese Buddhism taught that there was difference between Buddha and our gods. Shinto Copyright, 1893, by J. H. B.