" We find reasons to believe that the chief motive for alleging
such a procrastination is the necessity to bring the race closer to the
Christian era. To show the "brother" inactive and unconcerned, "with
nothing but himself to ponder on," lest his antiquity and "fables of
empty idolatry," and perhaps his traditions of other people's doings,
should interfere with the chronology by which it is determined to try
him. The suspicion is strengthened when one finds in the book from
which we have been so largely quoting--a work of a purely scientific and
philological character--such frequent remarks and even prophecies as:
"History seems to teach that the whole human race required a gradual
education before, in the fulness of time, it could be admitted to the
truths of Christianity." Or, again "The ancient religions of the world
were but the milk of Nature, which was in due time to be succeeded by
the bread of life;" and such broad sentiments expressed as that "there
is some truth in Buddhism, as there is in every one of the false
religions of the world, but.
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