Two Old Faiths

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Two Old Faiths

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Title: Two Old Faiths Essays on the Religions of the Hindus and the
Mohammedans
Author: J. Murray Mitchell and William Muir
Release Date: November 4, 2005 [EBook #16996]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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FAITHS ***

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Transcriber's Note:

The footnotes marked with lower-case letters were originally sidenotes
which referred to sentences within the paragraph. I placed them at the
end of chapters to avoid confusion with the footnotes marked with
numbers, which were footnotes in the original and are at the end of the
text.

TWO OLD FAITHS
ESSAYS ON THE RELIGIONS OF THE HINDUS AND THE
MOHAMMEDANS
BY
J. MURRAY MITCHELL, M.A., LL.D.
AND
SIR WILLIAM MUIR, LL.D., D.C.L.
NEW YORK CHAUTAUQUA PRESS C.L.S.C. Department, 150 Fifth
Avenue 1891
The required books of the C.L.S.C. are recommended by a Council of
Six. It must, however, be understood that recommendation does not
involve an approval by the Council, or by any member of it, of every
principle or doctrine contained in the book recommended.
* * * * *
These essays have been selected from the admirable series of Present
Day Tracts, published by the Religious Tract Society, London, and are
reprinted with permission.

CONTENTS.
THE HINDU RELIGION. PAGE

Outline of the Essay 7
Introduction 9
The Vedas 12
Philosophy, and Ritualism 31
Reconstruction--Modern Hinduism 43
Contrast with Christianity 58
Hinduism in Contact with Christianity 68
THE RISE AND DECLINE OF ISLAM.
Outline of the Essay 83
Introduction 85
The Rapid Spread of Islam 87
Why the Spread of Islam was Stayed 125
Low Position of Islam in the Scale of Civilization 129

THE HINDU RELIGION.

OUTLINE OF THE ESSAY.
The place of Hinduism--which is professed by about a hundred and
ninety millions in India--among the religions of the world, and its great
antiquity, are pointed out.
The comparative simplicity of the system contained in the Vedas, the
oldest sacred books of the Hindus, its almost entire freedom from the

use of images, its gradual deterioration in the later hymns, its gradual
multiplication of gods, the advance of sacerdotalism, and the increasing
complexity of its religious rites are set forth.
The philosophical speculation that was carried on, the different
philosophical schools, the Buddhist reaction, its conflict with
Brahmanism, its final defeat, and its influence on the victorious system
are discussed.
The religious reconstruction represented by the Puranas, their
theological character, the modern ritual, the introduction and rise of
caste, and the treatment of women are then considered.
A contrast is drawn between the leading characteristics of Hinduism
and those of Christianity, and the effect of Christian ideas on modern
Hinduism is exhibited. The history of the Brahmo Somaj under Keshub
Chunder Sen is given at some length.

THE HINDU RELIGION.
INTRODUCTION.
[Sidenote: Hinduism deserving of study. Its antiquity.] The system of
religious belief which is generally called Hinduism is, on many
accounts, eminently deserving of study. If we desire to trace the history
of the ancient religions of the widely extended Aryan or Indo-European
race, to which we ourselves belong, we shall find in the earlier writings
of the Hindus an exhibition of it decidedly more archaic even than that
which is presented in the Homeric poems. Then, the growth--the
historical development--of Hinduism is not less worthy of attention
than its earlier phases. It has endured for upward of three thousand
years, no doubt undergoing very important changes, yet in many things
retaining its original spirit. The progress of the system has not been
lawless; and it is exceedingly instructive to note the development, and,
if possible, explain it.
We are, then, to endeavor to study Hinduism chronologically. Unless

he does so almost every man who tries to comprehend it is, at first,
overwhelmed with a feeling of utter confusion and bewilderment.
Hinduism spreads out before him as a vast river, or even what seems at
first
"a dark Illimitable ocean, without bound, Without dimension, where
length, breadth, and height, And time, and place are lost."
[Sidenote: The discussion chronological.] But matters begin to clear up
when he begins at the beginning, and notes how one thing succeeded
another. It may not be possible as yet to trace all the windings of the
stream or to show at what precise