ΤΟ

WILLIAM HENRY CHANNING,

MY FRIEND AND FELLOW-STUDENT

DURING MANY YEARS,

This Work

IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED.

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1. Object of the present Work

2. Comparative Theology; its Nature, Value, and present Position

3. Ethnic Religions. Injustice often done to them by Christian Apol-

ogists

4. How Ethnic Religions were regarded by Christ and his Apostles.

5. Comparative Theology will furnish a new Class of Evidences in

Support of Christianity

§ 6. It will show that, while most of the Religions of the World are Eth-

nic, or the Religions of Races, Christianity is Catholic, or adapted

to become the Religion of all Races

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7. It will show that Ethnic Religions are partial, Christianity universal 21

8. It will show that Ethnic Religions are arrested, but that Christianity

is steadily progressive

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CHAPTER II.

CONFUCIUS AND THE CHINESE, OR THE PROSE OF ASIA.

1. Peculiarities of Chinese Civilization

32

2. Chinese Government based on Education. Civil-Service Examina-

tions

38

3. Life and Character of Confucius

44

4. Philosophy and subsequent Development of Confucianism

52

NOTE. The Nestorian Inscription

in

China

5. Lao-tse and Tao-ism

6. Religious Character of the "Kings."

7. Confucius and Christianity. Character of the Chinese

8. The Tae-ping Insurrection

53

57

58

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71

CHAPTER III.

BRAHMANISM.

1. Our Knowledge of Brahmanism. Sir William Jones

77

2. Difficulty of this Study. The Complexity of the System. The

Hindoos have no History. Their Ultra-Spiritualism.

81

3. Helps from Comparative Philology. The Aryans in Central Asia

4. The Aryans in India. The Native Races. The Vedic Age. Theol-

ogy of the Vedas.

§ 5. Second Period. Laws of Manu. The Brahmanic Age

85

89

§ 7.

Origin of the Hindoo Triad.

6. The Three Hindoo Systems of Philosophy, — The Sánkhya, Vedanta,

and Nvasa

100

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114

8. The Epics, the Puranas, and Modern Hindoo Worship

9. Relation of Brahmanism to Christianity

CHAPTER IV.

BUDDHISM, OR THE PROTESTANTISM OF THE EAST.

§ 1. Buddhism, in its Forms, resembles Romanism; in its Spirit, Prot-

estantism.

§ 2. Extent of Buddhism. Its Scriptures

3. Sakya-muni, the Founder of Buddhism

4. Leading Doctrines of Buddhism

5. The Spirit of Buddhism Rational and Humane.

6. Buddhism as a Religion

7. Karma and Nirvana

8. Good and Evil of Buddhism

9. Relation of Buddhism to Christianity

CHAPTER V.

ZOROASTER AND THE ZEND AVESTA.

139

146

148

153

1. Ruins of the Palace of Xerxes at Persepolis

. 171

2. Greek Accounts of Zoroaster. Plutarch's Description of his Religion 175

3. Anquetil du Perron and his Discovery of the Zend Avesta.

4. Epoch of Zoroaster. What do we know of him?

.

178

180

7. Later Development of the System in the Bundehesch

5. Spirit of Zoroaster and of his Religion

6. Character of the Zend Avesta

8. Relation of the Religion of the Zend Avesta to that of the Vedas

9. Is Monotheism or pure Dualism the Doctrine of the Zend Avesta.

10. Relation of this System to Christianity. The Kingdom of Heaven

CHAPTER VI.

THE GODS OF EGYPT.

1. Antiquity and Extent of Egyptian Civilization.

2. Religious Character of the Egyptians. Their Ritual

3. Theology of Egypt. Sources of our Knowledge concerning it

209

214

223

4. Central Idea of Egyptian Theology and Religion. Animal Worship 225

5. Sources of Egyptian Theology. Age of the Empire and Affinities

of the Race.

6. The Three Orders of Gods.

7. Influence upon Judaism and Christianity

230

. 239

250

1. Origin and essential Character of the Religion of Rome

316

321

. 331

339

347

355

362

363

376

384

385

387

390

4. The Gods of Scandinavia

5. Resemblance of the Scandinavian Mythology to that of Zoroaster

6. Scandinavian Worship

7. Social Character, Maritime Discoveries, and Political Institutions of

the Scandinavians

§ 8. Relation of this System to Christianity

CHAPTER X.

THE JEWISH RELIGION.

1. Palestine, and the Semitic Races

397

2. Abraham; or, Judaism as the Family Worship of a Supreme Being 402

3. Moses: or, Judaism as the national Worship of a just and holy King 409

4. David; or, Judaism as the personal Worship of a Father and Friend 421

5. Solomon; or, the Religious Relapse

6. The Prophets; or, Judaism as a Hope of a spiritual and universal

Kingdom of God

7. Judaism as a Preparation for Christianity