ISRAELITE AND INDIAN. 211 



as to comprehend in it the new, which is also right, and whatever 

 there is of the old that can not be managed otherwise must be ex- 

 plained away. 



There is an apparent exception in favor of the old thoughts 

 and teachings where there has been a general degradation in cult- 

 ure ; then a return to the results of the former and forgotten 

 culture is most desirable. This is illustrated in the revival of the 

 old learning after the dark ages in Europe, when the classic writ- 

 ings as discovered brought fresh illumination to the world. But 

 this was simply a resumption of advance after a check ; and the 

 wisdom of the ancients, which has appeared marvelous, owes 

 much of its splendor to the intervening darkness. The process of 

 development, not chronology, makes a proper criterion. Though 

 antiqaitas scecuM juvenilis mundi, the archaic is that which relates 

 to the earliest steps of human advance. We have the history of 

 the Israelites for forty centuries ; we have that of the Indians for 

 little more than three centuries ; and, though the Israelites in re- 

 corded times advanced beyond the plane of the Indians, who shall 

 say which of the two peoples is in years the older ? 



The points before mentioned that neither the Israelites nor 

 the Indians had any formulated and established faith, and in par- 

 ticular did not believe in a single god, and that they did not have 

 any system of rewards and punishments after death had impor- 

 tant consequences. They were never persecutors for religious 

 opinion. With regard to the Indians that assertion will at once 

 be admitted ; with regard to the Israelites it will be disputed by 

 those who take the statements of the compilers of the Old Testa- 

 ment as literally historical. 



I have before mentioned one reason, that of the amalgamation 

 of the Israelites with the inhabitants of Canaan, why there could 

 not have been any such fanatic massacre as is narrated. There 

 are other potent reasons. This plane of culture of the Israelites 

 being established, it is proper theoretically to make the deduc- 

 tions belonging to that plane. The Indians carefully concealed 

 their special mystery-daimons. As a matter of fact, the Israel- 

 ites were generally in accord with their neighbors in religious 

 opinions and practices, so there could have been no antagonism 

 from religious motives. If while worshiping Jahveh they made 

 war for any reason, Jahveh was their reliance, and he conquered 

 or was defeated with them ; but they did not make war to force 

 the worship of Jahveh upon others. They would have regarded 

 that as the worst possible policy, as it would have allowed their 

 enemies to pirate upon their divine monopoly which was the 

 essential part of their military equipment. 



When men live in the midst of many religions, which imply 

 many revelations, they are charitable to all of them. It is only 



