THE ARREST OF INQUIRY. 41 



fore, capable of explanation from its roots upward. 

 For this age is sympathetic, not flippant. It looks 

 with no favour on criticism that is only destructive, 

 or on ridicule or ribaldry as modes of attack on 

 current beliefs. Hence we have the modern science 

 of comparative theology, with its Hibbert Lectures, 

 and Gifford Lectures, which are critical and construc- 

 tive; as opposed to Bampton Lectures, Boyle and 

 Hulse Lectures, which are apologetic, the speaker 

 holding an official brief. Of the Boyle Lecturers, 

 Collings the " Deist " caustically said that nobody 

 doubted the existence of the Deity till they set to 

 work to prove it. Religions are no longer treated as 

 true or false, as inventions of priests or of divine 

 origin, but as the product of man's intellectual specu- 

 lations, however crude or coarse; and of his spiritual 

 needs, no matter in what repulsive form they are sat- 

 isfied. For " proofs " and " evidences " we have sub- 

 stituted explanations. 



Nevertheless, so strong, often so bitter, are the 

 feelings aroused over the most temperate discussion 

 of the origin of Christianity that it remains necessary 

 to repeat that to explain is not to attack, and that 

 to narrate is not to apportion blame, for no religion 

 can do aught than reflect the temper of the age in 

 which it flourishes. 



Let us now summarize certain occurrences which, 

 although familiar enough, must be repeated for the 

 clear understanding of their effects. 



Some sixty years after the death of Lucretius 



