1889 LETTER TO ]\IR. TAYLOR 115 



Its occasion (writes Mr. Taylor) was one which I had 

 written on seeing an article in which he referred to the 

 Persian sect of the Babis. I had read with much interest 

 the account of it in Count Gobineau's book, and was much 

 struck with the points of likeness to the foundation of 

 Christianity, and the contrast between the subsequent 

 history of the two ; I asked myself how, given the points 

 of similarity, to account for the contrast ; is it due to 

 the Divine within the one, or the human surroundings? 

 This question I put to Professor Huxley, with many 

 apologies for intruding on his leisure, and a special 

 request that he would not suffer himself to be further 

 troubled by any reply. 



To Mr. Egbert Taylor 



4 Marlborough Place, N.W., 

 June 3, 1889. 



Sir — In looking through a mass of papers, before I 

 leave England for some months among the mountains in 

 search of health, I have come upon your letter of 7th 

 March. As a rule I find that out of the innumerable 

 letters addressed to me, the only ones I wish to answer 

 are those the writers of which are considerate enough to 

 ask that they may receive no reply, and yours is no 

 exception. 



The question you put is very much to the purpose : 

 a proper and full answer would take up many pages ; 

 but it will suffice to furnish the heads to be filled up by 

 your own knowledge. 



1. The Church founded by Jesus has not made its 

 way ; has not permeated the world — but did become 

 extinct in the country of its birth — as Nazarenism and 

 Ebionism, 



2. The Church that did make its way and coalesced 

 with the State in the 4th century had no more to do 



