132 SHEMITIC CIVILIZATION. 



has rendered to the world, to its especial 

 work, and, if one may be allowed the ex- 

 pression, its Providential mission. We do 

 not owe to the Shemitic race our political 

 existence, our Art, our Poetry, our Philo- 

 sophy, nor our Science. For what, then, 

 are we indebted to it? We owe to them 

 Religion. The whole world, with the ex- 

 < -option of India, China, Japan, and na- 

 tions yet altogether savage, has adopted 

 Shemitic religions. The civilized world 

 numbers only Jews, Christians, and Mussul- 

 mans. The Indo-European race, in par- 

 ticular, except the Brahmanic family and 

 the feeble remnants of the Parsees, has 

 passed entirely over to Shemitic creeds. 

 What has been the cause of this remark- 

 able phenomenon ? How is it that nations, 

 which hold the guidance of the world, have 



liratrd their own creed to adopt that of 

 those whom they have overcome ? 



The primitive worship of the Indo-Euro- 

 pean race, pvnt lemon, was as beautiful and 

 full of depth as the -imagination of the 



