GOD AND THE WORLD. 291 



Trinity which was adopted as an indispensable founda- 

 tion of the Christian religion. The three persons, 

 which are distinguished as Father, Son, and Holy 

 Ghost, are three distinct individuals (and, indeed, 

 anthropomorphic persons), just as truly as the three 

 Indian deities of the Trimurti (Brahma, Vishu, and 

 Shiva) or the Trinity of the ancient Hebrews (Ann, 

 Bel, and Aa). Moreover, in the most widely-distri- 

 buted form of Christianity the " virgin " mother of 

 Christ plays an important part as a fourth deity ; in 

 many Catholic countries she is practically taken to be 

 much more powerful and influential than the three 

 male persons of the celestial administration. The 

 cult of the madonna has been developed to such an 

 extent in these countries that we may oppose it to the 

 usual masculine form of monotheism as one of a 

 feminine type. The " Queen of Heaven " becomes so 

 prominent, as is seen in so many pictures and legends 

 of the madonna, that the three male persons prac- 

 tically disappear. 



In addition, the imagination of the pious Christian 

 soon came to increase this celestial administration by 

 a numerous company of " saints" of all kinds, and 

 bands of musical angels, who should see that " eternal 

 life" should not prove too dull. The Popes — the 

 greatest charlatans that any religion ever produced — 

 have constantly studied to increase this band of 

 celestial satellites by repeated canonisation. This 

 curious company received its most interesting acquisi- 

 tion in 1870, when the Vatican Council pronounced 

 the Popes, as the vicars of Christ, to be infallible, and 

 thus raised them to a divine dignity. When we add 

 the " personal Devil " that they acknowledge, and the 

 " bad angels " who form his court, we have in modern 



