30 THEOPHILUS G. PINCHES, LL.D., M.R.A.S., ON THE 
having a moral, social, piulosophical, or educational end in 
view, together with historical instruction. It might be an 
advantage, according to circumstances and surroundings, to 
develop the teaching of this new science in ene of these 
three directions, but the important thing was that it should 
be recognized in university circles as a necessary element 
for a healthy understanding of human evolution in the past, 
and even for the psychological, moral, and social problems a 
the present, for at the present time the struggle for life 
carried on between men of every race and every form of 
religious belief. 
This, naturally, was placing the objects of the Congress 
upon a very high level indeed, and though it may not have 
come to sill who heard the lecture with all the force which it 
deserved, it must have been recognized by many as a note- 
worthy utterance. Indeed, it is one which all ought to 
keep in mind, for it has a practical bearing on the ey eryday 
life of hundreds and thousands who have now, or who will 
have in the future, dealings with those of other religions 
and of other nationalities. If all who travel in other lands 
understood rightly the thoughts and feelings of those of 
other races and religions with whom they came into contact, 
there would not only be a_ better ‘understanding and 
sympathy between them, but the possessor of this know- 
ledge would be in a better position to discuss with such 
persous the things’ whereon they differed and agreed, and 
whenever such might be the case, he would assuredly have 
a much greater power for good, and setting aside in this 
Connection the chances of conversion, trowel at least find 
greater respect, 1f nothing more. 
At the next general meeting, September 6th, at the 
Sorbonne, a paper upon Islam and Parseeism, by Professor 
Goldzieher, was read. The author showed, by examples 
drawn ford the Hadith, the most ancient Mohammedan 
tradition, that it was not only Judaism and Christianity 
which exercised their influence on the historical formation of 
the religion of Mohammed, but that we must also recognise 
the influence exercised by the religion of the Persians, 
namely, Mazdeism. ‘The subject was an interesting one, 
especially proceeding as it did from such a scholar as 
Professor Goldzieher. 
Count Goblet d’Alviella spoke of the historical relations 
between religion and morals. Religion has acted, from its 
beginning, as a force tending strongly to social consolidation. 
