36 REV. W. ST. CLAIR TISDALL_, M.A.^ D.D., ON THE INFLUENCE 



Western education. Xot having given Christ His proper place, 

 Brahmaism is only an enlightened philosophical Theism, not 

 " the power of God unto salvation." Everything in it produc- 

 tive of good is due to direct Christian influence. It claims to 

 be the Universal Eelioion, but has ah^eadv failed, even in India 

 itself. 



It should, however, be noticed that all these various Samajes 

 have broken entirely with orthodox Hinduism in one great 

 point. All the Six Orthodox Systems of Hindu philosophy 

 adopt as an axiom the statement, " Xavastuno vastusiddhih," 

 which exactly corresponds to the Lucre tian Ex nihilo nihil 

 fit." These modern movements admit instead that God can 

 create, and has created, the Universe neither from Himself nor 

 from some self-produced form of matter. Hence they avoid the 

 Pantheism, with all its attendant confusion of evil and good, 

 which is the very soul of Hindirism. This change is indicative 

 of the immense effect which Christianity has produced on 

 them. 



The Arya-Samaj, founded in 1875 by Dayanand Sarasvati, 

 tUffers from the Brahmo-Samaj and its off'shoots in being pro- 

 foundly an ti- Christian. It has become more of a pohtical than 

 of a rehgious movement, however. Its founder affirmed that 

 not only all true religion, but all modern science, is contained 

 in the Vedas. In worship the Arya-Samaj retains the ancient 

 Aryan fire-altar, burning Iwma {soma), or incense. Its creed is 

 vague, and many of its members speak highly of Atheism, 

 wliich doubtless they cherish in their hearts. It is more noted 

 for bitter hatred of, and opposition to, Christianity than for any- 

 thing else. Yet in worship and methods of work it has largely 

 imitated Protestant Christianity. On Sunday morning there is 

 worship, consisting of hymns, reading of the Yedas, and a lecture 

 or sermon. Controversy, street-preaching, cUstribution of 

 tracts, publication of newspapers, establishment of schools and 

 orphanages, and the sending forth of missionaries, are among its 

 methods of propagation. 



We may sum up the influence of Christianity upon Hinduism 

 in its various forms by making use of the following two quota- 

 tions from the writings of men whose experience of India has 

 been extensive. Our own study and personal knowledge of the 

 subject lead to precisely the same conclusion. 



" Christian dogma," says Hopkins, " was fonnally introduced 

 into South India* in the sixth century ; it was known in the 



Religions of Lidia, p. 567. 



