274 the kev. w. st. clair tisdall^ d.d._, on mithraism. 



Discussion. 



The Chairman. — I have followed this paper with the greatest 

 possible interest, and it certainly is valuable that we have heard 

 so much about Mithraism. The writer has been careful to guard 

 against the supposition of the derivation of Christian doctrines 

 from this system, and his very careful statements have carried 

 conviction. 



At the same time, I cannot quite accept what he says on p. 240, 

 viz., that " according to the latest scholarship of our day the 

 synoptic gospels were written and published, the earliest about 

 twenty, and the latest not more than forty years after Christ had 

 been crucified." In the footnote he refers us to Professor Petrie's 

 Grouih of the Gospels. In this work the author states his belief that 

 the " nucleus " of the Gospels, i.e., the portion common to the three 

 synoptic Gospels, dates probably from about A.D. 40. But he also 

 holds that other streams of tradition became incorporated with this 

 nucleus, at a later period. We have no evidence that the early 

 Christian records, such as Papias refers to in the well-known passage 

 quoted by Eusebius, were identical with the completed Gospels, 

 as we now have them, whose earliest MSS. date from the 

 fourth century. This apparent assumption has always seemed to 

 me to mar Professor Salmon's great work, and it seems to be 

 shared by the writer of the paper to-day. With regard to the 

 incorporation of earlier ideas into the Gospels, there is no doubt 

 a remarkable correspondence between early Egyptian conceptions 

 and Christian doctrines, and also between early Babylonian beliefs 

 and Jewish ones. I think we may admit without danger of losing 

 any really valuable truth, that in the formation of dogmas in 

 centuries somewhat removed from Our Lord's life-time, and also 

 in the later expression of Jewish beliefs, even within the pages of 

 the sacred writings, there was some colouring due to surrounding 

 influences and pre-existing religious conceptions. At the same 

 time the author of this paper is quite right to guard us against the 

 theory of a manufactured Christianity. 



The Rev. D. MacFadyen said : The paper contained an examina- 

 tion and a refutation of some of the statements that have been 

 made in a very careless and recklessly written book called Pagan 

 Christs by Mr. J. M. Robertson, M.P. Mr. J. M. Robertson is 



