PANTHEISM By J. ALLANSON PICTON RELIGIONS ANCIENT AND MODERN PANTHEISM Its Story and Significance RELIGIONS: ANCIENT AND MODERN. _Foolscap 8vo. 1s. net per volume_. It is intended in this series to present to a large public the SALIENT FEATURES, first of the GREAT RELIGIONS, secondly of the GREAT PHILOSOPHIES, and thirdly of the GREAT LITERARY and ARTISTIC REPUTATIONS of the Human Race. PANTHEISM: ITS STORY AND SIGNIFICANCE. By J. ALLANSON PICTON, M.A. Author of _The Religion of the Universe_, etc. RELIGION OF ANCIENT GREECE. By Miss JANE HARRISON, Fellow of Newnham College, Author of _Prolegomena to the Study of Greek Religion_, etc. ANIMISM. By EDWARD CLODD, Author of _Pioneers of Evolution_. RELIGIONS OF ANCIENT CHINA. By H.A. GILES, M.A., LL.D. (Aberd.), Professor of Chinese at Cambridge University. * * * * * _The following Volumes are in preparation_: ISLAM. Mr. T.W. ARNOLD, Assistant Librarian, India Office. BUDDHISM. 2 vols. Prof. RHYS DAVIDS, LL.D. HINDUISM. Mr. T.W. ARNOLD. FETISHISM AND MAGIC. Prof. ALFRED C. HADDON, F.R.S. THE MYTHOLOGY OF ANCIENT BRITAIN. Mr. CHARLES SQUIRE. CELTIC RELIGION. Prof. ANWYL. SCANDINAVIAN RELIGION. Mr. W.A. CRAIGIE. THE RELIGION OF ANCIENT EGYPT. Prof. FLINDERS PETRIE. F.R.S. THE RELIGION OF BABYLONIA AND ASSYRIA, Dr. THEOPHILUS G. PINCHES. PANTHEISM Its Story and Significance BY J. ALLANSON PICTON LONDON 1905 CONTENTS CHAP. FOREWORD I. PRE-CHRISTIAN PANTHEISM II. POST-CHRISTIAN PANTHEISM III. MODERN PANTHEISM AFTERWORD PANTHEISM FOREWORD. [Sidenote: Pantheism not Sectarian or even Racial.] Pantheism differs from the systems of belief constituting the main religions of the world in being comparatively free from any limits of period, climate, or race. For while what we roughly call the Egyptian Religion, the Vedic Religion, the Greek Religion, Buddhism, and others of similar fame have been necessarily local and temporary, Pantheism has been, for the most part, a dimly discerned background, an esoteric significance of many or all religions, rather than a "denomination" by itself. The best illustration of this characteristic of Pantheism is the catholicity of its great prophet Spinoza. For he felt so little antagonism to any Christian sect, that he never urged any member of a church to leave it, but rather encouraged his humbler friends, who sought his advice, to make full use of such spiritual privileges as they appreciated most. He could not, indeed, content himself with the fragmentary forms of any sectarian creed. But in the few writings which he made some effort to adapt to the popular understanding, he seems to think it possible that the faith of Pantheism might some day leaven all religions alike. I shall endeavour briefly to sketch the story of that faith, and to suggest its significance for the future. But first we must know what it means. [Sidenote: Meaning of Pantheism.]