The Sympathy of ReligionsHigginson, Thomas Wentworth
Religion
The Sympathy of Religions
Higginson, Thomas Wentworth
Natural theology; Religions
And, as all these inevitably recur, so comes back again and again the
idea of incarnation,--the Divine Man. Here, too, all religions
sympathize, and, with slight modifications, each is the copy of the
other. As in the dim robing-rooms of foreign churches are kept rich
stores of sacred vestments, ready to be thrown over every successive
generation of priests, so the world has kept in memory the same
stately traditions to decorate each new Messiah. He is predicted by
prophecy, hailed by sages, born of a virgin, attended by miracle,
borne to heaven without tasting death, and with promise of return.
Zoroaster and Confucius have no human father. Osiris is the Son of
God, he is called the Revealer of Life and Light; he first teaches one
chosen race; he then goes with his apostles to teach the Gentiles,
conquering the world by peace; he is slain by evil powers; after death
he descends into hell, then rises again, and presides at the last
judgment of all mankind: those who call upon his name shall be saved.
Buddha is born of a virgin; his name means the Word, the Logos, but he
is known more tenderly as the Saviour of Man; he embarrasses his
teachers, when a child, by his understanding and his answers; he is
tempted in the wilderness, when older; he goes with his apostles to
redeem the world; he abolishes caste and cruelty, and teaches
forgiveness; he receives among his followers outcasts whom Pharisaic
pride despises, and he only says, "My law is a law of mercy to all."
Slain by enemies, he descends into hell, rising without tasting death,
and still lives to make intercession for man.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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