To Rev. Henry W. Bellows, D.D.
ST. DAVID'S, June 30, 1881.
. . . SINCE reading Freeman Clarke's book, I have been thinking of the
steps of the world's religious progress. The Aryan idea, so far as we
know anything of it, was probably to worship nature. The Greek idolatry
was a step beyond that, substituting intelligent beings for it. Far
higher was the Hebrew spiritualism, and worship of One Supreme, and
far higher is Isaiah than Homer, David than Sophocles; and no Hebrew
prophet ever said, "Offer a cock to Esculapius." So is Christianity
far beyond Buddhism; and far beyond Sakya Muni, dim and obscure as he
is, are the concrete realities of the life of Jesus. Whether anything
further is to come, I tremble to ask; and yet I do ask it.[351]
To the Same.
July 23, 1881.
DEAR, NAY, DEAREST FRIEND,--What shall I say, in what language express
the sense of comfort and satisfaction which, first your sermon years
ago,' and now your letter of yesterday, have given me? Ah! there is a
spot in every human soul, I guess, where approbation is the sweetest
drop that can fall. I will not imbitter it with a word of doubt or
debate. . . .
Come here when you can. With love to all, Ever yours,