In order to avoid any misapprehension arising from mistakes having been made in the text, it is requested that the list of errata be read carefully through, and each mistake rectified with the pen, before the book be read. It must also be added that I am indebted for much of the contents to the following, amongst other, works, from which have been gathered many ideas, and much valuable information :-the works of John Stuart Mill; Charles Darwin's "Descent of Man," and "Origin of Species;" Herbert Spencer's "First Principles," and "Study of Sociology;" Ernst Haeckel's "Pedigree of Man ;" Buckle's "History of Civilization in England;" Max Mällers "Science of Language;" Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History;" Graham's "Creed of Science;" works of Sir William Jones; Paley's "Evidences of Christianity;" Theodore Parker's "Theism, Atheism and the Popular Theology;" Lamson's "Church of the First Three Centuries;" Channing's works; Clarke's "Orthodoxy, its Truths and Errors;" Meredith's" Prophet of Nazareth;" Nichol's "Help to Reading the Bible ;" Hallam's "History of Europe during the Middle Ages;" Gardner's" Faiths of the World;" Draper's "Conflict between Science and Religion;" Paine's "Age of Reason;""The Freethinker's Text Book," by Mrs. Annie Besant and Charles Bradlaugh; Volney's "Ruins of Empires;" Stuart-Glennie's "Isis and Osiris;" Taylor's "Dieges is," and "Devil's Pulpit;" Soury's "Deity of Jesus Christ;" Westcott's "Bible in the Church;" Voltaire's Philosophical Dictionary;" Mitchell's "Mythology Unveiled;" and Reville's" Jesus and Israel." 66 Page 18. line 20 from top, 6 reverance' should read ‘reverence.' calender' should read' calendar.' Page 20. line 10 from top, 6 Page 25. line 11 from bottom, Trajan' should read' Adrian.' 6 6 Page 40. line 7 from bottom, 4619' should read 4340,' and 2500' should read' 2188.' 6 Page 60. line 9 from bottom, 'Origin' should read Origen;' and the passage commencing with Irenæus,' on line 6 from bottom, and terminating with women,' on line 3 from bottom, should read as follows: Irenæus informs us that in his time the statue of Lot's wife regularly performed the natural functions of women; and Tertullian declares that the land in his time still smelt of the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah.' Page 104. line 7 from top, 7 should read ; and line 22 from top, 7 should read s, and 78 (also p. 104, line 8 from top) should .אמן read Page 105. line 16 from bottom, '25' should read' 52.' Page 117. line 10 from top, stationary' should read comparatively stationary.' Page 186. lines 7 and 12 from top, howe should read ipwc. Page 255. top line, 'intollerance' should read' intolerance.' ADDENDA. Page 34.-In proof that the story of Christna originated long prior to the commencement of our era, and not as some zealous but not over-scrupulous Christians have attempted to show, after Christianity had been established, it may be mentioned that this popular sun-god was worshipped at the time of Alexander the Great (B.C. 330), in what still remains one of the most famous temples in India, that of Mathura, on the Jumna, the Matura Deorum of Ptolemy. This is recorded by Arrian. Page 43.-The Persians fixed the creation of man at the vernal equinox ; whilst the Egyptians fixed it at the summer solstice. Page 63. line 13 from bottom, and page 103, line 7 from bottom, the nearest approach to the correct pronunciation of the word Yahouh' is by adding a very slight final'ah,' thus-' Yahouhah ̧' Page 199. The following should follow line 5: Andrew is Aries of March, and is represented standing before a cross like the letter X, which was supposed to be the exact angle made by the sun when it crossed the equator.' INTRODUCTION. Present state of Christendom. Atheism. Christianism. СНАР. І. Agnosticism. Theism. Evolution of nature, life, and the religious sentiment in man. Sabian- Brahminism and Christnaism. Boodhism. Fohism. Confucianism. Mithraism and Zoroastrianism. Worship of Adonis, Apollo, Hercules, Examination of the external evidences of the genuineness of the New Conclusions-Priest in absolution-Salvation Army-Criminality- Church and State-Socialism, Communism and Nihilism-Tithes-War |