ewith, the universality of the myth of
the Virgin-born, Crucified and Resurrected Saviour.

Before showing the _origin_ and _meaning_ of the myth (which is done in
Chapter XXXIX.), we have considered the _Miracles of Christ Jesus_, the
_Eucharist_, _Baptism_, the _Worship of the Virgin_, _Christian
Symbols_, the _Birthday of Christ Jesus_, the _Doctrine of the Trinity_,
_Why Christianity Prospered_, and the _Antiquity of Pagan Religions_,
besides making a comparison of the legendary histories of _Crishna and
Jesus_, and _Buddha and Jesus_. The concluding chapter relates to the
question, What do we really know about Jesus?

In the words of Prof. Max Mueller (_The Science of Religion_, p. 11): "A
comparison of all the religions of the world, in which none can claim a
privileged position, will no doubt seem to many dangerous and
reprehensible, because ignoring that peculiar reverence which everybody,
down to the mere fetish worshiper, feels for his own religion, and for
his own god. Let me say, then, at once, that I myself have shared these
misgivings, but that I have tried to overcome them, because I would not
and could not allow myself to surrender either what I hold to be the
truth, or what I hold still dearer than truth, the right of testing
truth. Nor do I regret it. I do not say that the _Science of Religion_
is all gain. No, it entails losses, and losses of many things which we
hold dear. But this I will say, that, as far as my humble judgment goes,
it does not entail the loss of anything that is essential to _true
religion_, and that, if we strike the balance honestly, _the gain is
immeasurably greater than the loss_."

"All truth is safe, and nothing else is safe; and he who keeps back the
truth, or withholds it from men, from motives of expediency, is either a
coward or a criminal, or both."

But little beyond the arrangement of this work is claimed as original.
Ideas, phrases, and even whole paragraphs have been taken from the
writings of others, and in most, if not in all cases, acknowledged; but
with the thought in mind of the many hours of research this book may
save the student in this particular line of study; with the
consciousness of having done for others that which I would have been
thankful to have found done for myself; and more than all, with the hope
that it may in some way help to hasten the day when the mist of
superstition shall be dispelled by the light of reason; with all its
defects, it is