"coincidence," as though it really explained
anything.

"The rational order that pervades the universe," as Prof. Huxley defined
the concept and aim of scientific discovery, has steadily gained
ascendancy, until it dominates and measures individual intelligence.

The criticism is still occasionally made that this means Pantheism,
overlooking the fact that in all mythologies and cosmologies, an ideal and
pure theism was recognized as lying back of and beyond the pantheons of
the gods and the deification of the powers of Nature.

This was true in the Greek, Persian, Egyptian, and Hindoo mythologies.
Back of the many, and beyond the transient and contending divinities, was
the _One_, postulated, but unknown and changeless.

Every religion known to man, with the advancing civilization of a people,
copied, modified, adopted, and adapted the mythology and folklore of some
pre-existing religion and people. This is readily demonstrable with the
Hebrew, Greek, and later Christian dispensations, notwithstanding the most
strenuous and persistent determination to deny, disprove, and destroy the
ancient records.

It is embodied in the etymology of the very names of heroes, gods, and
demigods. A new language arising with any people _de novo_ can nowhere be
found.

Phonetics and picturegraphs, the various alphabets and glyphs, are mixed
and modified, but never invented nor altogether changed.

Complicated as they may be, it is thus that philology, ethnology,
theology, and anthropology constitute a consistent whole, the mythology
and folklore of mankind. This reveals the practical unity and solidarity
of the human race.

The tradition and prophecy among the ancient Hebrews of the coming of the
Messiah, the portents that heralded, and the signs and wonders that
preceded or accompanied his appearance, are merely translations or
adaptations from previous eras, Buddhas, or Avatars.

Whether Christian or non-Christian, the object of the advent is always
identical.

The light of the spirit having become enfeebled or obscured, the people
are left in darkness and given over to sin and wickedness. Moral ruin
seems inevitable unless there is a divine influx, a new Avatar, or Buddha,
or Advent of the God-man.

God incarnates himself as the son of Mary, and Jesus says, "I am come a
light into the world that whosoever believeth in me should not abide in
darkness."

Christna says, "Though I am unborn, and my nature is eternal, and I a