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l； nor touch can tell us it exists； we feel it to be by the muscular sense alone； that blind and dumb analogue for the body of what consciousness is for the soul。 Only when disturbed； troubled； does the water itself become visible； and then it is but the surface that we see。 So to the Far Oriental this still little lake typifies the soul； the eventual purification of his own； a something lost in reflection； self…effaced； only the alter ego of the outer world。
For contemplation； not action； is the Far Oriental's ideal of life。 The repose of self…adjustment like that to which our whole solar system is slowly tending as its death；this to him appears； though from no scientific deduction； the end of all existence。 So he sits and ponders； abstractly； vaguely； upon everything in general； synonym； alas； to man's finite mind； for nothing in particular； till even the sense of self seems to vanish； and through the mist…like portal of unconsciousness he floats out into the vast indistinguishable sameness of Nirvana's sea。
At first sight Buddhism is much more like Christianity than those of us who stay at home and speculate upon it commonly appreciate。 As a system of philosophy it sounds exceedingly foreign； but it looks unexpectedly familiar as a faith。 Indeed； the one religion might well pass for the counterfeit presentment of the other。 The resemblance so struck the early Catholic missionaries that they felt obliged to explain the remarkable similarity between the two。 With them ingenuous surprise instantly begot ingenious sophistry。 Externally； the likeness was so exact that at first they could not bring themselves to believe that the Buddhist ceremonials had not been filched bodily from the practices of the true faith。 Finding； however； that no known human agency had acted in the matter； they bethought them of introducing； to account for things； a deus ex machina in the shape of the devil。 They were so pleased with this solution of the difficulty that they imparted it at once with much pride to the natives。 You have indeed got； they graciously if somewhat gratuitously informed them； the outward semblance of the true faith； but you are in fact the miserable victims of an impious fraud。 Satan has stolen the insignia of divinity； and is now masquerading before you as the deity； your god is really our devil； a recognition of antipodal inversion truly worthy the Jesuitical mind！
Perhaps it is not matter for great surprise that they converted but few of their hearers。 The suggestion was hardly so diplomatic as might have been expected from so generally astute a body； for it could not make much difference what the all…presiding deity was called； if his actions were the same； since his motives were beyond human observation。 Besides； the bare idea of a foreign bogus was not very terrifying。 The Chinese possessed too many familiar devils of their own。 But there was another and a much deeper reason； which we shall come to later； why Christianity made but little headway in the Far East。
But it is by no means in externals only that the two religions are alike。 If the first glance at them awakens that peculiar sensation which most of us have felt at some time or other； a sense of having seen all this before； further scrutiny reveals a deeper agreement than merely in appearances。
In passing from the surface into the substance； it may be mentioned incidentally that the codes of morality of the two are about on a level。 I say incidentally； for so far as its practice； certainly； is concerned； it not its preaching； morality has no more intimate connection with religion than it has with art or politics。 If we doubt this； we have but to examine the facts。 Are the most religious peoples the most moral？ It needs no prolonged investigation to convince us that they are not。 If proof of the want of a bond were required； the matter of truth…telling might be adduced in point。 As this is a subject upon which a slight misconception exists in the minds of some evangelically persuaded persons； and because； what is more generally relevant； the presence of this quality； honesty in word and deed； has more than almost any other one characteristic helped to put us in the van of the world's advance to…day； it may not unfittingly be cited here。
The argument in the case may be put thus。 Have specially religions races been proportionally truth…telling ones？ If not； has there been any other cause at work in the development of mankind tending to increase veracity？ The answer to the first question has all the simplicity of a plain negative。 No such pleasing concomitance of characteristics is observable to…day； or has been presented in the past。 Permitting； however； the dead past to bury its shortcomings in oblivion； let us look at the world as we find it。 We observe； then； that the religious spirit is quite as strong in Asia as it is in Europe； if anything； that at the present time it is rather stronger。 The average Brahman； Mahometan； or Buddhist is quite as devout as the ordinary Roman Catholic or Presbyterian。 If he is somewhat less given to propagandism； he is not a whit less regardful of his own salvation。 Yet throughout the Orient truth is a thing unknown； lies of courtesy being de rigueur and lies of convenience de raison； while with us； fortunately； mendacity is generally discredited。 But we need not travel so far for proof。 The same is evident in less antipodal relations。 Have the least religious nations of Europe been any less truthful than the most bigoted？ Was fanatic Spain remarkable for veracity？ Was Loyola a gentleman whose assertions carried conviction other than to the stake？ Were the eminently mundane burghers whom he persecuted noted for a pious superiority to fact？ Or； to narrow the field still further； and scan the circle of one's own acquaintance； are the most believing individuals among them worthy of the most belief？ Assuredly not。
We come； then； to the second point。 Has there been any influence at work to differentiate us in this respect from Far Orientals？ There has。 Two separate causes； in fact； have conduced to the same result。 The one is the development of physical science； the other； the extension of trade。 The sole object of science being to discover truth； truth…telling is a necessity of its existence。 Professionally； scientists are obliged to be truthful。 Aliter of a Jesuit。
So long as science was of the closet； its influence upon mankind generally was indirect and slight； but so soon as it proceeded to stalk into the street and earn its own living； its veracious character began to tell。 When out of its theories sprang inventions and discoveries that revolutionized every…day affairs and changed the very face of things； society insensibly caught its spirit。 Man awoke to the inestimable value of exactness。 From scientists proper； the spirit filtered down through every stratum of education； till to…day the average man is born exact to a degree which his forefathers never dreamed of becoming。 To…day； as a rule； the more intelligent the individual； the more truthful he is； because the more innately exact in thought； and thence in word and action。 With us； to lie is a sign of a want of cleverness； not of an excess of it。
The second cause； the extension of trade； has inculcated the same regard for veracity through the pocket。 For with the increase of business transactions in both time and space； the telling of the truth has become a financial necessity。 Without it； trade would come to a standstill at once。 Our whole mercantile system； a modern piece of mechanism unknown to the East till we imported it thither； turns on an implicit belief in the word of one's neighbor。 Our legal safeguards would snap like red tape were the great bond of mutual trust once broken。 Western civilization has to be truthful； or perish。
And now for the spirits of the two beliefs。
The soul of any religion realizes in one respect the Brahman idea of the individual soul of man； namely； that it exists much after the manner of an onion； in many concentric envelopes。 Man； they tell us； is composed not of a single body simply； but of several layers of body； each shell as it were respectively inclosing another。 The outermost is the merely material body； of which we are so directly cognizant。 This encases a second； more spiritual； but yet not wholly free from earthly affinities。 This contains another； still more refined； till finally； inside of all is that immaterial something which they conceive to constitute the soul。 This eventual residuum exemplifies the Franciscan notion of pure substance； for it is a thing delightfully devoid of any attributes whatever。
We may； perhaps； not be aware of the existence of such an elaborate set of encasings to our own heart of hearts； nor of a something so very indefinite within； but the most casual glance at any religion will reveal its truth as regards the soul of a belief。 We recognize the fact outwardly in the buildings erected to celebrate its worship。 Not among the Jews alone was the holy of holies kept veiled； to temper the divine radiance to man's benighted understanding。 Nor is the chancel…rail of Christianity the sole survivor of the more exclusive barriers of o