little Thibetian. Here was more than
enough to excite the curiosity of the Lamanesque public. Every day we
had visitors, and the conversation with them always and altogether turned
upon religious questions. Among all the Lamas who visited us, we did not
find one of the same incredulous stamp with Sandara the Bearded; they
all, on the contrary, seemed sincerely religious and full of faith; many
of them attached the utmost importance to the study and knowledge of
truth; and we found the same men coming again and again to seek
instruction from us in our holy religion.

The instruction we communicated was altogether historical in its plan,
everything being carefully excluded which could suggest dispute, or
arouse the spirit of contention; we gave our friends a simple and concise
outline of our religion, leaving them to derive thence, for themselves,
conclusions against Buddhism. Proper names and dates, precisely set
forth, produced more effect upon them than the most logical reasoning.
When they had thoroughly mastered the names of Jesus, of Jerusalem, of
Pontius Pilate, the date of four thousand years since the creation of the
world, and the names of the twelve Apostles, they had no longer any
doubts as to the Redemption, or as to the Preaching of the Gospel. The
connection which they observed between the history of the Old Testament
and that of the New, amounted, in their eyes, to demonstration. The
mysteries and the miracles created no difficulty in their minds.

After all we have seen in our long peregrination, and especially during
our abode in the Lamasery of Kounboum, we are persuaded that it is by
instruction, and not by controversy, that the conversion of the heathen
is to be efficaciously operated. Polemics may reduce an adversary to
silence, may often humiliate him, may sometimes irritate him, but they
will never convince him. When Jesus Christ sent forth his disciples, he
said to them: Go forth and teach all nations, which does not mean: go
forth and hold controversies with all nations. In our days, two schools
of philosophy, the one recognising Descartes for its head, the other
Lamennais, have much disputed the question whether paganism is a crime or
an error; it appears to us to be neither the one nor the other, but
simply the effect of ignorance. The spirit of a pagan is enveloped in
darkness. Carry light within that darkness, and the darkness will
disappear: the pagan needs neither the thesis of