of
inextinguishable memories.

Such were the shapes into which the Christian theologians had
fashioned a number of moral truths when they annexed the house of
human morality. But what is the basis of certitude on which these
interpretations rest? If Adam was not an historical character, if the
story of the Fall be whittled down into a "type" which is typical of
no underlying reality, the basis of Pauline theology is shaken, and
practical deductions drawn from it are shaken also. In fact, "the
Demonology of Christianity shows that its founders knew no more
about the spiritual world than anybody else, and Newman's doctrine
of 'Development' is true to an extent of which the Cardinal did
not dream." And as to the argument that the successful spread of
Christianity attests the truth of the New Testament story, he replied
to his questioner with the general propositions:--

1. The Church founded by Jesus has _not_ made its way; has
_not_ permeated the world; but _did_ become extinct in the
country of its birth--as Nazarenism and Ebionism.

2. The Church that did make its way and coalesced with the
State in the fourth century had no more to do with the Church
founded by Jesus than Ultramontanism has with Quakerism. It is
Alexandrian Judaism and Neoplatonistic mystagogy, and as much
of the old idolatry and demonology as could be got in under
new or old names.

3. Paul has said that the Law was schoolmaster to Christ with
more truth than he knew. Throughout the Empire the synagogues
had their cloud of Gentile hangers-on--those who "feared God"
and who were fully prepared to accept a Christianity which was
merely an expurgated Judaism and the belief in Jesus as the
Messiah.

4. The Christian "Sodalitia" were not merely religious bodies,
but friendly societies, burial societies, and guilds. They
hung together for all purposes; the mob hated them as it
now hates the Jews in Eastern Europe, because they were more
frugal, more industrious, and led better lives than their
neighbours, while they stuck together like Scotchmen.

If these things are true--and I appeal to your knowledge of
history that they are so--what has the success of Christianity
to do with the truth or falsehood of the story of Jesus?

Furthermore, behind all the theological developments of the Church
lies the whole question of Theism, and "the philosophical d