the most popular god of the Hindu pantheon (Krishna) is also
the leading incarnation of Vishnu.

(_b_) Vicarious Atonement.

In Christianity this is second in importance only to the doctrine of
incarnation. In Brahmanism also it has maintained, from the first, a
position of cardinal importance. In pre-Buddhistic days this found
expression in sacrifices that were probably more numerous and more
precious than those offered by any other people. This is partly shown by
the fact that words used for sacrifice are more numerous in the Sanskrit
than even in the Hebrew language. It is true that their idea of sacrifice,
both as to its import and object, was different from ours or from that of
the Israelites; and indeed their own ideas also varied at different times.
Under the influence of Buddhism, sacrifice, as such, was practically
abandoned; but the idea of atonement for sin, which was underlying them,
they practically carried over into the doctrine of transmigration. For,
however stiffly they contend that, through metempsychosis, the doctrine of
_karma_ is realized and every soul atones for its own sin, it nevertheless
remains true that the element of consciousness separates the person who
sinned from him who suffers; and one becomes the involuntary atoner and
the other the atoned for.

(_c_) Spirituality.

It may, to some, seem absurd to bring the two faiths into anything but the
relationship of contrast in this particular, when it is remembered that we
are confronted daily by a Hinduism which is as grossly formal,
materialistic and sensual as any religion known in any land. But it is
unnecessary to remind us of the fact that the literature of the faith of
this people is, in some respects, far removed from the low life and ritual
of the present day; and in no greater respect than in this which we are
now considering. All students recognize in many writings, vedic and
post-vedic, profound seriousness and a sometimes strange depth of
spiritual apprehension coupled with an other-worldliness which, to the
western mind, seems absurdly impractical. Indeed, the naturally mystical
bent of the Hindu mind has been regarded, and, doubtless, rightly
regarded, as one of the chief obstacles to a true and easy understanding
of much that is in their sacred writings by the too practical Westerner.
We should not be blind to the lofty height of spiritual thought which we
occasionally, and the deep spiritual yearning which we fre