oad vista of life with an
ever-enlarging, blissful, activity. Christ said that He came into the
world that men might have life and have it abundantly. He came not only to
save the lost but also to develop all the grand possibilities of the soul
to their utmost, and to launch the human bark upon a voyage of everlasting
life, which means unceasing growth in all its noblest qualities,
activities and enjoyments.

Hindu philosophy and faith, on the other hand, unite in commanding that
human endowments be starved, qualities suppressed, activity of all kinds
stayed, ambition and every other desire, even the noblest and purest,
quenched. All the essential elements of life itself are to be mortified
that the soul may, unhampered by its own entanglement, reach that
consummation which is supposed to be final. And what is it? Who can tell?
The Aryan philosopher himself stands mute in its presence. All that we can
predicate of it is not life and happiness, according to any standard of
human experience known or imagined. The idea that the individual soul will
finally sink into and blend with the Absolute Being as a drop of water
returns to and mingles with its mother ocean may seem plausible to the
philosopher; but of such an hypothetical existence we know absolutely
nothing and can expect nothing that would inspire hope and kindle
ambition.

In Hinduism there are heavens many and not a few hells. But unlike the
places of reward and punishment connected with Christianity, they
represent nothing final. They are more like the purgatory of the
Catholics, and represent only steps in the progress of the soul towards
emancipation.

Concerning the general view of human life, its import and outcome, the two
faiths are antipodal. Christianity is brightly optimistic. The future of
every Christian is to be as the sun shining more and more until the
perfect day. Unceasing progress and eternal expansion are held out before
him. His is an heritage that will abide and will resound in an ever
increasing anthem of praise throughout time and eternity. Nothing can
occur hereafter to rob him of that crown of glory which is the gift of God
and which is to result in likeness to Him.

Hinduism, on the other hand, is essentially pessimistic. It teaches that
human life is totally and irremediably evil. Every power of the soul must
be exercised in the endeavour to shake off this terrible burden of
separate human existence and escape all the conditions of