men should attribute to all sensible objects the same kind of life
which they were conscious of possessing themselves._"

Let us compare the history of the _Saviour_ which we have already seen,
with that of the _Sun_, as it is found in the _Vedas_.

We can follow in the _Vedic_ hymns, step by step, the development which
changes the _Sun_ from a mere luminary into a "_Creator_,"
"_Preserver_," "_Ruler_," and "_Rewarder of the World_"--in fact, into a
_Divine or Supreme Being_.

The first step leads us from the mere light of the Sun to that light
which in the morning wakes man from sleep, and seems to give new life,
not only to man, but to the whole of nature. He who wakes us in the
morning, who recalls all nature to new life, is soon called "_The Giver
of Daily Life_."

Secondly, by another and bolder step, the Giver of Daily Light and Life
becomes the giver of light and life in general. _He who brings light and
life to-day, is the same who brought light and life on the first of
days._ As light is the beginning of the day, so light was the beginning
of creation, and the Sun, from being a mere light-bringer or life-giver,
becomes a Creator, and, if a Creator, then soon also a Ruler of the
World.

Thirdly, as driving away the dreaded darkness of the night, and likewise
as fertilizing the earth, the Sun is conceived as a "Defender" and kind
"Protector" of all living things.

Fourthly, the Sun sees everything, both that which is good and that
which is evil; and how natural therefore that the evil-doer should be
told that the sun sees what no human eye may have seen, and that the
innocent, when all other help fails him, should appeal to the sun to
attest his guiltlessness!

Let us examine now, says Prof. Mueller, from whose work we have quoted
the above, a few passages (from the _Rig-Veda_) illustrating every one
of these perfectly natural transitions.

"In hymn vii. we find the Sun invoked as '_The Protector of
everything that moves or stands, of all that exists_.'"

"Frequent allusion is made to the Sun's power of seeing
everything. The stars flee before the all-seeing Sun, like
thieves (R. V. vii.). He sees the right and the wrong among
men (Ibid.). He who looks upon the world, knows also all the
thoughts in men (Ibid.)."

"As the Sun sees everything and knows everything, he is asked
to forget and forgive what he alone has seen and knows (R. V.
iv.)."