all their seeing, and they believe Him destined to be the light
of the world. They are persuaded that sooner or later the
age-long quest of the Indian spirit for religious truth and
power will find in Him at once its goal and a new starting-
point, and they will be content if the preparation of this series
contributes in the smallest degree to hasten this consumma-
tion. If there be readers to whom this motive is unwelcome,
they may be reminded that no man approaches the study of
a religion without religious convictions, either positive or
negative: for both reader and writer, therefore, it is better
that these should be explicitly stated at the outset. More-
over, even a complete lack of sympathy with the motive here
acknowledged need not diminish a reader's interest in following
an honest and careful attempt to bring the religions of India
into comparison with the religion which to-day is their only
possible rival, and to which they largely owe their present
noticeable and significant revival.

It is possible that to some minds there may seem to be
a measure of incompatibility between these two motives. The
writers, however, feel otherwise. For them the second motive
reinforces the first: for they have found that he who would
lead others into a new faith must first of all understand the
faith that is theirs already -- understand it, moreover, sympa-
thetically, with a mind quick to note not its weaknesses alone
but that in it which has enabled it to survive and has given it
its power over the hearts of those who profess it.

The duty of the Editors of the series is limited to seeing
that the volumes are in general harmony with the principles
here described. Each writer is alone responsible for the
opinions expressed in his volume, whether in regard to Indian
religions or to Christianity.

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