The congress for the History of Religions, attended by representatives
of the leading Universities of both hemi- spheres, was opened at Oxford on Tuesday. The Principal of Brasenose, welcoming the Congress on behalf of Oxford, dwelt on its international character, and referred to Jowett's remark, notable at the time when it was made fifty years ago, that the scientific study of the Jewish and Christian religions was hardly possible by itself, and must be taken in con- nexion with the histories of the other religions of the world. He described how Professor Max Midler had acted on these lines in editing" The Sacred Books of the East," published by the University Press, and a legitimate source of pride to Oxford. Sir Alfred Lyall, who delivered the presidential address, dealt chiefly with religions of Further Asia. We have not space to treat his deeply interesting address in detail, and must confine ourselves to noticing two of his main points,—first, that religious wars were unknown on any great scale to the ancient civilisations, and that where political despotism has prevailed immemorially the religions have been popular and democratic ; and second, the unique position of complete religions neutrality adopted by the Anglo-Indian sovereignty. "In Asiatic States the superintendence of religions affairs is an integral attribute of the sovereignty which no Government, except the English in India, has yet ventured to relinquish."
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