“A comparison of Christianity with Muhammedanism or with any other religion must be preceded by a statement of the objects with which such comparison is undertaken, for the possibilities which lie in this direction are numerous. The mispossibilities missionary, for instance, may consider that a knowledge of the sionary, similarities of these religions would increase the efficacy of his proselytising work: his purpose would thus be wholly practiproselytising practical. The ecclesiastically minded Christian, already convinced cal. of the superiority of his own religion, will be chiefly anxious to secure scientific proof of the fact: the study of comparative religion from this point of view was once a popular branch of apologetics and is by no means out of favour at the present day. Again, the inquirer whose historical perspective is unday. undisturbed by ecclesiastical considerations, will approach the disturbed subject with somewhat different interests. He will expect the comparison to provide him with a clear view of the influence which Christianity has exerted upon other religions or has itself received from them: or he may hope by comparing the general development of special religious systems to gain a clearer indevelopment insight into the growth of Christianity. Hence the object of such sight comparisons is to trace the course of analogous developments and the interaction of influence and so to increase the knowleand knowledge of religion in general or of our own religion in particular.”
