Book 4 (Part I)

18 enabled to persist through the usual persecution, and founded a religion to which even to—day one man in every eight belongs. The history of Christianity shows precisely the same remarkable fact. Jesus Christ was brought up on the fables of the “ Old Testament,” and so was compelled to ascribe his experiences to “Jehovah,” although his gentle spirit could have had nothing in common with the monster who was always commanding the rape of virgins and the murder of little children, and whose rites were then, and still are, celebrated by human sacrifice.1 Similarly the visions of Joan of Arc were entirely Christian; but she, like all the others we have mentioned, found somewherethe force to do great things. Of course, it may be said that there is a fallacy in the argument; it may be true that all these great people “ saw God,” but it does not follow that every one who “ sees God ” will do great things. This is true enough. In fact, the majority of people who claim to have “seen God,” and who no doubt did “see God” just as much as those whom we have quoted, did nothing else. But perhaps their silence is not a Sign of their weakness, but of their strength. Perhaps these “great ” men are the failures of humanity; 1 The massacres of Jews in Eastern Europe which surprise the ignorant, are almost invariably excited by the disappearance of “ Christian ” children, stolen, as the parents suppose, for purposes of “ ritual murder.”