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THE KEY OF KNOWLEDGE,
to be found in the whole of the Old Testament anywhere. To these is to be added the significant fact that the method of illustration and explanation by means of parables is not to be found in the Biblical writings of the Old Testament time; but has been in vogue in India all along. These are matters of great importance and require careful treatment. It would be wrong to deny their weight on account of any pre-existing bias, which in the orthodox mind must naturally be very strong against the idea of Jesus having learnt his wisdom from the Indians. It is not to be supposed that we are here concerned in claiming any superiority for Hinduism or any other Indian religion, or for the Indian Philosophy in general, over Christianity, or any other creed. The grave may be a myth, the similarity of local names an accident, and the book a forgery, as we actually believe them to be, notwithstanding that we hold that Jesus acquired his wisdom from Indian sources. These he need not have travelled all the way to India to have encountered, being available nearer home in his own and the neighbouring lands. Be it as it may, we have no time to waste over the point, but are merely anxious to find out the truth, whether it comes from the Hindus or from any other source. It is, therefore, quite immaterial whether Jesus learnt from the Indians what he afterwards preached, or vice versa, or independently.
To revert to the point under consideration, the numerous parables ascribed to Jesus all bear testimony to the resourceful nature of his intelligence. We regard it as impossible for any one except for a man of
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