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and Mr. Bhagvanlal Indrajee, who have contributed materially to the store of Literature now available on the subject of the Jain faith; but what has been accomplished is as yet nothing to what still is to be done, for I fear only a hundredth part of the sacred books of the Jains has yet been brought to light. Let us hope that such Conferences and Exibitions as these would induce young Jain scholars to dig deeper into the minds of learning, and bring out valuable ore now burried and hidden, But scholarship and specialization come after a general liberal education and not before it. The problem before you is the same old problem of the future destiny of India, namely education; and I hope that now when every one is looking into the condition of his own house, the Jains will not fail to look minutely into the state of theirs and set right those things which require setting right. Other people may plead poverty in defence of their own ignorance but the enterprizing Jains at least who have acquired a good deal of wealth by the trade cannot be excused on their plea, and specially on the present moment. It is intimately connected with your faith and this is a pleasing aspect of the Exihibition and the Confrence in these days when people with crude notions of the progress think all religion unnecessary or at least redicưle those religions which have had their origin in the Exst. But I wish to say that all religions are at least seeking after truth, the highest and the best of religion of mankind; therefore while having due reverence for your faith, which is really a necessary condition of all time and a deep study, you should not shirk free enquiry and the genuine search after truth. And if in your researches reason forces on you conclusions other than those handed down to you by your predecessors, I trust that you will have the honesty and the courage not to turn away from the truth in order to keep up an old empty formula.
* Among the doctrines of your faith, I find the belief that every-thing in Nature is alive and has a soul or Jiva, which is very fascinating. In another form the same idea presents itself in the Pantheism of the Brahmanic faith, in the poetry of worship
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