Page:An Essay On Hinduism.pdf/11

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
xii
INTRODUCTION

statements in the Bible but interpreted differently, the natural result is that the country would lose homogeneity and attain diversity. Diversity of conduct and life are of greatest disadvantage to the national life. The danger arising from this diversity would have been great had not popular government and the philosophy of nationalism made their appearance. But before these two came the differences in religious belief had made no little mischief.

Complete Secularization of Politics.— It is the Americans who have realized earlier than any other people that the proper bases for society are not theological but purely political and territorial. Thus the Americans with the foundation of the republic have laid a foundation to the first really political society. America is often called a Christian country, and many Americans ignorantly believe that. It is in fact a higher type of society than the Christian society. Religious belief counts far less in America than anywhere else in the world. They have denied to religion the privilege of being the prime determinant of social growth.

When the people of the United States drew up their Constitution, they made a wonderful departure; they created a society on entirely new lines. The framing of the Constitution of the United States forms a new era in the history of the world. The United States has been the first really political society. The idea of constructing a society under a political constitution has been the most substantial blow rendered to the idea of religion-society. The Constitution of the United States as it is has many defects and many of the principles of Constitution are changed in practice, but this fact should not induce us to disrespect the great work. The important thing in it is not a