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the other members of their own nation. It becomes more sympathetic to foreigners, and less sympathetic with the people of their own nation.

Again, theophratries are a great hindrance to progress, specially as far as the rise of new ideas regarding God and morals are concerned. In tribes, notwithstanding its tribal worship and traditions, thought is more free. For in the latter case the unity of the group can exist without insistence on any particular doctrines. While in the theophratries some particular ideas, practices and doctrines stand at the very foundation of society; and to depart from them is regarded by the members of the theophratry as heretical and anti-social. This particular unfortunate situation leads to persecutions unworthy of any civilized people.

For the welfare of humanity it is desirable that these theophratries should either disappear or loosen their hold on men. The idea of the formation of a social group on the basis of worship or theological doctrine, instead of basing it on geographical and on political lines, is absurd in itself. These theophratries should not therefore be allowed to dabble with the existing social structure. The theophratries may be formed and continued as long as they confine themselves to worship only, but they should be prevented from going beyond their sphere.

The sentiments which are expected to govern the life of a Hindu strongly are not sentiments regarding the theophratry, or moral ideas claiming particular allegiance to a theophratry, but dharma, or the ideas of duty, irrespective of the mandates of a theophratry. I have shown that the Hindus do not regard Christianity as a dharma. They regard it only as a sampradāya.