Page:Apollonius of Tyana - the pagan Christ of the third century.pdf/97

92 was simply this, that if the Paganism of the third century attempted to find its own Christ, that Christ was never found.

There are few periods more fertile in useful and profitable lessons for the student of the philosophy and history of religion. We have seen the principle established that a religious doctrine, recently introduced, unfavourably viewed by the aristocracy, the people, the students of philosophy, and the great majority, can gain such an influence over its all-powerful enemies that almost against their will and unawares they are compelled to make the greatest of concessions—viz., that of seeking how they shall be able to make it appear to conform to the old traditional creeds which they are still anxious to retain. Christianity had already gained such an ascendency by virtue of its moral superiority that the most intelligent champions of ancient Paganism felt the absolute necessity of moralising their own system—in other words, of Christianising their religion in order to enable it to compete with its younger rival. But what a thankless task! What influence could the finest