Page:The World's Parliament of Religions Vol 1.djvu/238

 210 INTRODUCTION TO PARLIAMENT PAPERS. the most ancient books of the nation to indicate a sort of canonical authority. The King only are from Confucius, and of these the Shu King, a book of history, and the Shih King a book of poetry, are of the most importance. The Shu King relates to a period extending over seventeen centuries, from about 2357 B.C. to 627 B.C., and is believed to be the oldest portion of the Chinese Bible. It consists of ballads relating to events of national history, and of songs and hymns to be sung on great state occasions. The four Shu of the Chinese classics are the works of disciples of Confucius, and they do not hold the same rank and authority as the five King of the Master himself. Of Parsee scripture Professor Terry said that few remains of antiquity are of much greater mterest to the student of history and religion than the Avesta, the Bible of Zoroaster. The entire collection now existing but imperfectly represents what was once one of the greatest faiths of mankind. An eminent authority has said that " there has been no other great belief that has ever left such poor and meager monuments of its past splendor." The Mohammedan Bible, Professor Terry said, is a comparatively modern book. It is a question whether its author ever learned to read or write. He dictated his reve- lations to his disciples, and they wrote them on date leaves, bits of parchment, tablets of white stone and shoulder-blades of sheep. After the prophet's death the different fragments were collected and arranged according to the length of the chapters, beginning with the longest and ending with the shortest. As a volume of sacred literature* the Koran is deficient in those elements of originality and independence which are noticeable in the sacred books of the other great religions of the world. Its crowning glory is its glowing Arabic diction. Mohammed himself insisted that the marvel- ous excellence of his book was a standing proof of its super- human origin. " If men and genii," said he, " united them- selves together to bring the like of the Koran they could not bring the like though they should back each other up." Of Christian scriptures Professor Terry remarked that the New Testament is a unique book, or set of books, and the gos-