Persian and Indian origin.

Even in the field of religion the nations of

Indo-European civilisation display a richer
genius than the Semites; but they lack that
tremendous energy which produced the belief
in the unity of God, not as a result of scientific
reflection, but as a moral demand, tolerating
no contradiction. This strength of faith, which
has subdued the world, is necessarily
associated with much violence and
exclusiveness. Nowhere is the
uncompromising spirit of the Old Testament
more impressive than in its half-mythical and
yet thoroughly historical portrait of Elijah, that
magnificent ideal of prophecy in its zeal for
the Lord. I cannot understand how Chwolson
will scarcely admit the existence of religious
ecstasy among the Semites, when the Old
Testament is full of evidences of high
imaginative exaltation in its prophets as well
as in those of Baal; nay, in Hebrew the very
word to behave as a prophet (hithnabb)
also means simply to behave madly, to rave.
Ecstasy, the condition in which the religiously-
inspired man believes himself to hold
immediate converse with God, was to the
prophets themselves the subjective attestation
of their vocation. Not less deeply rooted in
their religion is that Semitic fanaticism which
Chwolson would also fain deny. Take heed to
thyself lest thou make a covenant with the
inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest
it be for a snare in the midst of thee; but ye
shall break down their altars, and dash in
pieces their images, and ye shall cut down
their groves (Ex. xxxiv. 12, 13)in such or
similar terms run those strict commands,
which were indeed justifiable at the time, but
none the less bear witness to frightful
exclusiveness and rigid fa