History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c96.s1.86

v7.c96.s1.86

²⁶³⁰ Vide 'Hinduism and Buddhism' by Sir Charles Elliot, Vol. I. Intro. p LXX, where a similar view is expressed by the learned writer who relies also on William James' 'Varieties of religious experience' pp. 525-527. Sir Oliver Lodge in 'Man and the Universe' (London, 1908) pp. 246-247) says "There are plenty of good reasons against idolatry among intellectual and 'chosen' people but this (God was jealous of idol worship) is not one of them; nor is it to be supposed that the stock of a tree is ever really worshipped even when prostrated to. An *idol*, to ignorant and undeveloped people, is a symbol of something which they are really worshipping under a material form and embodiment, the sensuous presentation assists their infantile efforts towards abstract thought as material sacraments help people in a higher stage of religious development; but some of these helps should be outgrown"