The problem of Jesus, which by its very nature must always remain of present concern, seems of late to have stirred a keener interest than for many years past. Never have the publications relating to Jesus and to the problem of the origins of Christianity been so abundant as to-day, and more than ever before do men crave an exact idea of the true story of Jesus and the conditions in which Christianity had its origin.

Buddhist literature is not complete in any one language. The primary sources for the study of Buddhism consist of texts in Pali, in Sanskrit (with some fragments in Prakrit, and a few texts in a mixed dialect — as though composed by men who were trying to turn Prakrit into Sanskrit but who had a very imperfect knowledge of Sanskrit grammar), in Chinese, in Tibetan, and in several of the languages which were current in Chinese Turkestan. There are also texts in Mongolian, but these seem to be derivatives from Tibetan, and not of primary importance.

On a visit to Damacus in March 1929 I found in the Musée National a fragment of the gospels, written in Greek, which has escaped the notice of those who have compiled lists of the manuscripts of the New Testament. It is mentioned neither by Gregory nor by von Soden. Its discovery has been reported to Professor von Dobschütz of Halle, and he has designated it 0196.

Ignatius, Magnes. 1: Γνοùς ὑμῶν τò πολυєύταĸτον τῆς ĸατὰ θεòν ἀγπης ἀγαλλιώμενος προειλόμην ἐν πίστει ᾽Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ προσλαλῆσαι ὑμῖν. So Ignatius begins his letter to the Magnesian Christians:

When I learned [from the deputation of your church] with what admirable discipline your godly love [i.e. your love as Christians determined by the standards of God, κατὰ θεóν as in Paul's Rom. 8, 27 and 2 Cor. 7, 9. 10] is ordered, I resolved in my joy to send you a letter [προσλαλεῖν as in Ign., Ephes. 3] upon faith in Jesus Christ.