pagan and christian creeds-第19章

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s；　in　later　times；　instead　of　being　slain；　were　tossed　from　a　height　into　the　sea；　and　after　being　rescued　were　then　simply　banished；　while　at　Leucatas　a　similar　festival　the　fall　of　the　victim　was　graciously　broken　by　tying　feathers　and　even　living　birds　to　his　body。＇4＇

＇1＇　vii。　19；　and　iii。　8；　16。

＇2＇　Primitive　Folk；　by　Elie　Reclus　（Contemp。　Science　Series）；　p。　330。

＇3＇　Ibid。

＇4＇　Muller's　Dorians　Book　II；　ch。　ii；　par。　10。


With　the　lapse　of　time　and　the　general　progress　of　mankind；　we　may；　I　think；　perceive　some　such　slow　ameliorations　in　the　matter　of　the　brutality　and　superstition　of　the　old　religions。　How　far　any　later　ameliorations　were　due　to　the　direct　influence　of　Christianity　might　be　a　difficult　question；　but　what　I　think　we　can　clearly　seeand　what　especially　interests　us　hereis　that　in　respect　to　its　main　religious　ideas；　and　the　matter　underlying　them　（exclusive　of　the　MANNER　of　their　treatment；　which　necessarily　has　varied　among　different　peoples）　Christianity　is　of　one　piece　with　the　earlier　pagan　creeds　and　is　for　the　most　part　a　re…statement　and　renewed　expression　of　world…wide　doctrines　whose　first　genesis　is　lost　in　the　haze　of　the　past；　beyond　all　recorded　history。

I　have　illustrated　this　view　with　regard　to　the　doctrine　of　Sin　and　Sacrifice。　Let　us　take　two　or　three　other　illustrations。　Let　us　take　the　doctrine　of　Re…birth　or　Regeneration。　The　first　few　verses　of　St。　John's　Gospel　are　occupied　with　the　subject　of　salvation　through　rebirth　or　regeneration。　〃Except　a　man　be　born　again；　he　cannot　see　the　kingdom　of　God。〃　。　。　。　〃Except　a　man　be　born　of　water　and　the　Spirit；　he　cannot　enter　into　the　kingdom　of　God。〃　Our　Baptismal　Service　begins　by　saying　that　〃forasmuch　as　all　men　are　conceived　and　born　in　sin；　and　that　our　Saviour　Christ　saith；　None　can　enter　into　the　kingdom　of　God　except　he　be　regenerate　and　born　anew　of　water　and　the　Holy　Ghost〃；　therefore　it　is　desirable　that　this　child　should　be　baptized；　〃received　into　Christ's　Holy　Church；　and　be　made　a　lively　member　of　the　same。〃　That；　is　to　say；　there　is　one　birth；　after　the　flesh；　but　a　second　birth　is　necessary；　a　birth　after　the　Spirit　and　into　the　Church　of　Christ。　Our　Confirmation　Service　is　simply　a　service　repeating　and　confirming　these　views；　at　an　age　（fourteen　to　sixteen　or　so）　when　the　boy　or　girl　is　capable　of　understanding　what　is　being　done。

But　our　Baptismal　and　Confirmation　ceremonies　combined　are　clearly　the　exact　correspondence　and　parallel　of　the　old　pagan　ceremonies　of　Initiation；　which　are　or　have　been　observed　in　almost　every　primitive　tribe　over　the　world。　〃The　rite　of　the　second　birth；〃　says　Jane　Harrison；＇1＇　〃is　widespread；　universal；　over　half　the　savage　world。　With　the　savage　to　be　twice…born　is　the　rule。　By　his　first　birth　he　comes　into　the　world；　by　his　second　he　is　born　into　his　tribe。　At　his　first　birth　he　belongs　to　his　mother　and　the　women…folk；　at　his　second　he　becomes　a　full…fledged　man　and　passes　into　the　society　of　the　warriors　of　his　tribe。〃　。　。　。　〃These　rites　are　very　various；　but　they　all　point　to　one　moral；　that　the　former　things　are　passed　away　and　that　the　new…born　man　has　entered　upon　a　new　life。　Simplest　of　all；　and　most　instructive；　is　the　rite　practised　by　the　Kikuyu　tribe　of　British　East　Africa；　who　require　that　every　boy；　just　before　circumcision；　must　be　born　again。　The　mother　stands　up　with　the　boy　crouching　at　her　feet；　she　pretends　to　go　through　all　the　labour　pains；　and　the　boy　on　being　reborn　cries　like　a　babe　and　is　washed。〃＇2＇

＇1＇　Ancient　Art　and　Ritual；　p。　104。

＇2＇　See　also　Themis；　p。　21。


Let　us　pause　for　a　moment。　An　Initiate　is　of　course　one　who　〃enters　in。〃　He　enters　into　the　Tribe；　he　enters　into　the　revelation　of　certain　Mysteries；　he　becomes　an　associate　of　a　certain　Totem；　a　certain　God；　a　member　of　a　new　Society；　or　Churcha　church　of　Mithra；　or　Dionysus　or　Christ。　To　do　any　of　these　things　he　must　be　born　again；　be　must　die　to　the　old　life；　he　must　pass　through　ceremonials　which　symbolize　the　change。　One　of　these　ceremonials　is　washing。　As　the　new…born　babe　is　washed；　so　must　the　new…born　initiate　be　washed；　and　as　by　primitive　man　（and　not　without　reason）　BLOOD　was　considered　the　most　vital　and　regenerative　of　fluids；　the　very　elixir　of　life；　so　in　earliest　times　it　was　common　to　wash　the　initiate　with　blood。　If　the　initiate　had　to　be　born　anew；　it　would　seem　reasonable　to　suppose　that　he　must　first　die。　So；　not　unfrequently；　he　was　wounded；　or　scourged；　and　baptized　with　his　own　blood；　or；　in　cases；　one　of　the　candidates　was　really　killed　and　his　blood　used　as　a　substitute　for　the　blood　of　the　others。　No　doubt　HUMAN　sacrifice　attended　the　earliest　initiations。　But　later　it　was　sufficient　to　be　half…drowned　in　the　blood　of　a　Bull　as　in　the　Mithra　cult；＇1＇　or　'washed　in　the　blood　of　the　Lamb'　as　in　the　Christian　phraseology。　Finally；　with　a　growing　sense　of　decency　and　aesthetic　perception　among　the　various　peoples；　washing　with　pure　water　came　in　the　initiation…ceremonies　to　take　the　place　of　blood；　and　our　baptismal　service　has　reduced　the　ceremony　to　a　mere　sprinkling　with　water。＇2＇

＇1＇　See　ch。　iii。

＇2＇　For　the　virtue　supposed　to　reside　in　blood　see　Westermarck's　Moral　Ideas；　Ch。　46。


To　continue　the　quotation　from　Miss　Harrison：　〃More　often　the　new　birth　is　stimulated；　or　imagined；　as　a　death　and　a　resurrection；　either　of　the　boys　themselves　or　of　some　one　else　in　their　presence。　Thus　at　initiation　among　some　tribes　of　South…east　Australia；　when　the　boys　are　assembled　an　old　man　dressed　in　stringy　bark…fibre　lies　down　in　a　grave。　He　is　covered　up　lightly　with　sticks　and　earth；　and　the　grave　is　smoothed　over。　The　buried　man　holds　in　his　hand　a　small　bush　which　seems　to　be　growing　from　the　ground；　and　other　bushes　are　stuck　in　the　ground　round　about。　The　novices　are　then　brought　to　the　edge　of　the　grave　and　a　song　is　sung。　Gradually；　as　the　song　goes　on；　the　bush　held　by　the　buried　man　begins　to　quiver。　It　moves　more　and　more；　and　bit　by　bit　the　man　himself　starts　up　from　the　grave。〃

Strange　in　our　own　Baptismal　Service　and　just　before　the　actual　christening　we　read　these　words；　〃Then　shall　the　Priest　say：　O　merciful　God；　grant　that　old　Adam　in　this　child　may　be　so　BURIED　that　the　new　man　may　be　raised　up　in　him：　grant　that　all　carnal　affections　may　die　in　him；　and　that　all　things　belonging　to　the　Spirit　may　live　and　grow　in　him！〃　Can　we　doubt　that　the　Australian　medicine…man；　standing　at　the　graveside　of　the　re…arisen　old　black…fellow；　pointed　the　same　moral　to　the　young　initiates　as　the　priest　does　to…day　to　those　assembled　before　him　in　churchfor　indeed　we　know　that　among　savage　tribes　initiations　have　always　been　before　all　things　the　occasions　of　moral　and　social　teaching？　Can　we　doubt　that　he　said；　in　substance　if　not　in　actual　words：　〃As　this　man　has　arisen　from　the　grave；　so　you　must　also　arise　from　your　old　childish　life　of　amusement　and　self…gratification　and；　ENTER　INTO　the　life　of　the　tribe；　the　life　of　the　Spirit　of　the　tribe。〃　〃In　totemistic　societies；〃　to　quote　Miss　Harrison　again；　〃and　in　the　animal　secret　societies　that　seem　to　grow　out　of　them；　the　novice　is　born　again　aS　THE　SACRED　ANIMAL。　Thus　among　the　Carrier　Indians＇1＇　when　a　man　wants　to　become　a　Lulem　or　'Bear；'　however　cold　the　season　he　tears　off　his　clothes；　puts　on　a　bear…skin　and　dashes　into　the　woods；　where　he　will　stay　for　three　or　four　days。　Every　night　his　fellow…villagers　will　go　out　in　search　parties　to　find　him。　They　cry　out　Yi！　Kelulem　（come　on；　Bear）；　and　he　answers　with　angry　growls。　Usually　they　fail　to　find　him；　but　he　comes　back　at　last　himself。　He　is　met；　and　conducted　to　the　ceremonial　lodge；　and　there　in　company　with　the　rest　of　the　Bears　dances　solemnly　his　first　appearance。　Disappearance　and　reappearance　is　as　common　a　rite　in　initiation　as　stimulated　killing　and　resurrection；　and　has　the　same　object。　Both　are　rites　of　transition；　of　passing　from　one　to　another。〃　In　the　Christian　ceremonies　the　boy　or　girl　puts　away　childish　things　and　puts　on　the　new　man；　but　instead　of　putting　on　a　bear…skin　he　puts　on　Christ。　There　is　not　so　much　difference　as　may　appear　on　the　surface。　To　be　identified　with　your　Totem　is　to　be　identified　with　the　sacred　being　who　watches　over　your　tribe；　who　has　given　his　life　for　your　tribe；　it　is　to　be　born　again；　to　be　washed　not　only　with　water　but　with　the　Holy　Spirit　of　all　your　fellows。　To　be　baptized　into　Christ　ought　to　mean　to　be　regenerated　in　the　Holy　Spirit　of　all　humanity；　and　no　doubt　in　cases　it　does　mean　this；　but　too　often　unfortunately　it　has　only　amounted　to　a　pretence　of　religious　sanction　given　to　the　meanest　and　bitterest　quarrels　of　the　Churches　and　the　States。

＇1＇　Golden　Bough；　Section　2；　III；　p。　438。


This　idea　of　a　New　Birth　at　initiation　explains　the　prevalent　pagan　custom　of　subjecting　the　initiates　to　serious　ordeals；　often　painful　and　even　dangerous。　If　one　is　to　be　born　again；　obviously　one　must　be　ready　to　face　death；　the　one　thing　cannot　be　without　the　other。　One　must　be　able　to　endure　pain；　like　the　Red　Indian　braves；　to　go　long　periods　fasting　and　without　food　or　drink；　like　the　choupan　among　the　Western　Inoitswho；　wanders　for　whole　nights　over　the　ice…fields　under　the　moon；　scantily　clothed　and　braving　the　intense　cold；　to　overcome　the　very　fear　of　death　and　danger；　like　the　Australian　novices　who；　at　first　terrified　by　the　sound　of　the　bull…　roarer　and　threats　of　fire　and　the　knife；　learn　finally　to　cast　their　fears　away。＇1＇　By　so　doing　one　puts　off　the　old　childish　things；　and　qualifies　oneself　by　firmness　and　courage　to　become　a　worthy　member　of　the　society　into　which　one　is　called。＇2＇　The　rules　of　social　life　are　taught　the　duty　to　one's　tribe；　and　to　oneself；　truth…　speaking；　defence　of　women　and　children；　the　care　of　cattle；　the　meaning　of　sex　and　marriage；　and　even　the　mysteries　of　such　religious　ideas　and　rudimentary　science　as　the　tribe　possesses。　And　by　so　doing　one　really　enters　into　a　new　life。　Things　of　the　spiritual　world　begin　to　dawn。　Julius　Firmicus；　in　describing　the　mysteries　of　the　resurrection　of　Osiris；＇3＇　says　that　when　the　worshipers　had　satiated　themselves　with　lamentations　over　the　death　of　the　god　then　the　priest　would　go　round　anointing　them　with　oil　and　whispering；　〃Be　of　good　cheer；　O　Neophytes　of　the　new…　arisen　God；　for　to　us　too　from　our　pains　shall　come　salvation。〃＇4＇

＇1＇　According　to　accounts　of　the　Wiradthuri　tribe　of　Western　Australia；　in　their　initiations；　the　lads　were　frightened　by　a　large　fire　being　lighted　near　them；　and　hearing　the　awful　sound　of　the　bull…roarers；　while　they　were　told　that　Dhuramoolan　was　about　to　burn　them；　the　legend　being　that　Dhuramoolan；　a　powerful　being；　whose　voice　sounded　like　thunder；　would　take　the　boys　into　the　bush　and　instruct　them　in　all　the　laws；　traditions　and　customs　of　the　community。　So　he　pretended　that　he　always　killed　the　boys；　cut　them　up；　and　burnt　them　to　ashes；　after　which　he　moulded　the　ashes　into　human　shape；　and　restored　them　to　life　as　new　beings。　（See　R。　H。　Matthews；　〃The　Wiradthuri　tribes；〃　Journal　Anthrop。　Inst。；　vol。　xxv；　1896；　pp。　297　sq。）

＇2＇　See　Catlin's　North…American　Indians；　vol。　i；　for　initiations　and　ordeals　among　the　Mandans。

＇3＇　De　Errore；　c。　22。

＇4＇