pagan and christian creeds-第38章
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on between the different periods。 That is to say； half a million years for the purely animal man in his different forms and grades of evolution。 Then somewhere towards the end of palaeolithic or commencement of neolithic times Self…consciousness dimly beginning and； after some 10；000 years of slow germination and pre…historic culture； culminating in the actual historic period and the dawn of civilization 40 or 50 centuries ago； and to…day （we hope）； reaching the climax which precedes or foretells its abatement and transformation。
＇2＇ Though Dr。 Arthur Keith； Ancient Types of Man （1911）； pp。 93 and 102； puts the figure at more like a million。
＇3＇ See Ancient Hunters （1915）； also Hastings's Encycl。 art。 〃Ethnology〃； and Havelock Ellis； 〃The Origin of War；〃 in The Philosophy of Conflict and other Essays。
No doubt many geologists and anthropologists would favor periods greatly LONGER than those here mentioned； but possibly there would be some agreement as to the RATIO to each other of the times concerned： that is； the said authorities would probably allow for a VERY long animal…man＇1＇… period corresponding to the first stage； for a much shorter aggressively 'self conscious' period； corresponding to the Second Stageperhaps lasting only one thirtieth or fiftieth of the time of the first period； and thenif they looked forward at all to a third stagewould be inclined for obvious reasons to attribute to that again a very extended duration。
＇1＇ I use the phrase 'animal…man' here； not with any flavor of contempt or reprobation； as the dear Victorians would have used it； but with a sense of genuine respect and admiration such as one feels towards the animals themselves。
However； all this is very speculative。 To return to the difficulty about Language and the consideration of those early times when words adequate to the expression of religious or magical ideas simply did not exist； it is clear that the only available； or at any rate the CHIEF means of expression； in those times； must have consisted in gestures； in attitudes； in ceremonial ACTIONSin a more or less elaborate ritual； in fact。＇1＇ Such ideas as Adoration； Thanksgiving； confession of Guilt； placation of Wrath； Expiation； Sacrifice； Celebration of Community； sacramental Atonement； and a score of others could at that time be expressed by appropriate ritesand as a matter of fact are often so expressed even nowMORE readily and directly than by language。 'Dancing'when that word came to be inventeddid not mean a mere flinging about of the limbs in recreation； but any expressive movements of the body which might be used to convey the feelings of the dancer or of the audience whom he represented。 And so the 'religious dance' became a most important part of ritual。
＇1＇ See ch。 ix and xi。
So much for the second stage of Consciousness。 Let us now pass on to the Third Stage。 It is evident that the process of disruption and dissolutiondisruption both of the human mind； and of society round about it； due to the action of the Second Stagecould not go on indefinitely。 There are hundreds of thousands of people at the present moment who are dying of mental or bodily diseasetheir nervous systems broken down by troubles connected with excessive self…consciousnessselfish fears and worries and restlessness。 Society at large is perishing both in industry and in warfare through the domination in its organism of the self…motives of greed and vanity and ambition。 This cannot go on for ever。 Things must either continue in the same strain； in which case it is evident that we are approaching a crisis of utter dissolution； OR a new element must enter in； a new inspiration of life； and we （as individuals） and the society of which we form a part； must make a fresh start。 What is that new and necessary element of regeneration？
It is evident that it must be a new birththe entry into a further stage of consciousness which must supersede the present one。 Through some such crisis as we have spoken of； through the extreme of suffering； the mind of Man； AS AT PRESENT CONSTITUTED； has to die。＇1＇ Self…consciousness has to die； and be buried； and rise again in a new form。 Probably nothing but the extreme of suffering can bring this about。＇2＇ And what is this new form in which consciousness has to rearise？ Obviously； since the miseries of the world during countless centuries have dated from that fatal attempt to make the little personal SELF the centre of effort and activity； and since that attempt has inevitably led to disunity and discord and death； both within the mind itself and within the body of society； there is nothing left but the return to a Consciousness which shall have Unity as its foundation…principle； and which shall proceed from the direct SENSE AND PERCEPTION of such an unity throughout creation。 The simple mind of Early Man and the Animals was of that charactera consciousness； so to speak； continuous through nature； and though running to points of illumination and foci of special activity in individuals； yet at no point essentially broken or imprisoned in separate compartments。 （And it is this CONTINUITY of the primitive mind which enables us； as I have already explained； to understand the mysterious workings of instinct and intuition。） To some such unity…consciousness we have to return； but clearly it will beit is notof the simple inchoate character of the First Stage； for it has been enriched； deepened； and greatly extended by the experience of the Second Stage。 It is in fact； a new order of mentalitythe consciousness of the Third Stage。
＇1＇ 〃The mind must be restrained in the heart till it comes to an end；〃 says the Maitrayana…Brahmana…Upanishad。
＇2＇ One may remember in this connection the tapas of the Hindu yogi； or the ordeals of initiates into the pagan Mysteries generally。
In order to understand the operation and qualities of this Third Consciousness； it may be of assistance just now to consider in what more or less rudimentary way or ways it figured in the pagan rituals and in Christianity。 We have seen the rude Siberyaks in North…Eastern Asia or the 'Grizzly' tribes of North American Indians in the neighborhood of Mount Shasta paying their respects and adoration to a captive bearat once the food…animal； and the divinity of the Tribe。 A tribesman had slain a bearand； be it said； had slain it not in a public hunt with all due ceremonies observed； but privately for his own satisfaction。 He had committed； therefore； a sin theoretically unpardonable； for had he notto gratify his personal desire for foodlevelled a blow at the guardian spirit of the Tribe？ Had he not alienated himself from his fellows by destroying its very symbol？ There was only one way by which he could regain the fellowship of his companions。 He must make amends by some public sacrifice； and instead of retaining the flesh of the animal for himself he must share it with the whole tribe （or clan） in a common feast； while at the same time； tensest prayers and thanks are offered to the animal for the gift of his body for food。 The Magic formula demanded nothing less than thiselse dread disaster would fall upon the man who sinned； and upon the whole brotherhood。 Here； and in a hundred similar rites； we see the three phases of tribal psychology the first； in which the individual member simply remains within the compass of the tribal mind； and only acts in harmony with it； the second； in which the individual steps outside and to gratify his personal SELF performs an action which alienates him from his fellows； and the third； in which； to make amends and to prove his sincerity； he submits to some sacrifice； and by a common feast or some such ceremony is received back again into the unity of the fellowship。 The body of the animal…divinity is consumed； and the latter becomes； both in the spirit and in the flesh； the Savior of the tribe。
In course of time； when the Totem or Guardian…spirit is no longer merely an Animal； or animal…headed Genius； but a quite human…formed Divinity； still the same general outline of ideas is preservedonly with gathered intensity owing to the specially human interest of the drama。 The Divinity who gives his life for his flock is no longer just an ordinary Bull or Lamb； but Adonis or Osiris or Dionysus or Jesus。 He is betrayed by one of his own followers； and suffers death； but rises again redeeming all with himself in the one fellowship； and the corn and the wine and the wild flesh which were his body； and which he gave for the sustenance of mankind； are consumed in a holy supper of reconciliation。 It is always the return to unity which is the ritual of Salvation； and of which the symbol is the Eucharistthe second birth； the formation of 〃a new creature when old things are passed away。〃 For 〃Except a man be born again； he cannot see the Kingdom of God〃； and 〃the first man is of the earth； earthly； but the second man is the Lord from heaven。〃 Like a strange refrain； and from centuries before our era； comes down this belief in a god who is imprisoned in each man； and whose liberation is a new birth and the beginning of a new creature： 〃Rejoice； ye initiates in the mystery of the liberated god〃 rejoice in the thought of the hero who died as a mortal in the coffin； but rises again as Lord of all！
Who then was this 〃Christos〃 for whom the world was waiting three centuries before our era （and indeed centuries before that）？ Who was this 〃thrice Savior〃 whom the Greek Gnostics acclaimed？ What was the meaning of that 〃coming of the Son of Man〃 whom Daniel beheld in vision among the clouds of heaven？ or of the 〃perfect man〃 who； Paul declared； should deliver us from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God？ What was this salvation which time after time and times again the pagan deities promised to their devotees； and which the Eleusinian and other Mysteries represented in their religious dramas with such convincing enthusiasm that even Pindar could say 〃Happy is he who has seen them （the Mysteries） before he goes beneath the hollow earth： that man knows the true end of life and its source divine〃； and concerning which Sophocles and Aeschylus were equally enthusiastic？＇1＇
＇1＇ See Farnell's Cults of the Greek States； vol。 iii； p。 194； also The Mysteries； Pagan and Christian； by S。 Cheetham； D。D。 （London； 1897）。
Can we doubt； in the light of all that we have already said； what the answer to these questions is？ As with the first blossoming of self…consciousness in the human mind came the dawn of an immense cycle of experience a cycle indeed of exile from Eden； of suffering and toil and blind wanderings in the wilderness； yet a cycle absolutely necessary and unavoidableso now the redemption； the return； the restoration has to come through another forward step； in the same domain。 Abandoning the quest and the glorification of the separate isolated self we have to return to the cosmic universal life。 It is the blossoming indeed of this 'new' life in the deeps of our minds which is salvation； and which all the expressions which I have just cited have indicated。 It is this presence which all down the ages has been hailed as Savior and Liberator： the daybreak of a consciousness so much vaster； so much more glorious； than all that has gone before that the little cand
