pagan and christian creeds-第39章
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sciousness so much vaster； so much more glorious； than all that has gone before that the little candle of the local self is swallowed up in its rays。 It is the return home； the return into direct touch with Nature and Manthe liberation from the long exile of separation； from the painful sense of isolation and the odious nightmare of guilt and 'sin。' Can we doubt that this new birththis third stage of consciousness； if we like to call it sohas to come； that it is indeed not merely a pious hope or a tentative theory； but a FACT testified to already by a cloud of witnesses in the past witnesses shining in their own easily recognizable and authentic light； yet for the most part isolated from each other among the arid and unfruitful wastes of Civilization； like glow…worms in the dry grass of a summer night？
Since the first dim evolution of human self…consciousness an immense period； as we have saidperhaps 30；000 years； perhaps even morehas elapsed。 Now； in the present day this period is reaching its culmination； and though it will not terminate immediately； its end is； so to speak； in sight。 Meanwhile； during all the historical age behind ussay for the last 4；000 or 5；000 yearsevidence has been coming in （partly in the religious rites recorded； partly in oracles； poems and prophetic literature） of the onset of this further illumination〃the light which never was on sea or land〃and the cloud of witnesses； scattered at first； has in these later centuries become so evident and so notable that we are tempted to believe in or to anticipate a great and general new birth； as now not so very far off。＇1＇ ＇We should； however； do well to remember； in this connection； that many a time already in the history the Millennium has been prophesied； and yet not arrived punctual to date； and to take to ourselves the words of 'Peter；' who somewhat grievously disappointed at the long…delayed second coming of the Lord Jesus in the clouds of heaven； wrote in his second Epistle： 〃There shall come in the last days scoffers； walking after their own lusts； and saying； Where is the promise of his coming？ for since the fathers fell asleep； all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation。〃＇2＇＇
＇1＇ For an amplification of all this theme； see Dr。 Bucke's remarkable and epoch…making book； Cosmic Consciousness （first published at Philadelphia； 1901）。
＇2＇ 2 Peter iii。 4； written probably about A。D。 150。
I say that all through the historical age behind us there has been evidenceeven though scattered of salvation and the return of the Cosmic life。 Man has never been so completely submerged in the bitter sea of self…centredness but what he has occasionally been able to dash the spray from his eyes and glimpse the sun and the glorious light of heaven。 From how far back we cannot say； but from an immense antiquity come the beautiful myths which indicate this。
Cinderella； the cinder…maiden； sits unbeknown in her earthly。 hutch； Gibed and jeered at she bewails her lonely fate； Nevertheless youngest…born she surpasses her sisters and endues a garment of the sun and stars； From a tiny spark she ascends and irradiates the universe； and is wedded to the prince of heaven。
How lovely this vision of the little maiden sitting unbeknown close to the Hearth…fire of the universeherself indeed just a little spark from it； despised and rejected； rejected by the world； despised by her two elder sisters （the body and the intellect）； yet she； the soul； though latest…born； by far the most beautiful of the three。 And of the Prince of Love who redeems and sets her free； and of her wedding garment the glory and beauty of all nature and of the heavens！ The parables of Jesus are charming in their way； but they hardly reach this height of inspiration。
Or the world…old myth of Eros and Psyche。 How strange that here again there are three sisters （the three stages of human evolution）； and the latest…born the most beautiful of the three； and the jealousies and persecutions heaped on the youngest by the others； and especially by Aphrodite the goddess of mere sensual charm。 And again the coming of the unknown； the unseen Lover； on whom it is not permitted for mortals to look； and the long； long tests and sufferings and trials which Psyche has to undergo before Eros may really take her to his arms and translate her to the heights of heaven。 Can we not imagine how when these things were represented in the Mysteries the world flocked to see them； and the poets indeed said； 〃Happy are they that see and seeing can understand？〃 Can we not understand how it was that the Amphictyonic decree of the second century B。C。 spoke of these same Mysteries as enforcing the lesson that 〃the greatest of human blessings is fellowship and mutual trust〃？
XV。 THE ANCIENT MYSTERIES
Thus we come to a thing which we must not pass over； because it throws great light on the meaning and interpretation of all these rites and ceremonies of the great World…religion。 I mean the subject of the Ancient Mysteries。 And to this I will give a few pages。
These Mysteries were probably survivals of the oldest religious rites of the Greek races； and in their earlier forms consisted not so much in worship of the gods of Heaven as of the divinities of Earth； and of Nature and Death。 Crude； no doubt； at first； they gradually became （especially in their Eleusinian form） more refined and philosophical； the rites were gradually thrown open； on certain conditions； not only to men generally； but also to women； and even to slaves； and in the end they influenced Christianity deeply。＇1＇
＇1＇ See Edwin Hatch； D。D。； The Influence of Greek Ideas and Usages on the Christian Church （London； 1890）； pp。 283…5。
There were apparently three forms of teaching made use of in these rites： these were ； things SAID； ； things SHOWN； and ； things PERFORMED or ACTED。＇1＇ I have given already some instances of things said…texts whispered for consolation in the neophyte's car； and so forth； of the THIRD group； things enacted； we have a fair amount of evidence。 There were ritual dramas or passion…plays； of which an important one dealt with the descent of Kore or Proserpine into the underworld； as in the Eleusinian representations；＇2＇ and her redemption and restoration to the upper world in Spring； another with the sufferings of Psyche and her rescue by Eros； as described by Apuleius＇3＇himself an initiate in the cult of Isis。 There is a parody by Lucian； which tells of the birth of Apollo； the marriage of Coronis； and the coming of Aesculapius as Savior； there was the dying and rising again of Dionysus （chief divinity of the Orphic cult）； and sometimes the mystery of the birth of Dionysus as a holy child。＇4＇ There was； every year at Eleusis； a solemn and lengthy procession or pilgrimage made； symbolic of the long pilgrimage of the human soul； its sufferings and deliverance。
＇1＇ Cheetham； op。 cit。； pp。 49…61 sq。
＇2＇ See Farnell； op。 cit。； iii。 158 sq。
＇3＇ See The Golden Ass。
＇4＇ Farnell； ii； 177。
〃Almost always；〃 says Dr。 Cheetham； 〃the suffering of a godsuffering followed by triumphseems to have been the subject of the sacred drama。〃 Then occasionally to the Neophytes； after taking part in the pilgrimage； and when their minds had been prepared by an ordeal of darkness and fatigue and terrors； was accorded a revelation of Paradise； and even a vision of Transfigurationthe form of the Hierophant himself； or teacher of the Mysteries； being seen half…lost in a blaze of light。＇1＇ Finally； there was the eating of food and drinking of barley…drink from the sacred chest＇2＇a kind of Communion or Eucharist。
＇1＇ Ibid。； 179 sq。
＇2＇ Ibid。； 186。 Sacred chests； in which holy things were kept； figure frequently in early rites and legendsas in the case of the ark of the Jewish tabernacle； the ark or box carried in celebrations of the mysteries of Bacchus （Theocritus； Idyll xxvi）； the legend of Pandora's box which contained the seeds of all good and evil； the ark of Noah which saved all living creatures from the flood； the Argo of the argonauts； the moonshaped boat in which Isis floating over the waters gathered together the severed limbs of Osiris； and so brought about his resurrection； and the many chests or coffins out of which the various gods （Adonis； Attis； Osiris； Jesus）； having been laid there in death； rose again for the redemption of the world。 They all evidently refer to the mystic womb of Nature and of Woman； and are symbols of salvation and redemption （For a full discussion of this subject； see The Great Law of religious origins； by W。 Williamson； ch。 iv。）
Apuleius in The Golden Ass gives an interesting account of his induction into the mysteries of Isis： how； bidding farewell one evening to the general congregation outside； and clothed in a new linen garment； he was handed by the priest into the inner recesses of the temple itself； how he 〃approached the confines of death； and having trod on the threshold of Proserpine （the Underworld）； returned therefrom； being borne through all the elements。 At midnight I saw the sun shining with its brilliant light： and I approached the presence of the Gods beneath and the Gods above； and stood near and worshipped them。〃 During the night things happened which must not be disclosed； but in the morning he came forth 〃consecrated by being dressed in twelve stoles painted with the figures of animals。〃＇1＇ He ascended a pulpit in the midst of the Temple； carrying in his right hand a burning torch； while a chaplet encircled his head； from which palm…leaves projected like rays of light。 〃Thus arrayed like the Sun； and placed so as to resemble a statue； on a sudden the curtains being drawn aside； I was exposed to the gaze of the multitude。 After this I celebrated the most joyful day of my initiation； as my natal day ＇day of the New Birth＇ and there was a joyous banquet and mirthful conversation。〃
＇1＇ An allusion no doubt to the twelve signs of the Zodiac； the pathway of the Sun； as well as to the practice of the ancient priests of wearing the skins of totem…animals in sign of their divinity。
One can hardly refuse to recognize in this account the description of some kind of ceremony which was supposed to seal the illumination of a man and his new birth into divinitythe animal origin； the circling of all experience； the terrors of death； and the resurrection in the form of the Sun； the symbol of all light and life。 The very word 〃illumination〃 carries the ideas of light and a new birth with it。 Reitzenstein in his very interesting book on the Greek Mysteries＇1＇ speaks over and over again of the illumination （） which was held to attend Initiation and Salvation。 The doctrine of Salvation indeed （） was； as we have already seen； rife and widely current in the Second Century B。 C。 It represented a real experience； and the man who shared this experience became a or divine man。＇2＇ In the Orphic Tablets the phrase 〃I am a child of earth and the starry heaven； but my race is of heaven （alone）〃 occurs more than once。 In one of the longest of them the dead man is instructed 〃after he has passed the waters （of Lethe） where the white Cypress and the House of Hades are〃 to address these
