pagan and christian creeds-第40章

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as　passed　the　waters　（of　Lethe）　where　the　white　Cypress　and　the　House　of　Hades　are〃　to　address　these　very　words　to　the　guardians　of　the　Lake　of　Memory　while　he　asks　for　a　drink　of　cold　water　from　that　Lake。　In　another　the　dead　person　himself　is　thus　addressed：　〃Hail；　thou　who　hast　endured　the　Suffering；　such　as　indeed　thou　hadst　never　suffered　before；　thou　hast　become　god　from　man！〃＇3＇　Ecstacy　was　the　acme　of　the　religious　life；　and；　what　is　especially　interesting　to　us；　Salvation　or　the　divine　nature　was　open　to　all　mento　all；　that　is；　who　should　go　through　the　necessary　stages　of　preparation　for　it。＇4＇

＇1＇　Die　hellenistischen　Mysterien…Religionen；　by　R。　Reitzenstein；　Leipzig；　1910。

＇2＇　Reitzenstein；　p。　12。

＇3＇　These　Tablets　（so…called）　are　instructions　to　the　dead　as　to　their　passage　into　the　other　world；　and　have　been　found　in　the　tombs；　in　Italy　and　elsewhere；　inscribed　on　very　thin　gold　plates　and　buried　with　the　departed。　See　Manual　of　Greek　Antiquities　by　Percy　Gardner　and　F。　B。　Jerome　（1896）；　also　Prolegomena　to　Greek　Religion　by　Jane　E。　Harrison　（1908）。

＇4＇　Reitzenstein；　pp。　15　and　18；　also　S。　J。　Case；　Evolution　of　Early　Christianity；　p。　301。


Reitzenstein　contends　（p。　26）　that　in　the　Mysteries；　transfiguration　（）；　salvation　（）；　and　new　birth　（）　were　often　conjoined。　He　says　（p。　31）；　that　in　the　Egyptian　Osiris…cult；　the　Initiate　acquires　a　nature　〃equal　to　God〃　（）；　the　very　same　expression　as　that　used　of　Christ　Jesus　in　Philippians　ii。　6；　he　mentions　Apollonius　of　Tyana　and　Sergius　Paulus　as　instances　of　men　who　by　their　contemporaries　were　considered　to　have　attained　this　nature；　and　he　quotes　Akhnaton　（Pharaoh　of　Egypt　in　1375　B。C。）　as　having　said；　〃Thou　art　in　my　heart；　none　other　knows　Thee；　save　thy　son　Akhnaton；　Thou　hast　initiated　him　into　thy　wisdom　and　into　thy　power。〃　He　also　quotes　the　words　of　Hermes　（Trismegistus）〃Come　unto　Me；　even　as　children　to　their　mother's　bosom：　Thou　art　I；　and　I　am　Thou；　what　is　thine　is　mine；　and　what　is　mine　is　thine；　for　indeed　I　am　thine　image　（）；〃　and　refers　to　the　dialogue　between　Hermes　and　Tat；　in　which　they　speak　of　the　great　and　mystic　New　Birth　and　Union　with　the　Allwith　all　Elements；　Plants　and　Animals；　Time　and　Space。

〃The　Mysteries；〃　says　Dr。　Cheetham　very　candidly；　〃influenced　Christianity　considerably　and　modified　it　in　some　important　respects〃；　and　Dr。　Hatch；　as　we　have　seen；　not　only　supports　this　general　view；　but　follows　it　out　in　detail。＇1＇　He　points　out　that　the　membership　of　the　Mystery…societies　was　very　numerous　in　the　earliest　times；　A。D。；　that　their　general　aims　were　good；　including　a　sense　of　true　religion；　decent　life；　and　brotherhood；　that　cleanness　from　crime　and　confession　were　demanded　from　the　neophyte；　that　confession　was　followed　by　baptism　（）　and　THAT　by　sacrifice；　that　the　term　　（illumination）　was　adopted　by　the　Christian　Church　as　the　name　for　the　new　birth　of　baptism；　that　the　Christian　usage　of　placing　a　seal　on　the　forehead　came　from　the　same　source；　that　baptism　itself　after　a　time　was　called　a　mystery　（）；　that　the　sacred　cakes　and　barley…drink　of　the　Mysteries　became　the　milk　and　honey　and　bread　and　wine　of　the　first　Christian　Eucharists；　and　that　the　occasional　sacrifice　of　a　lamb　on　the　Christian　altar　（〃whose　mention　is　often　suppressed〃）　probably　originated　in　the　same　way。　Indeed；　the　conception　of　the　communion…table　AS　an　altar　and　many　other　points　of　ritual　gradually　established　themselves　from　these　sources　as　time　went　on。＇2＇　It　is　hardly　necessary　to　say　more　in　proof　of　the　extent　to　which　in　these　ancient　representations　〃things　said〃　and　〃scenes　enacted〃　forestalled　the　doctrines　and　ceremonials　of　Christianity。

＇1＇　See　Hatch；　op。　cit。；　pp。　290　sq。

＇2＇　See　Dionysus　Areop。　（end　of　fifth　century）；　who　describes　the　Christian　rites　generally　in　Mystery　language　（Hatch；　296）。


〃But　what　of　the　second　group　above…mentioned；　the　〃things　SHOWN〃？　It　is　not　so　easy　naturally　to　get　exact　information　concerning　these；　but　they　seem　to　have　been　specially　holy　objects；　probably　things　connected　with　very　ancient　rituals　in　the　pastsuch　as　sacred　stones；　old　and　rude　images　of　the　gods；　magic　nature…symbols；　like　that　half…disclosed　ear　of　corn　above…mentioned　（Ch。　V。）。　〃In　the　Temple　of　Isis　at　Philae；〃　says　Dr。　Cheetham；　〃the　dead　body　of　Osiris　is　represented　with　stalks　of　corn　springing　from　it；　which　a　priest　waters　from　a　vessel。　An　inscription　says：　'This　is　the　form　of　him　whom　we　may　not　name；　Osiris　of　the　Mysteries　who　sprang　from　the　returning　waters'　＇the　Nile＇。〃　Above　all；　no　doubt；　there　were　images　of　the　phallus　and　the　vulva；　the　great　symbols　of　human　fertility。　We　have　seen　（Ch。　XII）　that　the　lingam　and　the　yoni　are；　even　down　to　to…day；　commonly　retained　and　honored　as　holy　objects　in　the　S。　Indian　Temples；　and　anointed　with　oil　（some　of　them）　for　a　very　practical　reason。　Sir　J。　G。　Frazer；　in　his　lately　published　volumes　on　The　Folk…lore　of　the　Old　Testament；　has　a　chapter　（in　vol。　ii）　on　the　very　numerous　sacred　stones　of　various　shapes　and　sizes　found　or　spoken　of　in　Palestine　and　other　parts　of　the　world。　Though　uncertain　as　to　the　meaning　of　these　stones　he　mentions　that　they　are　〃frequently；　though　not　always；　UPRIGHT。〃　Anointing　them　with　oil；　he　assures　us；　〃is　a　widespread　practice；　sometimes　by　women　who　wish　to　obtain　children。〃　And　he　concludes　the　chapter　by　saying：　〃The　holy　stone　at　Bethel　was　probably　one　of　those　massive　standing　stones　or　rough　pillars　which　the　Hebrews　called　masseboth；　and　which；　as　we　have　seen；　were　regular　adjuncts　of　Canaanite　and　early　Israelitish　sanctuaries。〃　We　have　already　mentioned　the　pillars　Jachin　and　Boaz　which　stood　before　the　Temple　of　Solomon；　and　which　had　an　acknowledged　sexual　significance；　and　so　it　seems　probable　that　a　great　number　of　these　holy　stones　had　a　similar　meaning。＇1＇　Following　this　clue　it　would　appear　likely　that　the　lingam　thus　anointed　and　worshipped　in　the　Temples　of　India　and　elsewhere　IS　the　original　＇2＇　adored　by　the　human　race　from　the　very　beginning；　and　that　at　a　later　time；　when　the　Priest　and　the　King；　as　objects　of　worship；　took　the　place　of　the　Lingam；　THEY　also　were　anointed　with　the　chrism　of　fertility。　That　the　exhibition　of　these　emblems　should　be　part　of　the　original　'Mystery'…rituals　was　perfectly　naturalespecially　because；　as　we　have　explained　already＇3＇　old　customs　often　continued　on　in　a　quite　naive　fashion　in　the　rituals；　when　they　had　come　to　be　thought　indecent　or　improper　by　a　later　public　opinion；　and　（we　may　say）　was　perfectly　in　order；　because　there　is　plenty　of　evidence　to　show　that　in　SAVAGE　initiations；　of　which　the　Mysteries　were　the　linear　descendants；　all　these　things　WERE　explained　to　the　novices；　and　their　use　actually　taught。＇4＇　No　doubt　also　there　were　some　representations　or　dramatic　incidents　of　a　fairly　coarse　character；　as　deriving　from　these　ancient　sources。＇5＇　It　is；　however；　quaint　to　observe　how　the　mere　mention　of　such　things　has　caused　an　almost　hysterical　commotion　among　the　critics　of　the　Mysteriesfrom　the　day　of　the　early　Christians　who　（in　order　to　belaud　their　own　religion）　were　never　tired　of　abusing　the　Pagans；　onward　to　the　present　day　when　modern　scholars　either　on　the　one　hand　follow　the　early　Christians　in　representing　the　Mysteries　as　sinks　of　iniquity　or　on　the　other　（knowing　this　charge　could　not　be　substantiated　except　in　the　period　of　their　final　decadence）　take　the　line　of　ignoring　the　sexual　interest　attaching　to　them　as　non…existent　or　at　any　rate　unworthy　of　attention。　The　good　Archdeacon　Cheetham；　for　instance；　while　writing　an　interesting　book　on　the　Mysteries　passes　by　this　side　of　the　subject　ALMOST　as　if　it　did　not　exist；　while　the　learned　Dr。　Farnell；　overcome　apparently　by　the　weight　of　his　learning；　and　unable　to　confront　the　alarming　obstacle　presented　by　these　sexual　rites　and　aspects；　hides　himself　behind　the　rather　non…committal　remark　（speaking　of　the　Eleusinian　rites）　〃we　have　no　right　to　imagine　any　part　of　this　solemn　ceremony　as　coarse　or　obscene。〃＇6＇　As　Nature；　however；　has　been　known　（quite　frequently）　to　be　coarse　or　obscene；　and　as　the　initiators　of　the　Mysteries　were　probably　neither　'good'　nor　'learned；'　but　were　simply　anxious　to　interpret　Nature　as　best　they　could；　we　cannot　find　fault　with　the　latter　for　the　way　they　handled　the　problem；　nor　indeed　well　see　how　they　could　have　handled　it　better。

＇1＇　F。　Nork；　Der　Mystagog；　mentions　that　the　Roman　Penates　were　commonly　anointed　with　oil。　J。　Stuart　Hay；　in　his　Life　of　Elagabalus　（1911）；　says　that　〃Elagabal　was　worshipped　under　the　symbol　of　a　great　black　stone　or　meteorite；　in　the　shape　of　a　Phallus；　which　having　fallen　from　the　heavens　represented　a　true　portion　of　the　Godhead；　much　after　the　style　of　those　black　stone　images　popularly　venerated　in　Norway　and　other　parts　of　Europe。〃

＇2＇　J。　E。　Hewitt；　in　his　Ruling　Races　of　Pre…historic　Times　（p。　64）；　gives　a　long　list　of　pre…historic　races　who　worshipped　the　lingam。

＇3＇　See　Ch。　XI。

＇4＇　See　Ernest　Crawley's　Mystic　Rose；　ch。　xiii；　pp。　310　and　313：　〃In　certain　tribes　of　Central　Africa　both　boys　and　girls　after　initiation　must　as　soon　as　possible　have　intercourse。〃　Initiation　being　not　merely　preliminary　to；　but　often　ACTUALLY　marriage。　The　same　among　Kaffirs；　Congo　tribes；　Senegalese；　etc。　Also　among　the　Arunta　of　Australia。

＇5＇　Professor　Diederichs　has　said　that　〃in　much　ancient　ritual　it　was　thought　that　mystic　communion　with　the　deity　could　be　obtained　through　the　semblance　of　sex…intercourseas　in　the　Attis…Cybele　worship；　and　the　Isis…ritual。〃　（Farnell。）　Reitzenstein　says　（op。　cit。；　p。　20。）　that　the　Initiates；　like　some　of　the　Christian　Nuns　at　a　later　time；　believed　in　union　with　God　through　receiving　the　seed。

＇6＇　Farnell；　op。　cit。；　iii。　176。　Messrs。　Gardner　and　Jevons；　in　their　Manual　of　Greek　Antiquities；　above…quoted；　compare　the　Eleusinian　Mysteries　favorably　with　some　of　the　others；　like　the　Arcadian；　the　Troezenian；　the　Aeginaean；　and　the　very　primitive　Samothracian：　saying　（p。　278）　that　of　the　last…mentioned　〃we　know　little；　but　safely　conjecture　that　in　them　the　ideas　of　sex　and　procreation　dominated　EVEN　MORE　than　in　those　of　Eleusis。〃


After　all　it　is　pretty　clear　that　the　early　peoples　saw　in　Sex　the　great　cohesive　force　which　kept　（we　will　not　say　Humanity　but　at　any　rate）　the　Tribe　together；　and　sustained　the　race。　In　the　stage　of　simple　Consciousness　this　must　have　been　one　of　the　first　things　that　the　budding　intellect　perceived。　Sex　became　one　of　the　earliest　divinities；　and　there　is　abundant　evidence　that　its　organs　and　processes　generally　were　invested　with　a　religious　sense　of　awe　and　sanctity。　It　was　in　fact　the　symbol　（or　rather　the　actuality）　of　the　permanent　undying　life　of　the　race；　and　as　such　was　sacred　to　the　uses　of　the　race。　Whatever　taboos　may　have；　among　different　peoples；　guarded　its　operations；　it　was　not　essentially　a　thing　to　be　concealed；　or　ashamed　of。　Rather　the　contrary。　For　instance　the　early　Christian　writer；　Hippolytus；　Bishop　of　Pontus　（A。D。　200）；　in　his　Refutation　of　all　Heresies；　Book　V；　says　that　the　Samothracian　Mysteries；　just　mentioned；　celebrate　Ad