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d large on the primitive mind long before the changes of the seasons or of the sky had been at all definitely observed or considered。 Thus we find it probable that； in order to understand the sequence of the actual and historical phases of religious worship； we must approximately reverse the order above…given in which they have been STUDIED； and conclude that in general the Phallic cults came first； the cult of Magic and the propitiation of earth…divinities and spirits came second； and only last came the belief in definite God…figures residing in heaven。
At the base of the whole process by which divinities and demons were created； and rites for their propitiation and placation established； lay Fearfear stimulating the imagination to fantastic activity。 Primus in orbe deos fecit Timor。 And fear； as we shall see； only became a mental stimulus at the time of； or after； the evolution of self…consciousness。 Before that time； in the period of SIMPLE consciousness； when the human mind resembled that of the animals； fear indeed existed； but its nature was more that of a mechanical protective instinct。 There being no figure or image of SELF in the animal mind； there were correspondingly no figures or images of beings who might threaten or destroy that self。 So it was that the imaginative power of fear began with Self…consciousness； and from that imaginative power was unrolled the whole panorama of the gods and rites and creeds of Religion down the centuries。
The immense force and domination of Fear in the first self…conscious stages of the human mind is a thing which can hardly be exaggerated； and which is even difficult for some of us moderns to realize。 But naturally as soon as Man began to think about himselfa frail phantom and waif in the midst of tremendous forces of whose nature and mode of operation he was entirely ignoranthe was BESET with terrors； dangers loomed upon him on all sides。 Even to…day it is noticed by doctors that one of the chief obstacles to the cure of illness among some black or native races is sheer superstitious terror； and Thanatomania is the recognized word for a state of mind （〃obsession of death〃） which will often cause a savage to perish from a mere scratch hardly to be called a wound。 The natural defence against this state of mind was the creation of an enormous number of taboossuch as we find among all races and on every conceivable subjectand these taboos constituted practically a great body of warnings which regulated the lives and thoughts of the community； and ultimately； after they had been weeded out and to some degree simplified； hardened down into very stringent Customs and Laws。 Such taboos naturally in the beginning tended to include the avoidance not only of acts which might reasonably be considered dangerous； like touching a corpse； but also things much more remote and fanciful in their relation to danger； like merely looking at a mother… in…law； or passing a lightning…struck tree； and （what is especially to be noticed） they tended to include acts which offered any special PLEASURE or temptationlike sex or marriage or the enjoyment of a meal。 Taboos surrounded these things too； and the psychological connection is easy to divine： but I shall deal with this general subject later。
It may be guessed that so complex a system of regulations made life anything but easy to early peoples； but； preposterous and unreasonable as some of the taboos were； they undoubtedly had the effect of compelling the growth of self…control。 Fear does not seem a very worthy motive； but in the beginning it curbed the violence of the purely animal passions； and introduced order and restraint among them。 Simultaneously it became itself； through the gradual increase of knowledge and observation； transmuted and etherealized into something more like wonder and awe and （when the gods rose above the horizon） into reverence。 Anyhow we seem to perceive that from the early beginnings （in the Stone Age） of self…consciousness in Man there has been a gradual developmentfrom crass superstition； senseless and accidental； to rudimentary observation； and so to belief in Magic； thence to Animism and personification of nature…powers in more or less human form； as earth…divinities or sky…gods or embodiments of the tribe； and to placation of these powers by rites like Sacrifice and the Eucharist； which in their turn became the foundation of Morality。 Graphic representations made for the encouragement of fertilityas on the walls of Bushmen's rock…dwellings or the ceilings of the caverns of Altamira became the nurse of pictorial Art； observations of plants or of the weather or the stars； carried on by tribal medicine…men for purposes of witchcraft or prophecy； supplied some of the material of Science； and humanity emerged by faltering and hesitating steps on the borderland of those finer perceptions and reasonings which are supposed to be characteristic of Civilization。
The process of the evolution of religious rites and ceremonies has in its main outlines been the same all over the world； as the reader will presently seeand this whether in connection with the numerous creeds of Paganism or the supposedly unique case of Christianity； and now the continuity and close intermixture of these great streams can no longer be deniednor IS it indeed denied by those who have really studied the subject。 It is seen that religious evolution through the ages has been practically One thingthat there has been in fact a World… religion； though with various phases and branches。
And so in the present day a new problem arises； namely how to account for the appearance of this great Phenomenon； with its orderly phases of evolution； and its own spontaneous＇1＇ growths in all corners of the globethis phenomenon which has had such a strange sway over the hearts of men； which has attracted them with so weird a charm； which has drawn out their devotion； love and tenderness； which has consoled them in sorrow and affliction； and yet which has stained their history with such horrible sacrifices and persecutions and cruelties。 What has been the instigating cause of it？
＇1＇ For the question of spontaneity see chap。 x and elsewhere。
The answer which I propose to this question； and which is developed to some extent in the following chapters； is a psychological one。 It is that the phenomenon proceeds from； and is a necessary accompaniment of； the growth of human Consciousness itselfits growth； namely； through the three great stages of its unfoldment。 These stages are （1） that of the simple or animal consciousness； （2） that of SELF…consciousness； and （3） that of a third stage of consciousness which has not as yet been effectively named； but whose indications and precursive signs we here and there perceive in the rites and prophecies and mysteries of the early religions； and in the poetry and art and literature generally of the later civilizations。 Though I do not expect or wish to catch Nature and History in the careful net of a phrase； yet I think that in the sequence from the above…mentioned first stage to the second； and then again in the sequence from the second to the third； there will be found a helpful explanation of the rites and aspirations of human religion。 It is this idea； illustrated by details of ceremonial and so forth； which forms the main thesis of the present book。 In this sequence of growth； Christianity enters as an episode； but no more than an episode。 It does not amount to a disruption or dislocation of evolution。 If it did； or if it stood as an unique or unclassifiable phenomenon （as some of its votaries contend）； this would seem to be a misfortuneas it would obviously rob us of at any rate one promise of progress in the future。 And the promise of something better than Paganism and better than Christianity is very precious。 It is surely time that it should be fulfilled。
The tracing； therefore； of the part that human self… consciousness has played； psychologically； in the evolution of religion； runs like a thread through the following chapters； and seeks illustration in a variety of details。 The idea has been repeated under different aspects； sometimes； possibly； it has been repeated too often； but different aspects in such a case do help； as in a stereoscope； to give solidity to the thing seen。 Though the worship of Sun…gods and divine figures in the sky came comparatively late in religious evolution； 1 have put this subject early in the book （chapters ii and iii）； partly because （as I have already explained） it was the phase first studied in modern times； and therefore is the one most familiar to present… day readers； and partly because its astronomical data give great definiteness and 〃proveability〃 to it； in rebuttal to the common accusation that the whole study of religious origins is too vague and uncertain to have much value。 Going backwards in Time； the two next chapters （iv and v） deal with Totem…sacraments and Magic； perhaps the earliest forms of religion。 And these four lead on （in chapters vi to xi） to the consideration of rites and creeds common to Paganism and Christianity。 XII and xiii deal especially with the evolution of Christianity itself； xiv and xv explain the inner Meaning of the whole process from the beginning； and xvi