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barbarous or preposterous； were really the indications of important moral and social conceptions evolving in the heart of man。 Let us take； first； the religious customs connected with the ideas of Sacrifice and of Sin； of which such innumerable examples are now to be found in the modern books on Anthropology。 If we assume； as I have done more than once； that the earliest state of Man was one in which he did not consciously separate himself from the world； animate and inanimate； which surrounded him； then （as I have also said） it was perfectly natural for him to take some animal which bulked large on his horizon some food…animal for instanceand to pay respect to it as the benefactor of his tribe； its far…back ancestor and totem…symbol； or； seeing the boundless blessing of the cornfields； to believe in some kind of spirit of the corn （not exactly a god but rather a magical ghost） which； reincarnated every year； sprang up to save mankind from famine。 But then no sooner had he done this than he was bound to perceive that in cutting down the corn or in eating his totem…bear or kangaroo he was slaying his own best self and benefactor。 In that instant the consciousness of DISUNITY； the sense of sin in some undefined yet no less disturbing and alarming form would come in。 If； before； his ritual magic had been concentrated on the simple purpose of multiplying the animal or； vegetable forms of his food； now in addition his magical endeavor would be turned to averting the just wrath of the spirits who animated these formsjust indeed； for the rudest savage would perceive the wrong done and the probability of its retribution。 Clearly the wrong done could only be expiated by an equivalent sacrifice of some kind on the part of the man； or the tribethat is by the offering to the totem… animal or to the corn…spirit of some victim whom these nature powers in their turn could feed upon and assimilate。 In this way the nature…powers would be appeased； the sense of unity would be restored； and the first At…one…ment effected。
It is hardly necessary to recite in any detail the cruel and hideous sacrifices which have been perpetrated in this sense all over the world； sometimes in appeasement of a wrong committed or supposed to have been committed by the tribe or some member of it； sometimes in placation or for the averting of death； or defeat； or plague； sometimes merely in fulfilment of some long…standing custom of forgotten originthe flayings and floggings and burnings and crucifixions of victims without end； carried out in all deliberation and solemnity of established ritual。 I have mentioned some cases connected with the sowing of the corn。 The Bible is full of such things； from the intended sacrifice of Isaac by his father Abraham； to the actual crucifixion of Jesus by the Jews。 The first… born sons were claimed by a god who called himself 〃jealous〃 and were only to be redeemed by a substitute。＇1＇ Of the Canaanites it was said that 〃even their daughters they have BURNT in the fire to their gods〃；＇2＇ and of the King of Moab； that when he saw his army in danger of defeat； 〃he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead and offered him for a burnt…offering on the wall！〃＇3＇ Dr。 Frazer＇4＇ mentions the similar case of the Carthaginians （about B。C。 300） sacrificing two hundred children of good family as a propitiation to Baal and to save their beloved city from the assaults of the Sicilian tyrant Agathocles。 And even so we hear that on that occasion three hundred more young folk VOLUNTEERED to die for the fatherland。
＇1＇ Exodus xxxiv。 20。
＇2＇ Deut。 xii。 31。
＇3＇ 2 Kings iii。 27。
＇4＇ The Golden Bough； vol。 〃The Dying God；〃 p。 167。
The awful sacrifices made by the Aztecs in Mexico to their gods Huitzilopochtli； Texcatlipoca； and others are described in much detail by Sahagun； the Spanish missionary of the sixteenth century。 The victims were mostly prisoners of war or young children； they were numbered by thousands。 In one case Sahagun describes the huge Idol or figure of the god as largely plated with gold and holding his hands palm upward and in a downward sloping position over a cauldron or furnace placed below。 The children； who had previously been borne in triumphal state on litters over the crowd and decorated with every ornamental device of feathers and flowers and wings； were placed one by one on the vast hands and ROLLED DOWN into the flamesas if the god were himself offering them。＇1＇ As the procession approached the temple； the members of it wept and danced and sang； and here again the abundance of tears was taken for a good augury of rain。＇2＇
＇1＇ It is curious to find that exactly the same story （of the sloping hands and the children rolled down into the flames） is related concerning the above…mentioned Baal image at Carthage （see Diodorus Siculus； xx。 14； also Baring Gould's Religious Belief； vol。 i； p。 375）。
＇2＇ 〃A los ninos que mataban； componianlos en muchos atavios para llevarlos al sacrificio； y llevabos en unas literas sobre los hombros； estas literas iban adornadas con plumages y con flores： iban tanendo； cantando y bailando delante de ellos 。 。 。 Cuando Ileviban los ninos a matar； si llevaban y echaban muchos lagrimas； alegrabansi los que los llevaban porque tomaban pronostico de que habian de tener muchas aguas en aquel ano。〃 Sahagun； Historia Nueva Espana； Bk。 II； ch。 i。
Bernal Diaz describes how he saw one of these monstrous figuresthat of Huitzilopochtli； the god of war； all inlaid with gold and precious stones； and beside it were 〃braziers； wherein burned the hearts of three Indians； torn from their bodies that very day； and the smoke of them and the savor of incense were the sacrifice。〃
Sahagun again （in Book II； ch。 5） gives a long account of the sacrifice of a perfect youth at Easter…timewhich date Sabagun connects with the Christian festival of the Resurrection。 For a whole year the youth had been held in honor and adored by the people as the very image of the god （Tetzcatlipoca） to whom he was to be sacrificed。 Every luxury and fulfilment of his last wish （including such four courtesans as he desired） had been granted him。 At the last and on the fatal day； leaving his companions and his worshipers behind； be slowly ascended the Temple staircase； stripping on each step the ornaments from his body； and breaking and casting away his flutes and other musical instruments； till； reaching the summit； he was stretched； curved on his back； and belly upwards； over the altar stone； while the priest with obsidian knife cut his breast open and； snatching the heart out； held it up； yet beating； as an offering to the Sun。 In the meantime； and while the heart still lived； his successor for the next year was chosen。
In Book II； ch。 7 of the same work Sahagun describes the similar offering of a woman to a goddess。 In both cases （he explains） of young man or young woman； the victims were richly adorned in the guise of the god or goddess to whom they were offered； and at the same time great largesse of food was distributed to all who needed。 ＇Here we see the connection in the general mind between the gift of food （by the gods） and the sacrifice of precious blood （by the people）。＇ More than once Sahagun mentions that the victims in these Mexican ceremonials not infrequently offered THEMSELVES as a voluntary sacrifice； and Prescott says＇1＇ that the offering of one's life to the gods was 〃sometimes voluntarily embraced； as a most glorious death opening a sure passage into Paradise。〃
＇1＇ Conquest of Mexico； Bk。 I； ch。 3。
Dr。 Frazer describes＇1＇ the far…back Babylonian festival of the Sacaea in which 〃a prisoner； condemned to death； was dressed in the king's robes； seated on the king's throne； allowed to issue whatever commands he pleased； to eat； drink and enjoy himself； and even to lie with the king's concubines。〃 But at the end of the five days he was stripped of his royal robes； scourged； and hanged or impaled。 It is certainly astonishing to find customs so similar prevailing among peoples so far removed in space and time as the Aztecs of the sixteenth century A。D。 and the Babylonians perhaps of the sixteenth century B。C。 But we know that this subject of the yearly sacrifice of a victim attired as a king or god is one that Dr。 Frazer has especially made his own； and for further information on it his classic work should be consulted。
＇1＇ Golden Bough； 〃The Dying God；〃 p。 114。 See also S。 Reinach； Cults； Myths and Religion； p。 94） on the martyrdom of St。 Dasius。
Andrew Lang also； with regard to the Aztecs； quotes largely from Sahagun； and summarizes his conclusions in the following passage： 〃The general theory of worship was the adoration of a deity； first by innumerable human sacrifices； next by the special sacrifice of a MAN for the male gods； of a WOMAN for each goddess。＇1＇ The latter victims were regarded as the living images or incarnations of the divinities in； each case； for no system of worship carried farther the identification of the god with the sacrifice ＇？ victim＇； and of both with the officiating priest。 The connection was emphasized by the priests wearing the newly…flayed skins of the victimsjust as in Greece； Egypt and Assyria； the fawn…skin or bull…hide or goat…skin or fish… ski