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s； in later times； instead of being slain； were tossed from a height into the sea； and after being rescued were then simply banished； while at Leucatas a similar festival the fall of the victim was graciously broken by tying feathers and even living birds to his body。＇4＇
＇1＇ vii。 19； and iii。 8； 16。
＇2＇ Primitive Folk； by Elie Reclus （Contemp。 Science Series）； p。 330。
＇3＇ Ibid。
＇4＇ Muller's Dorians Book II； ch。 ii； par。 10。
With the lapse of time and the general progress of mankind； we may； I think； perceive some such slow ameliorations in the matter of the brutality and superstition of the old religions。 How far any later ameliorations were due to the direct influence of Christianity might be a difficult question； but what I think we can clearly seeand what especially interests us hereis that in respect to its main religious ideas； and the matter underlying them （exclusive of the MANNER of their treatment； which necessarily has varied among different peoples） Christianity is of one piece with the earlier pagan creeds and is for the most part a re…statement and renewed expression of world…wide doctrines whose first genesis is lost in the haze of the past； beyond all recorded history。
I have illustrated this view with regard to the doctrine of Sin and Sacrifice。 Let us take two or three other illustrations。 Let us take the doctrine of Re…birth or Regeneration。 The first few verses of St。 John's Gospel are occupied with the subject of salvation through rebirth or regeneration。 〃Except a man be born again； he cannot see the kingdom of God。〃 。 。 。 〃Except a man be born of water and the Spirit； he cannot enter into the kingdom of God。〃 Our Baptismal Service begins by saying that 〃forasmuch as all men are conceived and born in sin； and that our Saviour Christ saith； None can enter into the kingdom of God except he be regenerate and born anew of water and the Holy Ghost〃； therefore it is desirable that this child should be baptized； 〃received into Christ's Holy Church； and be made a lively member of the same。〃 That； is to say； there is one birth； after the flesh； but a second birth is necessary； a birth after the Spirit and into the Church of Christ。 Our Confirmation Service is simply a service repeating and confirming these views； at an age （fourteen to sixteen or so） when the boy or girl is capable of understanding what is being done。
But our Baptismal and Confirmation ceremonies combined are clearly the exact correspondence and parallel of the old pagan ceremonies of Initiation； which are or have been observed in almost every primitive tribe over the world。 〃The rite of the second birth；〃 says Jane Harrison；＇1＇ 〃is widespread； universal； over half the savage world。 With the savage to be twice…born is the rule。 By his first birth he comes into the world； by his second he is born into his tribe。 At his first birth he belongs to his mother and the women…folk； at his second he becomes a full…fledged man and passes into the society of the warriors of his tribe。〃 。 。 。 〃These rites are very various； but they all point to one moral； that the former things are passed away and that the new…born man has entered upon a new life。 Simplest of all； and most instructive； is the rite practised by the Kikuyu tribe of British East Africa； who require that every boy； just before circumcision； must be born again。 The mother stands up with the boy crouching at her feet； she pretends to go through all the labour pains； and the boy on being reborn cries like a babe and is washed。〃＇2＇
＇1＇ Ancient Art and Ritual； p。 104。
＇2＇ See also Themis； p。 21。
Let us pause for a moment。 An Initiate is of course one who 〃enters in。〃 He enters into the Tribe； he enters into the revelation of certain Mysteries； he becomes an associate of a certain Totem； a certain God； a member of a new Society； or Churcha church of Mithra； or Dionysus or Christ。 To do any of these things he must be born again； be must die to the old life； he must pass through ceremonials which symbolize the change。 One of these ceremonials is washing。 As the new…born babe is washed； so must the new…born initiate be washed； and as by primitive man （and not without reason） BLOOD was considered the most vital and regenerative of fluids； the very elixir of life； so in earliest times it was common to wash the initiate with blood。 If the initiate had to be born anew； it would seem reasonable to suppose that he must first die。 So； not unfrequently； he was wounded； or scourged； and baptized with his own blood； or； in cases； one of the candidates was really killed and his blood used as a substitute for the blood of the others。 No doubt HUMAN sacrifice attended the earliest initiations。 But later it was sufficient to be half…drowned in the blood of a Bull as in the Mithra cult；＇1＇ or 'washed in the blood of the Lamb' as in the Christian phraseology。 Finally； with a growing sense of decency and aesthetic perception among the various peoples； washing with pure water came in the initiation…ceremonies to take the place of blood； and our baptismal service has reduced the ceremony to a mere sprinkling with water。＇2＇
＇1＇ See ch。 iii。
＇2＇ For the virtue supposed to reside in blood see Westermarck's Moral Ideas； Ch。 46。
To continue the quotation from Miss Harrison： 〃More often the new birth is stimulated； or imagined； as a death and a resurrection； either of the boys themselves or of some one else in their presence。 Thus at initiation among some tribes of South…east Australia； when the boys are assembled an old man dressed in stringy bark…fibre lies down in a grave。 He is covered up lightly with sticks and earth； and the grave is smoothed over。 The buried man holds in his hand a small bush which seems to be growing from the ground； and other bushes are stuck in the ground round about。 The novices are then brought to the edge of the grave and a song is sung。 Gradually； as the song goes on； the bush held by the buried man begins to quiver。 It moves more and more； and bit by bit the man himself starts up from the grave。〃
Strange in our own Baptismal Service and just before the actual christening we read these words； 〃Then shall the Priest say： O merciful God； grant that old Adam in this child may be so BURIED that the new man may be raised up in him： grant that all carnal affections may die in him； and that all things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in him！〃 Can we doubt that the Australian medicine…man； standing at the graveside of the re…arisen old black…fellow； pointed the same moral to the young initiates as the priest does to…day to those assembled before him in churchfor indeed we know that among savage tribes initiations have always been before all things the occasions of moral and social teaching？ Can we doubt that he said； in substance if not in actual words： 〃As this man has arisen from the grave； so you must also arise from your old childish life of amusement and self…gratification and； ENTER INTO the life of the tribe； the life of the Spirit of the tribe。〃 〃In totemistic societies；〃 to quote Miss Harrison again； 〃and in the animal secret societies that seem to grow out of them； the novice is born again aS THE SACRED ANIMAL。 Thus among the Carrier Indians＇1＇ when a man wants to become a Lulem or 'Bear；' however cold the season he tears off his clothes； puts on a bear…skin and dashes into the woods； where he will stay for three or four days。 Every night his fellow…villagers will go out in search parties to find him。 They cry out Yi！ Kelulem （come on； Bear）； and he answers with angry growls。 Usually they fail to find him； but he comes back at last himself。 He is met； and conducted to the ceremonial lodge； and there in company with the rest of the Bears dances solemnly his first appearance。 Disappearance and reappearance is as common a rite in initiation as stimulated killing and resurrection； and has the same object。 Both are rites of transition； of passing from one to another。〃 In the Christian ceremonies the boy or girl puts away childish things and puts on the new man； but instead of putting on a bear…skin he puts on Christ。 There is not so much difference as may appear on the surface。 To be identified with your Totem is to be identified with the sacred being who watches over your tribe； who has given his life for your tribe； it is to be born again； to be washed not only with water but with the Holy Spirit of all your fellows。 To be baptized into Christ ought to mean to be regenerated in the Holy Spirit of all humanity； and no doubt in cases it does mean this； but too often unfortunately it has only amounted to a pretence of religious sanction given to the meanest and bitterest quarrels of the Churches and the States。
＇1＇ Golden Bough； Section 2； III； p。 438。
This idea of a New Birth at initiation explains the prevalent pagan custom of subjecting the initiates to serious ordeals； often painful and even dangerous。 If one is to be born again； obviously one must be ready to face death； the one thing cannot be without the other。 One must be able to endure pain； like the Red Indian braves； to go long periods fasting and without food or drink； like the choupan among the Western Inoitswho； wanders for whole nights over the ice…fields under the moon； scantily clothed