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arily be the Virgin Earth itself； mother of all things。 Anyhow it was a wonderful Intuition； slumbering as it would seem in the breast of early man； that the Great Earth after giving birth to all living creatures would at last bring forth a Child who should become the Saviour of the human race。
There is of course the further theory； entertained by some； that virgin…parturitiona kind of Parthenogenesis has as a matter of fact occasionally occurred among mortal women； and even still does occur。 I should be the last to deny the POSSIBILITY of this （or of anything else in Nature）； but； seeing the immense difficulties in the way of PROOF of any such asserted case； and the absence so far of any thoroughly attested and verified instance； it would； I think； be advisable to leave this theory out of account at present。
But whether any of the EXPLANATIONS spoken of are right or wrong； and whatever explanation we adopt； there remains the FACT of the universality over the world of this legend affording another instance of the practical solidarity and continuity of the Pagan Creeds with Christianity。
XI。 RITUAL DANCING
It is unnecessary to labor the conclusion of the last two or three chapters； namely that Christianity grew out of the former Pagan Creeds and is in its general outlook and origins continuous and of one piece with them。 I have not attempted to bring together ALL the evidence in favor of this contention； as such work would be too vast； but more illustrations of its truth will doubtless occur to readers； or will emerge as we proceed。
I think we may take it as proved （1） that from the earliest ages； and before History； a great body of religious belief and ritualfirst appearing among very primitive and unformed folk； whom we should call 'savages'has come slowly down； broadening and differentiating itself on the way into a great variety of forms； but embodying always certain main ideas which became in time the accepted doctrines of the later Churchesthe Indian； the Egyptian； the Mithraic； the Christian； and so forth。 What these ideas in their general outline have been we can perhaps best judge from our 〃Apostles' Creed；〃 as it is recited every Sunday in our churches。
〃I believe in God the Father Almighty； Maker of heaven and earth： And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord； who was conceived by the Holy Ghost； born of the Virgin Mary； suffered under Pontius Pilate； was crucified； dead and buried。 He descended into Hell； the third day he rose again from the dead； He ascended into heaven； and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty； from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead。 I believe in the Holy Ghost； the holy Catholic Church； the communion of Saints； the Forgiveness of sins； the Resurrection of the body； and the life everlasting。 Amen。〃
Here we have the All…Father and Creator； descending from the Sky in the form of a spirit to impregnate the earthly Virgin…mother； who thus gives birth to a Saviour…hero。 The latter is slain by the powers of Evil； is buried and descends into the lower world； but arises again as God into heaven and becomes the leader and judge of mankind。 We have the confirmation of the Church （or； in earlier times； of the Tribe） by means of a Eucharist or Communion which binds together all the members； living or dead； and restores errant individuals through the Sacrifice of the hero and the Forgiveness of their sins； and we have the belief in a bodily Resurrection and continued life of the members within the fold of the Church （or Tribe）； itself regarded as eternal。
One has only； instead of the word 'Jesus；' to read Dionysus or Krishna or Hercules or Osiris or Attis； and instead of 'Mary' to insert Semele or Devaki or Alcmene or Neith or Nana； and for Pontius Pilate to use the name of any terrestrial tyrant who comes into the corresponding story； and lo！ the creed fits in all particulars into the rites and worship of a pagan god。 I need not enlarge upon a thesis which is self…evident from all that has gone before。 I do not say； of course； that ALL the religious beliefs of Paganism are included and summarized in our Apostles' Creed； foras I shall have occasion to note in the next chapterI think some very important religious elements are there OMITTED； but I do think that all the beliefs which ARE summarized in the said creed had already been fully represented and elaborately expressed in the non…Christian religions and rituals of Paganism。
Further （2） I think we may safely say that there is no certain proof that the body of beliefs just mentioned sprang from any one particular centre far back and radiated thence by dissemination and mental contagion over the rest of the world； but the evidence rather shows that these beliefs were； for the most part； the SPONTANEOUS outgrowths （in various localities） of the human mind at certain stages of its evolution； that they appeared； in the different races and peoples； at different periods according to the degree of evolution； and were largely independent of intercourse and contagion； though of course； in cases； considerably influenced by it； and that one great and all…important occasion and provocative of these beliefs was actually the RISE OF SELF…CONSCIOUSNESSthat is； the coming of the mind to a more or less distinct awareness of itself and of its own operation； and the consequent development and growth of Individualism； and of the Self…centred attitude in human thought and action。
In the third place （3） I think we may seeand this is the special subject of the present chapterthat at a very early period； when humanity was hardly capable of systematic expression in what we call Philosophy or Science； it could not well rise to an ordered and literary expression of its beliefs； such as we find in the later religions and the 'Churches' （Babylonian； Jewish； East Indian； Christian； or what…not）； and yet that it FELT these beliefs very intensely and was urged； almost compelled； to their utterance in some form or other。 And so it came about that people expressed themselves in a vast mass of ritual and myth customs； ceremonies； legends； storieswhich on account of their popular and concrete form were handed down for generations； and some of which linger on still in the midst of our modern civilization。 These rituals and legends were； many of them； absurd enough； rambling and childish in character； and preposterous in conception； yet they gave the expression needed； and some of them of course； as we have seen； were full of meaning and suggestion。
A critical and commercial Civilization； such as ours； in which （notwithstanding much TALK about Art） the artistic sense is greatly lacking； or at any rate but little diffused； does not as a rule understand that poetic RITES； in the evolution of peoples； came naturally before anything like ordered poems or philosophy or systematized VIEWS about life and religionsuch as WE love to wallow in！ Things were FELT before they were spoken。 The loading of diseases into disease…boats； of sins onto scape…goats； the propitiation of the forces of nature by victims； human or animal； sacrifices； ceremonies of re…birth； eucharistic feasts； sexual communions； orgiastic celebrations of the common life； and a host of other thingsall SAID plainly enough what was meant； but not in WORDS。 Partly no doubt it was that at some early time words were more difficult of command and less flexible in use than actions （and at all times are they not less expressive？）。 Partly it was that mankind was in the child…stage。 The Child delights in ritual； in symbol； in expression through material objects and actions：
See； at his feet some little plan or chart； Some fragment from his dream of human life； Shaped by himself with newly learned art； A wedding or a festival； A mourning or a funeral； And this hath now his heart。
And primitive man in the child…stage felt a positive joy in ritual celebrations； and indulged in expressions which we but little understand； for these had then his heart。
One of the most pregnant of these expressions was DANCING。 Children dance instinctively。 They dance with rage； they dance with joy； with sheer vitality； they dance with pain； or sometimes with savage glee at the suffering of others； they delight in mimic combats； or in animal plays and disguises。 There are such things as Courting…dances； when the mature male and female go through a ritual togethernot only in civilized ball…rooms and the back…parlors of inns； but in the farmyards where the rooster pays his addresses to the hen； or the yearling bull to the cowwith quite recognized formalities； there are elaborate ceremonials performed by the Australian bower…birds and many other animals。 All these things at any rate in children and animalscome before speech； and anyhow we may say that LOVE…RITES； even in mature and civilized man； hardly ADMIT of speech。 Words only vulgarize love and blunt its edge。
So Dance to the savage and the early man was not merely an amusement or a gymnastic exercise （as the books often try to make out）； but it was also a serious and intimate part of life； an expression of religion and the relation of man to non…human Powers。 Imagine a young dancerand the admitted age for ritual dancing was co