按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
as a means of giving the organism a new start in severe caseshas really come down to us through the ages from this early source。＇1＇ The real medicine…man； Mr。 Marett says； is largely a 'faith…healer' and 'soul…doctor'； he believes in his vocation； and undergoes much for the sake of it： 〃The main point is to grasp that by his special initiation and the rigid taboos which he practisesnot to speak of occasional remarkable gifts； say of trance and ecstasy； which he may inherit by nature and have improved by arthe HAS access to a wonder…working power。 。 。 。 And the great need of primitive folk is for this healer of souls。〃 Our author further insists on the enormous play and influence of Fear in the savage minda point we have touched on alreadyand gives instances of Thanatomania； or cases where； after a quite slight and superficial wound； the patient becomes so depressed that he； quite needlessly； persists in dying！ Such cases； obviously； can only be countered by Faith； or something （whatever it may be） which restores courage； hope and energy to the mind。 Nor need I point out that the situation is exactly the same among a vast number of 'patients' to…day。 As to the value； in his degree； of the medicine…man many modern observers and students quite agree with the above。＇2＇ Also as the present chapter is on Ritual Dancing it may not be out of place to call attention to the supposed healing of sick people in Ceylon and other places by Devil…dancingthe enormous output of energy and noise in the ritual possibly having the effect of reanimating the patient （if it does not kill him）； or of expelling the disease from his organism。
＇1＇ Milk （〃fast…milk〃 or vrata） was； says Mr。 Hewitt； the only diet in the Soma…sacrifice。 See Ruling Races of Prehistoric Times （preface）。 The Soma itself was a fermented drink prepared with ceremony from the milky and semen…like sap of certain plants； and much used in sacrificial offerings。 （See Monier…Williams。 Sanskrit Dictionary。）
＇2＇ See Winwood Reade （Savage Africa）； Salamon Reinach （Cults； Myths and Religions）； and others。
With regard to the practical intelligence of primitive peoples； derived from their close contact with life and nature； Bishop Colenso's experiences among the Zulus may appropriately be remembered。 When expounding the Bible to these supposedly backward 'niggers' he was met at all points by practical interrogations and arguments which he was perfectly unable to answerespecially over the recorded passage of the Red Sea by the Israelites in a single night。 From the statistics given in the Sacred Book these naughty savages proved to him absolutely conclusively that the numbers of fugitives were such that even supposing them to have marchedmen； women and childrenFIVE ABREAST and in close order； they would have formed a column 100 miles long； and this not including the baggage； sheep and cattle！ Of course the feat was absolutely impossible。 They could not have passed the Red Sea in a night or a week of nights。
But the sequel is still more amusing and instructive。 Colenso； in his innocent sincerity； took the side of the Zulus； and feeling sure the Church at home would be quite glad to have its views with regard to the accuracy of Bible statistics corrected； wrote a book embodying the amendments needed。 Modest as his criticisms were； they raised a STORM of protest and angry denunciation； which even led to his deposition for the time being from his bishopric！ While at the same time an avalanche of books to oppose his heresy poured forth from the press。 Lately I had the curiosity to look through the British Museum catalogue and found that in refutation of Colenso's Pentateuch Examined some 140 （a hundred and forty） volumes were at that time published！ To…day； I need hardly say； all these arm…chair critics and their works have sunk into utter obscurity； but the arguments of the Zulus and their Bishop still stand unmoved and immovable。
This is a case of searching intelligence shown by 'savages；' an intelligence founded on intimate knowledge of the needs of actual life。 I think we may say that a； similarly instinctive intelligence （sub…conscious if you like） has guided the tribes of men on the whole in their long passage through the Red Sea of the centuries； from those first days of which I speak even down to the present age； and has in some strange； even if fitful； way kept them along the path of that final emancipation towards which Humanity is inevitably moving。
XII。 THE SEX…TABOO
Inthe course of the last few chapters I have spoken more than once of the solidarity and continuity of Christianity； in its essential doctrines； with the Pagan rites。 There is； however； one notable exception to this statement。 I refer of course to Christianity's treatment of Sex。 It is certainly very remarkable that while the Pagan cults generally made a great deal of all sorts of sex…rites； laid much stress upon them； and introduced them in what we consider an unblushing and shameless way into the instincts connected with it。 I say 'the Christian Church；' on the whole took quite the opposite lineignored sex； contemned it； and did much despite to the perfectly natural instincts connected with it。 I say 'the Christian Church；' because there is nothing to show that Jesus himself （if we admit his figure as historical） adopted any such extreme or doctrinaire attitude； and the quite early Christian teachers （with the chief exception of Paul） do not exhibit this bias to any great degree。 In fact； as is well known； strong currents of pagan usage and belief ran through the Christian assemblies of the first three or four centuries。 〃The Christian art of this period remained delightfully pagan。 In the catacombs we see the Saviour as a beardless youth； like a young Greek god； sometimes represented； like Hermes the guardian of the flocks； bearing a ram or lamb round his neck； sometimes as Orpheus tuning his lute among the wild animals。〃＇1＇ The followers of Jesus were at times even accusedwhether rightly or wrongly I know not of celebrating sexual mysteries at their love…feasts。 But as the Church through the centuries grew in power and scope
with its monks and their mutilations and asceticisms； and its celibate clergy； and its absolute refusal to recognize the sexual meaning of its own acclaimed symbols （like the Cross； the three fingers of Benediction； the Fleur de Lys and so forth）it more and more consistently defined itself as anti…sexual in its outlook； and stood out in that way in marked contrast to the earlier Nature…religions。
＇1＇ Angels' Wings； by E。 Carpenter； p。 104。
It may be said of course that this anti…sexual tendency can be traced in other of the pre…Christian Churches； especially the later ones； like the Buddhist； the Egyptian； and so forth； and this is perfectly true； but it would seem that in many ways the Christian Church marked the culmination of the tendency； and the fact that other cults participated in the taboo makes us all the more ready and anxious to inquire into its real cause。
To go into a disquisition on the Sex…rites of the various pre… Christian religions would be 'a large order'larger than I could attempt to fill； but the general facts in this connection are fairly patent。 We know； of course； from the Bible that the Syrians in Palestine were given to sexual worships。 There were erect images （phallic） and 〃groves〃 （sexual symbols） on every high hill and under every green tree；＇1＇ and these same images and the rites connected with them crept into the Jewish Temple and were popular enough to maintain their footing there for a long period from King Rehoboam onwards； notwithstanding the efforts of Josiah＇2＇ and other reformers to extirpate them。 Moreover there were girls and men （hierodouloi） regularly attached during this period to the Jewish Temple as to the heathen Temples； for the rendering of sexual services； which were recognized in many cases as part of the ritual。 Women were persuaded that it was an honor and a privilege to be fertilized by a 'holy man' （a priest or other man connected with the rites）； and children resulting from such unions were often called 〃Children of God〃an appellation which no doubt sometimes led to a legend of miraculous birth！ Girls who took their place as hierodouloi in the Temple or Temple…precincts were expected to surrender themselves to men…worshipers in the Temple； much in the same way； probably； as Herodotus describes in the temple of the Babylonian Venus Mylitta； where every native woman； once in her life； was supposed to sit in the Temple and have intercourse with some stranger。＇3＇ Indeed the Syrian and Jewish rites dated largely from Babylonia。 〃The Hebrews entering Syria；〃 says Richard Burton＇4＇ 〃found it religionized。 by Assyria and Babylonia； when the Accadian Ishtar had passed West； and had become Ashtoreth； Ashtaroth； or Ashirah； the Anaitis of Armenia； the Phoenician Astarte； and the Greek Aphrodite； the great Moon… goddess who is queen of Heaven and Love。〃 The word translated 〃grove〃 as above； in our Bible； is in fact Asherah； which connects it pretty clearly with the Babylonian Queen of Heaven。
＇1＇ 1 Kings xiv。 22…24。
＇2＇ 2 Kings xxiii。
＇3＇ See Herodotus i。 199； also a reference to this custom in the apocryphal Baruch；