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！
These Mysteries were probably survivals of the oldest religious rites of the Greek races； and in their earlier forms consisted not so much in worship of the gods of Heaven as of the divinities of Earth； and of Nature and Death。 Crude； no doubt； at first； they gradually became （especially in their Eleusinian form） more refined and philosophical； the rites were gradually thrown open； on certain conditions； not only to men generally； but also to women； and even to slaves； and in the end they influenced Christianity deeply。＇1＇
＇1＇ See Edwin Hatch； D。D。； The Influence of Greek Ideas and Usages on the Christian Church （London； 1890）； pp。 283…5。
There were apparently three forms of teaching made use of in these rites： these were ； things SAID； ； things SHOWN； and ； things PERFORMED or ACTED。＇1＇ I have given already some instances of things said…texts whispered for consolation in the neophyte's car； and so forth； of the THIRD group； things enacted； we have a fair amount of evidence。 There were ritual dramas or passion…plays； of which an important one dealt with the descent of Kore or Proserpine into the underworld； as in the Eleusinian representations；＇2＇ and her redemption and restoration to the upper world in Spring； another with the sufferings of Psyche and her rescue by Eros； as described by Apuleius＇3＇himself an initiate in the cult of Isis。 There is a parody by Lucian； which tells of the birth of Apollo； the marriage of Coronis； and the coming of Aesculapius as Savior； there was the dying and rising again of Dionysus （chief divinity of the Orphic cult）； and sometimes the mystery of the birth of Dionysus as a holy child。＇4＇ There was； every year at Eleusis； a solemn and lengthy procession or pilgrimage made； symbolic of the long pilgrimage of the human soul； its sufferings and deliverance。
＇1＇ Cheetham； op。 cit。； pp。 49…61 sq。
＇2＇ See Farnell； op。 cit。； iii。 158 sq。
＇3＇ See The Golden Ass。
＇4＇ Farnell； ii； 177。
〃Almost always；〃 says Dr。 Cheetham； 〃the suffering of a godsuffering followed by triumphseems to have been the subject of the sacred drama。〃 Then occasionally to the Neophytes； after taking part in the pilgrimage； and when their minds had been prepared by an ordeal of darkness and fatigue and terrors； was accorded a revelation of Paradise； and even a vision of Transfigurationthe form of the Hierophant himself； or teacher of the Mysteries； being seen half…lost in a blaze of light。＇1＇ Finally； there was the eating of food and drinking of barley…drink from the sacred chest＇2＇a kind of Communion or Eucharist。
＇1＇ Ibid。； 179 sq。
＇2＇ Ibid。； 186。 Sacred chests； in which holy things were kept； figure frequently in early rites and legendsas in the case of the ark of the Jewish tabernacle； the ark or box carried in celebrations of the mysteries of Bacchus （Theocritus； Idyll xxvi）； the legend of Pandora's box which contained the seeds of all good and evil； the ark of Noah which saved all living creatures from the flood； the Argo of the argonauts； the moonshaped boat in which Isis floating over the waters gathered together the severed limbs of Osiris； and so brought about his resurrection； and the many chests or coffins out of which the various gods （Adonis； Attis； Osiris； Jesus）； having been laid there in death； rose again for the redemption of the world。 They all evidently refer to the mystic womb of Nature and of Woman； and are symbols of salvation and redemption （For a full discussion of this subject； see The Great Law of religious origins； by W。 Williamson； ch。 iv。）
Apuleius in The Golden Ass gives an interesting account of his induction into the mysteries of Isis： how； bidding farewell one evening to the general congregation outside； and clothed in a new linen garment； he was handed by the priest into the inner recesses of the temple itself； how he 〃approached the confines of death； and having trod on the threshold of Proserpine （the Underworld）； returned therefrom； being borne through all the elements。 At midnight I saw the sun shining with its brilliant light： and I approached the presence of the Gods beneath and the Gods above； and stood near and worshipped them。〃 During the night things happened which must not be disclosed； but in the morning he came forth 〃consecrated by being dressed in twelve stoles painted with the figures of animals。〃＇1＇ He ascended a pulpit in the midst of the Temple； carrying in his right hand a burning torch； while a chaplet encircled his head； from which palm…leaves projected like rays of light。 〃Thus arrayed like the Sun； and placed so as to resemble a statue； on a sudden the curtains being drawn aside； I was exposed to the gaze of the multitude。 After this I celebrated the most joyful day of my initiation； as my natal day ＇day of the New Birth＇ and there was a joyous banquet and mirthful conversation。〃
＇1＇ An allusion no doubt to the twelve signs of the Zodiac； the pathway of the Sun； as well as to the practice of the ancient priests of wearing the skins of totem…animals in sign of their divinity。
One can hardly refuse to recognize in this account the description of some kind of ceremony which was supposed to seal the illumination of a man and his new birth into divinitythe animal origin； the circling of all experience； the terrors of death； and the resurrection in the form of the Sun； the symbol of all light and life。 The very word 〃illumination〃 carries the ideas of light and a new birth with it。 Reitzenstein in his very interesting book on the Greek Mysteries＇1＇ speaks over and over again of the illumination （） which was held to attend Initiation and Salvation。 The doctrine of Salvation indeed （） was； as we have already seen； rife and widely current in the Second Century B。 C。 It represented a real experience； and the man who shared this experience became a or divine man。＇2＇ In the Orphic Tablets the phrase 〃I am a child of earth and the starry heaven； but my race is of heaven （alone）〃 occurs more than once。 In one of the longest of them the dead man is instructed 〃after he has passed the waters （of Lethe） where the white Cypress and the House of Hades are〃 to address these very words to the guardians of the Lake of Memory while he asks for a drink of cold water from that Lake。 In another the dead person himself is thus addressed： 〃Hail； thou who hast endured the Suffering； such as indeed thou hadst never suffered before； thou hast become god from man！〃＇3＇ Ecstacy was the acme of the religious life； and； what is especially interesting to us； Salvation or the divine nature was open to all mento all； that is； who should go through the necessary stages of preparation for it。＇4＇
＇1＇ Die hellenistischen Mysterien…Religionen； by R。 Reitzenstein； Leipzig； 1910。
＇2＇ Reitzenstein； p。 12。
＇3＇ These Tablets （so…called） are instructions to the dead as to their passage into the other world； and have been found in the tombs； in Italy and elsewhere； inscribed on very thin gold plates and buried with the departed。 See Manual of Greek Antiquities by Percy Gardner and F。 B。 Jerome （1896）； also Prolegomena to Greek Religion by Jane E。 Harrison （1908）。
＇4＇ Reitzenstein； pp。 15 and 18； also S。 J。 Case； Evolution of Early Christianity； p。 301。
Reitzenstein contends （p。 26） that in the Mysteries； transfiguration （）； salvation （）； and new birth （） were often conjoined。 He says （p。 31）； that in the Egyptian Osiris…cult； the Initiate acquires a nature 〃equal to God〃 （）； the very same expression as that used of Christ Jesus in Philippians ii。 6； he mentions Apollonius of Tyana and Sergius Paulus as instances of men who by their contemporaries were considered to have attained this nature； and he quotes Akhnaton （Pharaoh of Egypt in 1375 B。C。） as having said； 〃Thou art in my heart； none other knows Thee； save thy son Akhnaton； Thou hast initiated him into thy wisdom and into thy power。〃 He also quotes the words of Hermes （Trismegistus）〃Come unto Me； even as children to their mother's bosom： Thou art I； and I am Thou； what is thine is mine； and what is mine is thine； for indeed I am thine image （）；〃 and refers to the dialogue between Hermes and Tat； in which they speak of the great and mystic New Birth and Union with the Allwith all Elements； Plants and Animals； Time and Space。
〃The Mysteries；〃 says Dr。 Cheetham very candidly； 〃influenced Christianity considerably and modified it in some important respects〃； and Dr。 Hatch； as we have seen； not only supports this general view； but follows it out in detail。＇1＇ He points out that the membership of the Mystery…societies was very numerous in the earliest times； A。D。； that their general aims were good； including a sense of true religion； decent life； and brotherhood； that cleanness from crime and confession were demanded from the neophyte； that confession was followed by baptism （） and THAT by sacrifice； that the term （illumination） was adopted by the Christian Church as the name for the new birth of baptism； that the Christian usage of placing a seal on the forehead came from the same source； that baptism itself after a time was called a myst