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forehead came from the same source； that baptism itself after a time was called a mystery （）； that the sacred cakes and barley…drink of the Mysteries became the milk and honey and bread and wine of the first Christian Eucharists； and that the occasional sacrifice of a lamb on the Christian altar （〃whose mention is often suppressed〃） probably originated in the same way。 Indeed； the conception of the communion…table AS an altar and many other points of ritual gradually established themselves from these sources as time went on。＇2＇ It is hardly necessary to say more in proof of the extent to which in these ancient representations 〃things said〃 and 〃scenes enacted〃 forestalled the doctrines and ceremonials of Christianity。
＇1＇ See Hatch； op。 cit。； pp。 290 sq。
＇2＇ See Dionysus Areop。 （end of fifth century）； who describes the Christian rites generally in Mystery language （Hatch； 296）。
〃But what of the second group above…mentioned； the 〃things SHOWN〃？ It is not so easy naturally to get exact information concerning these； but they seem to have been specially holy objects； probably things connected with very ancient rituals in the pastsuch as sacred stones； old and rude images of the gods； magic nature…symbols； like that half…disclosed ear of corn above…mentioned （Ch。 V。）。 〃In the Temple of Isis at Philae；〃 says Dr。 Cheetham； 〃the dead body of Osiris is represented with stalks of corn springing from it； which a priest waters from a vessel。 An inscription says： 'This is the form of him whom we may not name； Osiris of the Mysteries who sprang from the returning waters' ＇the Nile＇。〃 Above all； no doubt； there were images of the phallus and the vulva； the great symbols of human fertility。 We have seen （Ch。 XII） that the lingam and the yoni are； even down to to…day； commonly retained and honored as holy objects in the S。 Indian Temples； and anointed with oil （some of them） for a very practical reason。 Sir J。 G。 Frazer； in his lately published volumes on The Folk…lore of the Old Testament； has a chapter （in vol。 ii） on the very numerous sacred stones of various shapes and sizes found or spoken of in Palestine and other parts of the world。 Though uncertain as to the meaning of these stones he mentions that they are 〃frequently； though not always； UPRIGHT。〃 Anointing them with oil； he assures us； 〃is a widespread practice； sometimes by women who wish to obtain children。〃 And he concludes the chapter by saying： 〃The holy stone at Bethel was probably one of those massive standing stones or rough pillars which the Hebrews called masseboth； and which； as we have seen； were regular adjuncts of Canaanite and early Israelitish sanctuaries。〃 We have already mentioned the pillars Jachin and Boaz which stood before the Temple of Solomon； and which had an acknowledged sexual significance； and so it seems probable that a great number of these holy stones had a similar meaning。＇1＇ Following this clue it would appear likely that the lingam thus anointed and worshipped in the Temples of India and elsewhere IS the original ＇2＇ adored by the human race from the very beginning； and that at a later time； when the Priest and the King； as objects of worship； took the place of the Lingam； THEY also were anointed with the chrism of fertility。 That the exhibition of these emblems should be part of the original 'Mystery'…rituals was perfectly naturalespecially because； as we have explained already＇3＇ old customs often continued on in a quite naive fashion in the rituals； when they had come to be thought indecent or improper by a later public opinion； and （we may say） was perfectly in order； because there is plenty of evidence to show that in SAVAGE initiations； of which the Mysteries were the linear descendants； all these things WERE explained to the novices； and their use actually taught。＇4＇ No doubt also there were some representations or dramatic incidents of a fairly coarse character； as deriving from these ancient sources。＇5＇ It is； however； quaint to observe how the mere mention of such things has caused an almost hysterical commotion among the critics of the Mysteriesfrom the day of the early Christians who （in order to belaud their own religion） were never tired of abusing the Pagans； onward to the present day when modern scholars either on the one hand follow the early Christians in representing the Mysteries as sinks of iniquity or on the other （knowing this charge could not be substantiated except in the period of their final decadence） take the line of ignoring the sexual interest attaching to them as non…existent or at any rate unworthy of attention。 The good Archdeacon Cheetham； for instance； while writing an interesting book on the Mysteries passes by this side of the subject ALMOST as if it did not exist； while the learned Dr。 Farnell； overcome apparently by the weight of his learning； and unable to confront the alarming obstacle presented by these sexual rites and aspects； hides himself behind the rather non…committal remark （speaking of the Eleusinian rites） 〃we have no right to imagine any part of this solemn ceremony as coarse or obscene。〃＇6＇ As Nature； however； has been known （quite frequently） to be coarse or obscene； and as the initiators of the Mysteries were probably neither 'good' nor 'learned；' but were simply anxious to interpret Nature as best they could； we cannot find fault with the latter for the way they handled the problem； nor indeed well see how they could have handled it better。
＇1＇ F。 Nork； Der Mystagog； mentions that the Roman Penates were commonly anointed with oil。 J。 Stuart Hay； in his Life of Elagabalus （1911）； says that 〃Elagabal was worshipped under the symbol of a great black stone or meteorite； in the shape of a Phallus； which having fallen from the heavens represented a true portion of the Godhead； much after the style of those black stone images popularly venerated in Norway and other parts of Europe。〃
＇2＇ J。 E。 Hewitt； in his Ruling Races of Pre…historic Times （p。 64）； gives a long list of pre…historic races who worshipped the lingam。
＇3＇ See Ch。 XI。
＇4＇ See Ernest Crawley's Mystic Rose； ch。 xiii； pp。 310 and 313： 〃In certain tribes of Central Africa both boys and girls after initiation must as soon as possible have intercourse。〃 Initiation being not merely preliminary to； but often ACTUALLY marriage。 The same among Kaffirs； Congo tribes； Senegalese； etc。 Also among the Arunta of Australia。
＇5＇ Professor Diederichs has said that 〃in much ancient ritual it was thought that mystic communion with the deity could be obtained through the semblance of sex…intercourseas in the Attis…Cybele worship； and the Isis…ritual。〃 （Farnell。） Reitzenstein says （op。 cit。； p。 20。） that the Initiates； like some of the Christian Nuns at a later time； believed in union with God through receiving the seed。
＇6＇ Farnell； op。 cit。； iii。 176。 Messrs。 Gardner and Jevons； in their Manual of Greek Antiquities； above…quoted； compare the Eleusinian Mysteries favorably with some of the others； like the Arcadian； the Troezenian； the Aeginaean； and the very primitive Samothracian： saying （p。 278） that of the last…mentioned 〃we know little； but safely conjecture that in them the ideas of sex and procreation dominated EVEN MORE than in those of Eleusis。〃
After all it is pretty clear that the early peoples saw in Sex the great cohesive force which kept （we will not say Humanity but at any rate） the Tribe together； and sustained the race。 In the stage of simple Consciousness this must have been one of the first things that the budding intellect perceived。 Sex became one of the earliest divinities； and there is abundant evidence that its organs and processes generally were invested with a religious sense of awe and sanctity。 It was in fact the symbol （or rather the actuality） of the permanent undying life of the race； and as such was sacred to the uses of the race。 Whatever taboos may have； among different peoples； guarded its operations； it was not essentially a thing to be concealed； or ashamed of。 Rather the contrary。 For instance the early Christian writer； Hippolytus； Bishop of Pontus （A。D。 200）； in his Refutation of all Heresies； Book V； says that the Samothracian Mysteries； just mentioned； celebrate Adam as the primal or archetypal Man eternal in the heavens； and he then continues： 〃Habitually there stand in the temple of the Samothracians two images of naked men having both hands stretched aloft towards heaven； and their pudenda turned upwards； as is also the case with the statue of Mercury on Mt。 Cyllene。 And the aforesaid images are figures of the primal man； and of that spiritual one that is born again； in every respect of the same substance with that ＇first＇ man。〃
This extract from Hippolytus occurs in the long discourse in which he 'exposes' the heresy of the so…called Naassene doctrines and mysteries。 But the whole discourse should be read by those who wish to understand the Gnostic philosophy of the period contemporary with and anterior to the birth of Christianity。 A translation of the discourse； carefully analyzed and annotated； is given in G。 R。 S。 Mead's Thrice…greatest Hermes＇1＇ （vol。 i）； and Mead himself； speaking of it； says （p。 141）： 〃The claim of these Gnostics was practically that th