the golden bough-第42章

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　the　Father　of　spirits。　In　all　their　excursions　they　were　followed　by　women　with　whom　they　lived　on　terms　of　the　closest　familiarity。　Those　of　them　who　conceived　they　had　made　the　greatest　proficiency　in　the　higher　spiritual　life　dispensed　with　the　use　of　clothes　altogether　in　their　assemblies；　looking　upon　decency　and　modesty　as　marks　of　inward　corruption；　characteristics　of　a　soul　that　still　grovelled　under　the　dominion　of　the　flesh　and　had　not　yet　been　elevated　into　communion　with　the　divine　spirit；　its　centre　and　source。　Sometimes　their　progress　towards　this　mystic　communion　was　accelerated　by　the　Inquisition；　and　they　expired　in　the　flames；　not　merely　with　unclouded　serenity；　but　with　the　most　triumphant　feelings　of　cheerfulness　and　joy。

About　the　year　1830　there　appeared；　in　one　of　the　States　of　the　American　Union　bordering　on　Kentucky；　an　impostor　who　declared　that　he　was　the　Son　of　God；　the　Saviour　of　mankind；　and　that　he　had　reappeared　on　earth　to　recall　the　impious；　the　unbelieving；　and　sinners　to　their　duty。　He　protested　that　if　they　did　not　mend　their　ways　within　a　certain　time；　he　would　give　the　signal；　and　in　a　moment　the　world　would　crumble　to　ruins。　These　extravagant　pretensions　were　received　with　favour　even　by　persons　of　wealth　and　position　in　society。　At　last　a　German　humbly　besought　the　new　Messiah　to　announce　the　dreadful　catastrophe　to　his　fellow…countrymen　in　the　German　language；　as　they　did　not　understand　English；　and　it　seemed　a　pity　that　they　should　be　damned　merely　on　that　account。　The　would…be　Saviour　in　reply　confessed　with　great　candour　that　he　did　not　know　German。　What！　retorted　the　German；　you　the　Son　of　God；　and　don't　speak　all　languages；　and　don't　even　know　German？　Come；　come；　you　are　a　knave；　a　hypocrite；　and　a　madman。　Bedlam　is　the　place　for　you。　The　spectators　laughed；　and　went　away　ashamed　of　their　credulity。

Sometimes；　at　the　death　of　the　human　incarnation；　the　divine　spirit　transmigrates　into　another　man。　The　Buddhist　Tartars　believe　in　a　great　number　of　living　Buddhas；　who　officiate　as　Grand　Lamas　at　the　head　of　the　most　important　monasteries。　When　one　of　these　Grand　Lamas　dies　his　disciples　do　not　sorrow；　for　they　know　that　he　will　soon　reappear；　being　born　in　the　form　of　an　infant。　Their　only　anxiety　is　to　discover　the　place　of　his　birth。　If　at　this　time　they　see　a　rainbow　they　take　it　as　a　sign　sent　them　by　the　departed　Lama　to　guide　them　to　his　cradle。　Sometimes　the　divine　infant　himself　reveals　his　identity。　I　am　the　Grand　Lama；　he　says；　the　living　Buddha　of　such　and　such　a　temple。　Take　me　to　my　old　monastery。　I　am　its　immortal　head。　In　whatever　way　the　birthplace　of　the　Buddha　is　revealed；　whether　by　the　Buddha's　own　avowal　or　by　the　sign　in　the　sky；　tents　are　struck；　and　the　joyful　pilgrims；　often　headed　by　the　king　or　one　of　the　most　illustrious　of　the　royal　family；　set　forth　to　find　and　bring　home　the　infant　god。　Generally　he　is　born　in　Tibet；　the　holy　land；　and　to　reach　him　the　caravan　has　often　to　traverse　the　most　frightful　deserts。　When　at　last　they　find　the　child　they　fall　down　and　worship　him。　Before；　however；　he　is　acknowledged　as　the　Grand　Lama　whom　they　seek　he　must　satisfy　them　of　his　identity。　He　is　asked　the　name　of　the　monastery　of　which　he　claims　to　be　the　head；　how　far　off　it　is；　and　how　many　monks　live　in　it；　he　must　also　describe　the　habits　of　the　deceased　Grand　Lama　and　the　manner　of　his　death。　Then　various　articles；　as　prayer…books；　tea…pots；　and　cups；　are　placed　before　him；　and　he　has　to　point　out　those　used　by　himself　in　his　previous　life。　If　he　does　so　without　a　mistake　his　claims　are　admitted；　and　he　is　conducted　in　triumph　to　the　monastery。　At　the　head　of　all　the　Lamas　is　the　Dalai　Lama　of　Lhasa；　the　Rome　of　Tibet。　He　is　regarded　as　a　living　god；　and　at　death　his　divine　and　immortal　spirit　is　born　again　in　a　child。　According　to　some　accounts　the　mode　of　discovering　the　Dalai　Lama　is　similar　to　the　method；　already　described；　of　discovering　an　ordinary　Grand　Lama。　Other　accounts　speak　of　an　election　by　drawing　lots　from　a　golden　jar。　Wherever　he　is　born；　the　trees　and　plants　put　forth　green　leaves；　at　his　bidding　flowers　bloom　and　springs　of　water　rise；　and　his　presence　diffuses　heavenly　blessings。

But　he　is　by　no　means　the　only　man　who　poses　as　a　god　in　these　regions。　A　register　of　all　the　incarnate　gods　in　the　Chinese　empire　is　kept　in　the　Li　fan　yiian　or　Colonial　Office　at　Peking。　The　number　of　gods　who　have　thus　taken　out　a　license　is　one　hundred　and　sixty。　Tibet　is　blessed　with　thirty　of　them；　Northern　Mongolia　rejoices　in　nineteen；　and　Southern　Mongolia　basks　in　the　sunshine　of　no　less　than　fifty…seven。　The　Chinese　government；　with　a　paternal　solicitude　for　the　welfare　of　its　subjects；　forbids　the　gods　on　the　register　to　be　reborn　anywhere　but　in　Tibet。　They　fear　lest　the　birth　of　a　god　in　Mongolia　should　have　serious　political　consequences　by　stirring　the　dormant　patriotism　and　warlike　spirit　of　the　Mongols；　who　might　rally　round　an　ambitious　native　deity　of　royal　lineage　and　seek　to　win　for　him；　at　the　point　of　the　sword；　a　temporal　as　well　as　a　spiritual　kingdom。　But　besides　these　public　or　licensed　gods　there　are　a　great　many　little　private　gods；　or　unlicensed　practitioners　of　divinity；　who　work　miracles　and　bless　their　people　in　holes　and　corners；　and　of　late　years　the　Chinese　government　has　winked　at　the　rebirth　of　these　pettifogging　deities　outside　of　Tibet。　However；　once　they　are　born；　the　government　keeps　its　eye　on　them　as　well　as　on　the　regular　practitioners；　and　if　any　of　them　misbehaves　he　is　promptly　degraded；　banished　to　a　distant　monastery；　and　strictly　forbidden　ever　to　be　born　again　in　the　flesh。

From　our　survey　of　the　religious　position　occupied　by　the　king　in　rude　societies　we　may　infer　that　the　claim　to　divine　and　supernatural　powers　put　forward　by　the　monarchs　of　great　historical　empires　like　those　of　Egypt；　Mexico；　and　Peru；　was　not　the　simple　outcome　of　inflated　vanity　or　the　empty　expression　of　a　grovelling　adulation；　it　was　merely　a　survival　and　extension　of　the　old　savage　apotheosis　of　living　kings。　Thus；　for　example；　as　children　of　the　Sun　the　Incas　of　Peru　were　revered　like　gods；　they　could　do　no　wrong；　and　no　one　dreamed　of　offending　against　the　person；　honour；　or　property　of　the　monarch　or　of　any　of　the　royal　race。　Hence；　too；　the　Incas　did　not；　like　most　people；　look　on　sickness　as　an　evil。　They　considered　it　a　messenger　sent　from　their　father　the　Sun　to　call　them　to　come　and　rest　with　him　in　heaven。　Therefore　the　usual　words　in　which　an　Inca　announced　his　approaching　end　were　these：　My　father　calls　me　to　come　and　rest　with　him。　They　would　not　oppose　their　father's　will　by　offering　sacrifice　for　recovery；　but　openly　declared　that　he　had　called　them　to　his　rest。　Issuing　from　the　sultry　valleys　upon　the　lofty　tableland　of　the　Colombian　Andes；　the　Spanish　conquerors　were　astonished　to　find；　in　contrast　to　the　savage　hordes　they　had　left　in　the　sweltering　jungles　below；　a　people　enjoying　a　fair　degree　of　civilisation；　practising　agriculture；　and　living　under　a　government　which　Humboldt　has　compared　to　the　theocracies　of　Tibet　and　Japan。　These　were　the　Chibchas；　Muyscas；　or　Mozcas；　divided　into　two　kingdoms；　with　capitals　at　Bogota　and　Tunja；　but　united　apparently　in　spiritual　allegiance　to　the　high　pontiff　of　Sogamozo　or　Iraca。　By　a　long　and　ascetic　novitiate；　this　ghostly　ruler　was　reputed　to　have　acquired　such　sanctity　that　the　waters　and　the　rain　obeyed　him；　and　the　weather　depended　on　his　will。　The　Mexican　kings　at　their　accession；　as　we　have　seen；　took　an　oath　that　they　would　make　the　sun　to　shine；　the　clouds　to　give　rain；　the　rivers　to　flow；　and　the　earth　to　bring　forth　fruits　in　abundance。　We　are　told　that　Montezuma；　the　last　king　of　Mexico；　was　worshipped　by　his　people　as　a　god。

The　early　Babylonian　kings；　from　the　time　of　Sargon　I。　till　the　fourth　dynasty　of　Ur　or　later；　claimed　to　be　gods　in　their　lifetime。　The　monarchs　of　the　fourth　dynasty　of　Ur　in　particular　had　temples　built　in　their　honour；　they　set　up　their　statues　in　various　sanctuaries　and　commanded　the　people　to　sacrifice　to　them；　the　eighth　month　was　especially　dedicated　to　the　kings；　and　sacrifices　were　offered　to　them　at　the　new　moon　and　on　the