pagan and christian creeds-第39章
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Leaving Wordsworth； however； and coming back to our main line of thought； we may point out that while early peoples were intellectually mere babieswith their endless yarns about heroes on horseback leaping over wide rivers or clouds of monks flying for hundreds of miles through the air； and their utter failure to understand the general concatenations of cause and effectyet practically and in their instinct of life and destiny they were； as I have already said； by no means fools； certainly not such fools as many of the arm…chair students of these things delight to represent them。 For just as； a few years ago； we modern civilizees studying outlying nations； the Chinese for instance； rejoiced （in our vanity） to pick out every quaint peculiarity and absurdity and monstrosity of a supposed topsyturvydom； and failed entirely to see the real picture of a great and eminently sensible people； so in the case of primitive men we have been； and even still are； far too prone to catalogue their cruelties and obscenities and idiotic superstitions； and to miss the sane and balanced setting of their actual lives。
Mr。 R。 R。 Marett； who has a good practical acquaintance with his subject； had in the Hibbert Journal for October 1918 an article on 〃The Primitive Medicine Man〃 in which he shows that the latter is as a rule anything but a fool and a knavealthough like 'medicals' in all ages he hocuspocuses his patients occasionally！ He instances the medicine… man's excellent management； in most cases； of childbirth； or of wounds and fractures； or his primeval skill in trepanning or trephiningall of which operations； he admits； may be accompanied with grotesque and superstitious ceremonies； yet show real perception and ability。 We all knowthough I think the article does not mention the matter what a considerable list there is of drugs and herbs which the modern art of healing owes to the ancient medicine…man； and it may be again mentioned that one of the most up…to… date treatmentsthe use of a prolonged and exclusive diet of MILK 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 ce
