pagan and christian creeds-第53章
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ed god〃 rejoice in the thought of the hero who died as a mortal in the coffin； but rises again as Lord of all！
Who then was this 〃Christos〃 for whom the world was waiting three centuries before our era （and indeed centuries before that）？ Who was this 〃thrice Savior〃 whom the Greek Gnostics acclaimed？ What was the meaning of that 〃coming of the Son of Man〃 whom Daniel beheld in vision among the clouds of heaven？ or of the 〃perfect man〃 who； Paul declared； should deliver us from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God？ What was this salvation which time after time and times again the pagan deities promised to their devotees； and which the Eleusinian and other Mysteries represented in their religious dramas with such convincing enthusiasm that even Pindar could say 〃Happy is he who has seen them （the Mysteries） before he goes beneath the hollow earth： that man knows the true end of life and its source divine〃； and concerning which Sophocles and Aeschylus were equally enthusiastic？＇1＇
＇1＇ See Farnell's Cults of the Greek States； vol。 iii； p。 194； also The Mysteries； Pagan and Christian； by S。 Cheetham； D。D。 （London； 1897）。
Can we doubt； in the light of all that we have already said； what the answer to these questions is？ As with the first blossoming of self…consciousness in the human mind came the dawn of an immense cycle of experience a cycle indeed of exile from Eden； of suffering and toil and blind wanderings in the wilderness； yet a cycle absolutely necessary and unavoidableso now the redemption； the return； the restoration has to come through another forward step； in the same domain。 Abandoning the quest and the glorification of the separate isolated self we have to return to the cosmic universal life。 It is the blossoming indeed of this 'new' life in the deeps of our minds which is salvation； and which all the expressions which I have just cited have indicated。 It is this presence which all down the ages has been hailed as Savior and Liberator： the daybreak of a consciousness so much vaster； so much more glorious； than all that has gone before that the little candle of the local self is swallowed up in its rays。 It is the return home； the return into direct touch with Nature and Manthe liberation from the long exile of separation； from the painful sense of isolation and the odious nightmare of guilt and 'sin。' Can we doubt that this new birththis third stage of consciousness； if we like to call it sohas to come； that it is indeed not merely a pious hope or a tentative theory； but a FACT testified to already by a cloud of witnesses in the past witnesses shining in their own easily recognizable and authentic light； yet for the most part isolated from each other among the arid and unfruitful wastes of Civilization； like glow…worms in the dry grass of a summer night？
Since the first dim evolution of human self…consciousness an immense period； as we have saidperhaps 30；000 years； perhaps even morehas elapsed。 Now； in the present day this period is reaching its culmination； and though it will not terminate immediately； its end is； so to speak； in sight。 Meanwhile； during all the historical age behind ussay for the last 4；000 or 5；000 yearsevidence has been coming in （partly in the religious rites recorded； partly in oracles； poems and prophetic literature） of the onset of this further illumination〃the light which never was on sea or land〃and the cloud of witnesses； scattered at first； has in these later centuries become so evident and so notable that we are tempted to believe in or to anticipate a great and general new birth； as now not so very far off。＇1＇ ＇We should； however； do well to remember； in this connection； that many a time already in the history the Millennium has been prophesied； and yet not arrived punctual to date； and to take to ourselves the words of 'Peter；' who somewhat grievously disappointed at the long…delayed second coming of the Lord Jesus in the clouds of heaven； wrote in his second Epistle： 〃There shall come in the last days scoffers； walking after their own lusts； and saying； Where is the promise of his coming？ for since the fathers fell asleep； all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation。〃＇2＇＇
＇1＇ For an amplification of all this theme； see Dr。 Bucke's remarkable and epoch…making book； Cosmic Consciousness （first published at Philadelphia； 1901）。
＇2＇ 2 Peter iii。 4； written probably about A。D。 150。
I say that all through the historical age behind us there has been evidenceeven though scattered of salvation and the return of the Cosmic life。 Man has never been so completely submerged in the bitter sea of self…centredness but what he has occasionally been able to dash the spray from his eyes and glimpse the sun and the glorious light of heaven。 From how far back we cannot say； but from an immense antiquity come the beautiful myths which indicate this。
Cinderella； the cinder…maiden； sits unbeknown in her earthly。 hutch； Gibed and jeered at she bewails her lonely fate； Nevertheless youngest…born she surpasses her sisters and endues a garment of the sun and stars； From a tiny spark she ascends and irradiates the universe； and is wedded to the prince of heaven。
How lovely this vision of the little maiden sitting unbeknown close to the Hearth…fire of the universeherself indeed just a little spark from it； despised and rejected； rejected by the world； despised by her two elder sisters （the body and the intellect）； yet she； the soul； though latest…born； by far the most beautiful of the three。 And of the Prince of Love who redeems and sets her free； and of her wedding garment the glory and beauty of all nature and of the heavens！ The parables of Jesus are charming in their way； but they hardly reach this height of inspiration。
Or the world…old myth of Eros and Psyche。 How strange that here again there are three sisters （the three stages of human evolution）； and the latest…born the most beautiful of the three； and the jealousies and persecutions heaped on the youngest by the others； and especially by Aphrodite the goddess of mere sensual charm。 And again the coming of the unknown； the unseen Lover； on whom it is not permitted for mortals to look； and the long； long tests and sufferings and trials which Psyche has to undergo before Eros may really take her to his arms and translate her to the heights of heaven。 Can we not imagine how when these things were represented in the Mysteries the world flocked to see them； and the poets indeed said； 〃Happy are they that see and seeing can understand？〃 Can we not understand how it was that the Amphictyonic decree of the second century B。C。 spoke of these same Mysteries as enforcing the lesson that 〃the greatest of human blessings is fellowship and mutual trust〃？
XV。 THE ANCIENT MYSTERIES
Thus we come to a thing which we must not pass over； because it throws great light on the meaning and interpretation of all these rites and ceremonies of the great World…religion。 I mean the subject of the Ancient Mysteries。 And to this I will give a few pages。
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 Ko
