THE SUBJECT IN A NUTSHELL.
Not in vain the nation-strivings, nor by chance the currents
flow;
Error-mazed, yet truth-directed, to their certain goal
they go.
EBN-EL-FARID.
Oh, yet we trust that somehow good
Will be the final goal of ill,
To pangs of nature, sins of will,
Defects of doubt, and taints of blood;
That nothing walks with aimless feet;
That not one life shall be destroyed,
Or cast as rubbish to the void,
When God hath made the pile complete.
ALFRED TENNYSON.
In this chapter it is proposed to survey rapidly the progress of the
whole heathen world in idolatrous worship from its first introduction.
We have already seen how the world began with the worship of one God,
but passed into the worship of the objects, powers and forces of
nature; and how to these were given tangible forms in the shape of
idols. Further we have noticed the gradual introduction of the worship
of animals, and men, and their idols.
METHODS OF GROUPING RELIGIONS.
The various religions might be classified by dividing them into two
groups; first, those having sacred books, and secondly, those having no
sacred books. According to this method, for example, the Hindu, Parsee,
Egyptian, Chinese, Buddhist and Mohammedan religions would be placed
in one group, and the religions of the Japanese Shintoists, of the
Indians of America, of the Pacific Islanders, of the African Fetichists
and of our heathen ancestors, in another group. This is rather an
arbitrary division.
Another mode of arranging them is as missionary or proselyte-making
religions and non-missionary religions. Thus, Brahminism, as it never
went beyond India, and Confucianism, as it never sent its teachers out
of China, would be in one class, while Buddhism which was spread all
over Eastern Asia by its missionary priests, and Mohammedanism whose
priests went over Western Asia and Northern Africa making proselytes,
would be in another class.
We must have some system of classifying and arranging the different
religions, and the following has seemed to be the most simple and
natural classification. To look at them first, as _original_
religions and as _reformed_ religions, and secondly, as
_dead_ and as _living_ religions. It happens that most of the
_dead_ religions were original religions, and so we take these
up first. Then we notice the living original religions, and afterward
the reformed religions, which are nearly all living. The religions
which will be described in the following pages, from Chapters V. to X.,
are dead original religions; those in Chapters XI. to XIX. are living
original religions; and those in Chapters XX. to XXXVI., are living
reformed religions. It is proper that these terms, as they are intended
to be used here should be quite clearly defined.
DEAD RELIGIONS AND LIVING RELIGIONS.
Many religions still exist, but some are extinct. We speak of
languages as dead or living; the ancient Greek and the Latin, which
are no longer spoken, are called dead. The French, German or English,
which are in common use to-day, are called living. Though these dead
languages are no longer spoken, words and phrases which are derived
from them still survive in the living languages. Indeed some of the
living languages are built up out of these dead languages. Just so in
religions, there are worships which have no followers to-day; there
are ruins of their temples and idols, and portions of their sacred
books remaining to us. The accounts which ancient historians have
preserved for us of their worships, the ruins of their temples, their
majestic monuments and inscriptions, and their sacred books which have
of late years been translated into our language, enable us to learn
very minutely of many of these worships. Of the living religions, we
have but to study the narratives of travelers and of those scholars who
have taken special pains to study and explain the sacred books, rites,
legends and customs of the people following these faiths.
ORIGINAL RELIGIONS AND REFORMED RELIGIONS.
By original religions we mean to denote those which are, or were,
the religions of the earliest inhabitants of the various countries,
and which are but little changed in the course of time. By reformed
religions we mean such as at some later day have branched off from the
earlier religions. These reforms are always begun by some great man,
who, seeing or imagining error in the old system, undertakes to correct
it, and before he is hardly aware of it, establishes a new faith.
Thus Zoroaster rebelled against the impure worship of the corrupt
religion of his country and founded Parseeism; thus Confucius gathered
together some of the traditions and sayings of the ancient Chinese
writers, added to them a great many teachings of his own and founded
Confucianism; thus Gautama, the Buddha, convinced of the inability
of the ancient Hindu faith to help the world’s sorrow or to heal its
wounds, founded Buddhism; and thus Mohammed felt himself called of God
to wage a war against idolatry, and so he founded the Moslem faith.
Further, we shall take up these religions in each class as far as
possible, in the order of time, taking the oldest first and the
youngest last.
DEAD RELIGIONS.
The gods of the Egyptians, Assyrians, Jews, Greeks, Romans and Britons
(including all other peoples of Western Europe), are no longer
worshiped. They sank into neglect from various causes. Some fell by a
natural decay; there was not enough in them to enable them to retain
their hold upon their worshipers as foreign religions were introduced.
Some of the peoples holding these faiths lost their distinctively
national existence and their faith faded out along with their national
life. Stronger races of strange peoples swept over their lands, driving
them out or subduing them. The conqueror’s customs and religious
worship then took the place of those of the conquered people.
Another cause of the death of certain religions, and a more frequent
cause, has been the coming in of a better system. In this way the
Egyptian religion gave place to the Christian, and that in turn (in
Egypt) to the Mohammedan. The false gods of the Greeks, Romans, Britons
and other nations were forgotten in the coming of the religion of Jesus
Christ. Mrs. Browning’s beautiful poem, “The Dead Pan,” is based on a
tradition mentioned by Plutarch, according to which, at the hour of the
Saviour’s agony a cry of “Great Pan is dead!” swept across the waves
in the hearing of some sailors, and immediately the oracles ceased. She
writes:
“Gods of Hellas, Gods of Hellas,
Can ye listen in your silence?
Can your mystic voices tell us
Where ye hide? In floating islands,
With a wind that evermore
Keeps you out of sight of shore?
Pan, Pan is dead.
“And that dismal cry rose slowly
And sank slowly through the air,
Full of spirit’s melancholy
And eternity’s despair!
And they heard the words it said--
PAN IS DEAD--GREAT PAN IS DEAD--
PAN, PAN IS DEAD.
“’Twas the hour when One in Sion
Hung for love’s sake on a cross;
When His brow was chill with dying,
And His soul was faint with loss;
When His priestly blood dropped downward,
And His kingly eyes looked throneward--
Then, Pan was dead.
“By the love He stood alone in,
His sole Godhead rose complete,
And the false gods fell down moaning,
Each from off his golden seat;
All the false gods with a cry
Rendered up their deity--
Pan, Pan was dead.”
The Greek and Roman faith and the worships of Western Europe have all
yielded to the advancing Christian army. The process of tearing down
and building up is still going on. Parseeism and the American Indians’
religion are dying, because the people who belong to these nations are
dying out. Mohammedanism is making great inroads on the Fetich-worship
of Africa. Buddhism is lessening the respect for Confucius and Lao-Tsze
in China, and is gaining ground on Shintoism in Japan. Christianity
is, in almost every land, lessening the hold of heathen religions upon
their followers and is slowly leavening the whole world, as the facts
and figures prove. Before the bright light of the Sun of Righteousness
the dark night of error and superstition is fleeing away.
LIVING WORSHIPS.
The first group, that of original faiths, will include the religions of
Hinduism, Shintoism, of Africa, America, Oceanica, and of the Karens
of Burmah. The next group, that of the living reformed religions, will
include Parseeism, Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism and Mohammedanism.
This last is not, strictly speaking, a system of idolatry, and
therefore we do not give it an extended notice; yet, as it exists as
a fierce opponent of idolatry, and properly has a part in the history
of idolatry, we cannot pass it by altogether, but shall give it such
attention as is consistent.
The signs of these times, as well as the signs of the gone-by ages,
shows that the world is moving back to its first worship of one God. As
an opponent of idolatry and as a great missionary system, Christianity
is likely to do this great work of bringing the world back to its first
faith. So we propose, briefly, after showing the contrasts between
the Christian religion and the idolatrous worships, to refer to the
present attitude of the Christian system in its work among existing
heathen nations. This will involve a view of the great battle-field of
the world, and of the forces fighting for and against the true worship
of the one God. To this true worship the world is slowly but surely
tending.
THE PROPOSED TREATMENT.
Heathen religions have often been described as they are found in their
sacred books or in the teachings of their founders. This is not as it
should be. They should be studied from these sources, but not from
these only. These show the religions, not as they are, but as they were
intended to be. The test of time which has been applied to them, their
after-growth and their effect upon their followers should be carefully
studied. It not seldom happens that the religion as its founder taught
it, and the religion of later days which was built up on his teachings
are very different. Take Buddhism for an example. How widely different
is the Buddhism of Burmah from that established by Gautama! What vast
changes has the system undergone during the centuries that have passed
since Gautama’s death! Or take Mohammedanism, which was, as Mohammed
taught, a crusade against the idolatrous reverence for relics, images,
sacred places and sacred things generally. To-day, in one of the most
famous of Mohammedan mosques--that at Delhi, India--_a hair from
Mohammed’s beard, a part of his garments and his sandals_, are
exhibited to the devout worshipers in the mosque. The Brahminism of the
Vedas, the sacred Hindu books, differs greatly from the Hindu worship
of to-day with its myriads of idols and its great system of caste. The
same religion often differs in different lands. The Buddhism of Ceylon
and the Buddhism of Burmah and Siam are different, and they together
(often called by way of distinction, Southern Buddhism), differ
very greatly from the Buddhism of China and Japan (called Northern
Buddhism). The same religion has a still different form in Thibet.
It is a part of our plan to look into these religions as they existed
in their beginnings and in their growths, and so to present a complete
picture. The life of a religion is not to be found in its sacred books
only, but in the life, worship and habits of thought of its followers.
From the idols, temples, worship, festivals and religious customs of
the every-day life of the household or business circles, we can gain
a yet more perfect picture. The traditions, legends and superstitious
practices of the people generally contain those facts which are most
widely accepted. The folk-lore, fireside stories, children’s tales,
the myths and songs of any people contain the principal ideas of their
religion. Thus we propose to try to present as perfect a picture as
possible of the various heathen religions of the past and present, and
we trust the effort may succeed.
A CONCISE VIEW.
Let us take a glimpse of the roads over which we shall now travel.
Heretofore we have followed but _one_ wide road. From this other
roads begin to branch off, and by-roads in turn occasionally. It will
not be difficult to follow these paths, however, if at the outset we
place ourselves where we can take a bird’s-eye view of the whole and
pursue our way steadily to the end.
PARSEEISM.
For some time after the confusion of tongues the nations remained in
the vicinity of the tower of Babel. Then they began to disperse, all
but one nation. This one journeyed only a short distance to the south
and founded the empires of Assyria and Babylon, the Persia of later
days. Here we find traces of that idolatrous worship which soon passed
into Parseeism. Zoroaster was the man who was instrumental in reforming
the ancient Assyrian religion. Zoroaster retained the worship of the
sun and of fire, and taught that there were two gods, a good god and an
evil god, Ormuzd and Ahriman. There are only a few Parsees left to-day
and the old Assyrian religion is entirely extinguished.
AFRICAN RELIGION.
The nations who passed south-west across Northern Arabia and Sinai,
finally came to Africa. In Egypt we find relics of a very high
civilization, and they seem to indicate that one of the greatest of
the nations of the earth settled there. Their worship was of the sun,
moon and stars and of animals. The River Nile, upon which their very
life depended, was soon received as an object of worship. Some part of
those who came to Egypt wandered up the Nile and passed south and west
to Central Africa. Here they were brought in contact with nature in its
wildest forms. There was little need of tilling the soil for crops, as
nature produced of herself so abundantly in this tropical climate. The
heated atmosphere did away with the necessity either of substantial
dwellings or of more than a little clothing. Hence the nations had
little to do, and as the old proverb says, “Satan finds mischief for
idle hands to do,” he soon, evidently, set these nations to occupy
their time in quarreling among themselves. Thus the most brutal habits
were brought about and the traces of their original nobility and
civilization were rapidly destroyed. Theirs was a quick degeneration.
Together with their civilization their religion decayed, until they
were left with a religion hardly worth the name, and were little above
the apes and gorillas inhabiting the wild woods about them. But they
could never become wholly animalized, they always retain some traces of
their religious faith.
WESTERN EUROPE.
The nations who passed north-west entered Germany and soon scattered
over Norway and Sweden and France, and finally across the channel
to the British Isles. Among these peoples, the Teutons, Celts,
Scandinavians and Gauls, the early nature-worship was long preserved.
Indeed traces of it are found even at the time of the birth of Christ.
The coldness of their climate, the severity of the storms gradually
developed them into a hardy race and finally led them to introduce
changes into their religious faith corresponding to their surroundings.
Their myths, legends and songs, as well as their more directly
religious worship, partook largely of the heroic element. Christianity
early overspread these lands and the early religions died out as
Christianity grew.
THE SOUTHERN MIGRATION.
One of the strongest of existing religions is found in the Brahminism
of India. This is the religion of the people who moved south-east
till they came to the Indus River. They settled along its banks until
they were well-established in their habits of life and religious
faith, and then some of them wandered away to the East, till they
came to the River Ganges, and settled in its valley. Others wandered
south, and soon the whole of India was occupied. These people kept up
communications with one another and preserved one language, though this
was modified in different parts of the country. Their religion retained
most of its features in common among them all. Early in their history
other Vedas, or sacred books, were written in addition to the Rig-Veda
or book of hymns to the gods. Other sacred books were added to these,
called Brahmanas and the laws of Manu. Their gods were multiplied,
temples and shrines were built. The larger rivers were believed to
be holy, and were, together with the crocodiles dwelling in them,
worshiped.
From India people wandered overland or across the Indian Ocean to
Burmah and Siam, and thence to the Malay Archipelago, and from there
to the Pacific Isles and America. These migrations (or wanderings)
occurred before the Hindu religion was developed. The peoples who thus
strayed away, carried with them the early worship of nature. We find
this still among many of the savage tribes of North and South America
and of the Pacific Isles. These tribes gradually became savage in the
same way as the African tribes. They possess traditions of an early
civilization.
BUDDHISM.
In India in the fifth century before Christ, the Hindu religion had
become a very poor religion indeed. It was at that time a mere system
of priestcraft. The nation groaned under the burdens which the priests
placed upon them. Then a man was raised up to reform this religion.
Sakya-Muni was born in the middle of the century; after attempting to
find in the Hindu religion that help which the people needed, he cast
it all aside and struck out for himself a new line of reasoning. He
called himself the Buddha, that is, the “Enlightened One.” Soon his
teachings were accepted in all India, going as far as Ceylon even. But
in India the priests soon triumphed over the new faith and Buddhism
was expelled and Brahminism re-established. Excepting the Jains, a
Buddhist sect in Western India, there are now no Buddhists in India
proper. In Ceylon it still remains. Buddha taught his disciples to
preach his teachings everywhere. So they went to Burmah (from Ceylon)
not long after Buddha’s death. From there it spread East to Siam,
and North-east up the Irrawady River along the route that the Chinese
traders were accustomed to pass over. From China it entered Japan. The
Tripitakas, or “Three Baskets,” as they are designated, are the sacred
books of the Buddhists.
CHINA’S RELIGIONS.
The Chinese legends say that Noah was their first emperor. Whether this
be true or not, we know that China, like Egypt, was early settled and
possessed a high civilization. The nations moved from Persia in the
West until they came to the great Hoang Ho River; along its banks, and
to the north and south of it, they settled. Of their early religion we
know but little. The great sage Confucius (or Kong the teacher), was
born somewhere about 551 before Christ. He was a statesman reformer. He
was not a priest, nor even noted for piety. But he gathered together
the sayings of the ancients, and weaving in with them his own wisdom,
he produced the system now known as Confucianism. The books containing
his teachings, and those of his immediate disciples, are called the
King.
A little before Confucius, lived Lao-Tsze, a philosopher and
astrologer, who did something toward re-establishing the old religion,
and who also added new teachings. His weird system is called Taoism,
and its sacred books are the Tao-Te-King. Buddhism in China has taken
in with Buddha’s teachings the doctrines and gods of Confucius and
Lao-Tsze.
SHINTOISM IN JAPAN.
The early inhabitants of Japan are supposed to be the Ainos, a race
now almost extinguished. The few that are left live in Yezo, the
northernmost island of Japan. Many sailors from the islands of the
Malayan Archipelago were washed upon the shores of Japan and soon mixed
in with the Ainos. They gradually became stronger and stronger and,
finally, the children of the mixed races conquered the entire land. The
Japanese retained their early nature-worship, which is called Shinto,
or Kami-no-michi, the “way of the gods,” until Buddhism came in to
disturb its hold upon the people’s hearts. Buddhism entered Japan in
552 after Christ.
MOHAMMEDANISM.
About five hundred years after Christianity was established, it had
degenerated in most parts of Arabia and Syria into a system for the
worship of saints and relics. The people of Arabia were given from the
earliest times to idolatry. Mohammed was born 570 A.D. He built upon
the ruins of Judaism, Christianity and the Arabian idolatrous worship,
the system called Mohammedanism. His motto was (and it contains the
sum and substance of his teachings) “There is no God but God, and
Mohammed is his prophet.” He began a vigorous crusade against idols
and relic-worship. At first he sought to extend his system by teaching
only, afterwards he used the sword. From Arabia his religion spread to
Turkey, to India, to Egypt and Africa, and even to China.
CHRISTIANITY’S CONQUESTS.
Christianity is _the_ religion for the world. It is infinitely
superior to all religions of either past or present. It was intended
to be the world-religion. Its founder, Jesus Christ, designed that it
should be spread over the whole world, and gave His disciples their
marching-orders before He left them at His ascension. They were bidden
to go into all the world and preach His gospel to every creature. They
were assured of His assistance and of final success. Without any of
the power of pomp or wealth, or wisdom, or numbers, the little band
undertook to obey their orders. They have spread from land to land,
until their camp-fires have been kindled almost all around the globe.
Their triumphs have been gained by the powers of persuasion. Their past
history is grand, their present outlook glorious, and their future
prospects full of assurance.
Now let us take up more in detail these various systems. Retracing
the roads we have hurried over let us start afresh and proceed more
leisurely to study the religious life of mankind, and especially as it
is associated with false gods and idols.
[Illustration:
=========================================================================
| | |
| | CHRISTIANS. |
| BUDDHISTS. | |
| | 327,000,000. |
| | |
| | |
| 500,000,000. | Of which |
| | |
| ---- | Roman Catholics have |
| | 152,000,000; |
| | |
| Including the Chinese, | Greek Church, |
| who are also Confucianists | 75,000,000; |
| and Taoists, as well as | |
| Buddhists. | Other Christians, |
| | 100,000,000. |
| | ----------------- |
| | Found all over the world. |
| | |
| ---------- |--------------------------------------|
| | HINDOOS. |
| Found in India, Ceylon, | |
| Burmah, Siam, Thibet, China, | 160,000,000. |
| and Japan. | |
| | ------ |
| | |
| | Found only in India. |
| | |
|--------------------------------+--------------------------------------|
| | JEWS, 7,000,000. |
| MOHAMMEDANS. |--------------------------------------|
| |Shintoists, Parsees, etc., 3,000,000. |
| 155,000,000. |--------------------------------------|
| |Fetichists, or Devil Worshipers. |
| Found in Arabia, Turkey, | 100,000,000. |
| Egypt, India, China, | These include the American |
| and Persia. | Indians, African races, |
| | and Pacific Islanders. |
| | |
=========================================================================
Comparative Exhibit of the Number of Followers of the Leading Systems
of Religious Faith.]