33 On liturgic feasts in the religion of Cybele: _infra_, ch. II; in the
mysteries of Mithra: _Mon. myst. Mithra_, I. p. 320; in the Syrian cults:
ch. V, n. 37. See in general, Hepding, _Attis_, pp. 185 ff.
34 We know according to Herbert Spencer that the {223} progressive
differentiation of the ecclesiastic and lay functions is one of the
characteristics of religious evolution. In this regard Rome was far behind
the Orient.
35 An essential result of the researches of Otto (_op. cit._) is the proof
of the opposition existing in Egypt since the Ptolemies between the
hierarchic organization of the Egyptian clergy and the almost anarchical
autonomy of the Greek priests. See our remarks on the clergy of Isis and
the Galli. On the Mithraic hierarchy see our _Mysteries of Mithra_,
Chicago, 1903, p. 165.
36 The development of the conceptions of "salvation" and "saviour" after
the Hellenistic period has been studied by Wendland, [Greek: Sôtêr]
(_Zeitschrift für neutestam. Wissensch._, V, 1904, pp. 335 ff.). See also
Lietzmann, _Der Weltheiland_, Bonn, 1909. W. Otto, "Augustus [Greek:
Sôtêr]," _Hermes_, XLV, 1910, pp. 448 ff.
37 Later on we shall expound the two principal doctrines, that of the
Egyptian religions (identification with Osiris, god of the dead), and that
of the Syrian and Persian religions (ascension into heaven).
38 At that time man's fate after death was the one great interest. An
interesting example of the power of this idea is furnished by Arnobius. He
became converted to Christianity because, according to his peculiar
psychology, he feared that his soul might die, and believed that Christ
alone could protect him against final annihilation (cf. Bardenhewer,
_Gesch. der altkirchlichen Literatur_, II, 1903, p. 470.)
39 Lucretius had expressed this conviction (II, 1170 ff.). It spread to the
end of the empire as disasters multiplied; cf. _Rev. de philologie_, 1897,
p. 152.
40 Boissier, _Rel. rom._, I^3, p. 359; Friedländer, _Sittengesch._, I^6,
pp. 500 ff.