Introduction to the History of Religions Part 36

[186] The doctrine of reincarnation in India followed on that of Hades, and stood in a certain opposition to it. Cf.

Hopkins, _Religions of India_, pp. 204 ff., 530 n. 3; Bloomfield, _Religion of the Veda_, pp. 211, 252 ff.

[187] _Zoroastrian Studies_, p. 236. Prexaspes says that "if the dead rise again" Smerdis maybe the son of Cyrus. He may mean that this is not probable. Smerdis, he would in that case say, is certainly dead, and this pretender can be the son of Cyrus only in case the dead come to life.

[188] Diogenes Laertius in Muller, _Fragmenta Historicorum Gracorum_, i, 289; cf. Plutarch, _Isis and Osiris_, 47, and Herodotus, i, 131-140. See Spiegel, _Eranische Alterthumskunde_, ii 158 ff.

[189] Occasional reincarnation in human form is found elsewhere. The Mazdeans made it universal.

[190] There is no certain or probable reference to it in the Old Testament before this. Ezek. x.x.xvii, 1-14, is obviously a figurative prediction of national (not individual) resuscitation, and the obscure pa.s.sage Isa. xxvi, 19 seems to refer to the reestablishment of the nation, and in any case is not earlier than the fourth century B.C. and may be later.

[191] Dan. xii; 2 Macc. vii, 14; Enoch, xci, 10; xxii.

[192] 1 Cor. xv, 23; Rom. vi, 4; viii, 11; John vi, 54.

[193] Acts xxiv, 15; John v, 28 f.

[194] Apokatastasis (Col. i, 20; cf. Rom. xi, 32).

[195] Cf. Steinmetz, _Ethnologische Studien zur ersten Entwicklung der Strase_.

[196] Westermarck, _Moral Ideas_, ii, 234, 245 f.

[197] See below, on necromancy, -- 927.

[198] See -- 360 ff. (ancestor-worship) and -- 350 ff.

(divinization of deceased persons).

[199] In Egypt there grew up also an elaborate system of charms for the protection of the dead against hostile animals, especially serpents,--a body of magical texts that finally took the form of the "Book of the Dead" (Breasted, _History of Egypt_, pp. 69, 175; Steindorff, _Religion of the Ancient Egyptians_, p. 153 ff.).

[200] _catapatha Brahmana_, xii, 9, 3, 12. Cf. W. Ellis, _Polynesian Researches_, i, 193 f.

[201] Breasted, op. cit., p. 249.

[202] 1 Cor. xv, 29.

[203] 2 Macc. xii, 40 ff. Possibly the custom came to the Jews from Egypt. For later Jewish ideas on this point see _Jewish Encyclopedia_, article "Kaddish."

[204] Smith and Cheetham, _Dictionary of Christian Antiquities_, article "Canon of the Liturgy"; Hughes, _Dictionary of Islam_, article "Prayers for the Dead."

[205] On savage logic cf. Jevons, _Introduction to the History of Religion_, chap. iv.

[206] See -- 18 ff.

[207] See -- 635 ff.

[208] As to the efficiency of such tradition, compare the way in which mechanical processes are transmitted by older workmen to younger, always with the possibility of gradual improvement. In literary activity, also, tradition plays a great part; a young people must serve an apprenticeship before it can produce works of merit.

[209] Spencer, _Principles of Sociology_, i, sec. 35; Westermarck, _Human Marriage_, p. 43 ff.; Pridham, _Ceylon_, i, 454 (Veddas); _United States Exploring Expedition_, i, 124 (Fuegians); Fison and Howitt, _Kamilaroi and Kurnai_, p.

278 (Australian Grounditch); Fritsch, _Die Eingeborenen Sud-Afrikas_, p. 328 (Bushmen); Schoolcraft, _Indian Tribes of the United States_, i, 207 (North American Snake tribes); Rivet, in _The American Anthropologist_, 1909 ("The Jivaros of Ecuador").

[210] Cf. I. King, _The Development of Religion_, p. 66 ff.

[211] Even in higher forms of religion, as the Vedic, sacrifice and other ceremonies are supposed to have a magical power over the G.o.ds.

[212] This is a part of the belief in the mysterious energy (_mana_) potentially resident in all things.

[213] See, for example, the bird dances described by Haddon (_Head-hunters_, p. 358); compare W. Matthews, _Navaho Legends_, p. 83 al. Dances are now often given for the amus.e.m.e.nt of the public. Clowns often form a feature of such ceremonies; see Matthews, _Navaho Legends_, p. 230; R. B.

Dixon, _The Northern Maidu_ (_Bulletin of American Museum of Natural History_, xvii, part iii, p. 315 ff.).

[214] Howitt, in _Journal of the Anthropological Inst.i.tute_, xvi, 327 ff.

[215] Miss Fletcher, _Indian Ceremonies_, p. 263 n.

[216] Miss Kingsley, _Studies_, p. 126.

[217] E. F. im Thurn, _Indians of Guiana_, vii, iv, 5.

[218] E. F. im Thurn, op. cit., vi.

[219] Of the same simple festive nature as dances are the plays or sports that are not infrequent among savages and half-civilized tribes. In the Areoi dramatic performances priests are ridiculed (W. Ellis, _Polynesian Researches_, p.

187).

[220] Miss Fletcher, "Emblematic Use of the Tree in the Dakotan Group" (in _Proceedings of the American a.s.sociation for the Advancement of Science_, 1896).

[221] So among the hill tribes of North Arracan (_Journal of the Anthropological Inst.i.tute_, ii, 239) and the North American Indians (Featherman, _Races of Mankind_, division iii, part i, p. 37 etc.). Such dances are performed by the Tshi women in the absence of the men (A. B. Ellis, _The Tshi_, p. 226).

[222] See below, -- 903, on imitative magic.

[223] Riedel, in _Zeitschrift fur Ethnologie_, xvii.

[224] Haddon, _Head-hunters_, p. 139.

[225] _Journal of American Folklore_, xvii, 32. Cf. the dance for the benefit of a sick man (R. B. Dixon, "Some Shamans of Northern California," op. cit., xvii, 23 ff.).

[226] _Journal of American Folklore_, iv, 307. Cf. Will and Spinden, _The Mandans_, pp. 129 ff., 143 ff. The G.o.ds themselves, also, have their festive dances (W. Matthews, _Navaho Legends_, p. 83), and are sometimes represented as the authors of the sacred chants (ibid. p. 225).

[227] See W. Matthews, loc. cit.

[228] See, further, _Journal of American Folklore_, iii, 257; iv, 129; xii, 81 (basket dances); R. B. Dixon, _The Northern Maidu_, p. 183 ff. (numerous and elaborate, and sometimes economic); Robertson, _Kafirs of the Hindu-Kush_, chap. 33; N. W. Thomas, _Australia_, chap. 7. Thomas describes many Australian games, and Dixon (_The Shasta_, p.

441 ff.) Californian games. For stories told by the natives of Guiana see above, -- 106.

[229] 2 Sam. vi, 5.

[230] Tylor, _Primitive Culture_, ii, 133 f., 409 f.

[231] A. B. Ellis, _The Tshi_, p. 226.

[232] So, probably, the Old-Hebrew ark.