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ng his hands palm upward and in a downward sloping position over a cauldron or furnace placed below。 The children； who had previously been borne in triumphal state on litters over the crowd and decorated with every ornamental device of feathers and flowers and wings； were placed one by one on the vast hands and ROLLED DOWN into the flamesas if the god were himself offering them。＇1＇ As the procession approached the temple； the members of it wept and danced and sang； and here again the abundance of tears was taken for a good augury of rain。＇2＇
＇1＇ It is curious to find that exactly the same story （of the sloping hands and the children rolled down into the flames） is related concerning the above…mentioned Baal image at Carthage （see Diodorus Siculus； xx。 14； also Baring Gould's Religious Belief； vol。 i； p。 375）。
＇2＇ 〃A los ninos que mataban； componianlos en muchos atavios para llevarlos al sacrificio； y llevabos en unas literas sobre los hombros； estas literas iban adornadas con plumages y con flores： iban tanendo； cantando y bailando delante de ellos 。 。 。 Cuando Ileviban los ninos a matar； si llevaban y echaban muchos lagrimas； alegrabansi los que los llevaban porque tomaban pronostico de que habian de tener muchas aguas en aquel ano。〃 Sahagun； Historia Nueva Espana； Bk。 II； ch。 i。
Bernal Diaz describes how he saw one of these monstrous figuresthat of Huitzilopochtli； the god of war； all inlaid with gold and precious stones； and beside it were 〃braziers； wherein burned the hearts of three Indians； torn from their bodies that very day； and the smoke of them and the savor of incense were the sacrifice。〃
Sahagun again （in Book II； ch。 5） gives a long account of the sacrifice of a perfect youth at Easter…timewhich date Sabagun connects with the Christian festival of the Resurrection。 For a whole year the youth had been held in honor and adored by the people as the very image of the god （Tetzcatlipoca） to whom he was to be sacrificed。 Every luxury and fulfilment of his last wish （including such four courtesans as he desired） had been granted him。 At the last and on the fatal day； leaving his companions and his worshipers behind； be slowly ascended the Temple staircase； stripping on each step the ornaments from his body； and breaking and casting away his flutes and other musical instruments； till； reaching the summit； he was stretched； curved on his back； and belly upwards； over the altar stone； while the priest with obsidian knife cut his breast open and； snatching the heart out； held it up； yet beating； as an offering to the Sun。 In the meantime； and while the heart still lived； his successor for the next year was chosen。
In Book II； ch。 7 of the same work Sahagun describes the similar offering of a woman to a goddess。 In both cases （he explains） of young man or young woman； the victims were richly adorned in the guise of the god or goddess to whom they were offered； and at the same time great largesse of food was distributed to all who needed。 ＇Here we see the connection in the general mind between the gift of food （by the gods） and the sacrifice of precious blood （by the people）。＇ More than once Sahagun mentions that the victims in these Mexican ceremonials not infrequently offered THEMSELVES as a voluntary sacrifice； and Prescott says＇1＇ that the offering of one's life to the gods was 〃sometimes voluntarily embraced； as a most glorious death opening a sure passage into Paradise。〃
＇1＇ Conquest of Mexico； Bk。 I； ch。 3。
Dr。 Frazer describes＇1＇ the far…back Babylonian festival of the Sacaea in which 〃a prisoner； condemned to death； was dressed in the king's robes； seated on the king's throne； allowed to issue whatever commands he pleased； to eat； drink and enjoy himself； and even to lie with the king's concubines。〃 But at the end of the five days he was stripped of his royal robes； scourged； and hanged or impaled。 It is certainly astonishing to find customs so similar prevailing among peoples so far removed in space and time as the Aztecs of the sixteenth century A。D。 and the Babylonians perhaps of the sixteenth century B。C。 But we know that this subject of the yearly sacrifice of a victim attired as a king or god is one that Dr。 Frazer has especially made his own； and for further information on it his classic work should be consulted。
＇1＇ Golden Bough； 〃The Dying God；〃 p。 114。 See also S。 Reinach； Cults； Myths and Religion； p。 94） on the martyrdom of St。 Dasius。
Andrew Lang also； with regard to the Aztecs； quotes largely from Sahagun； and summarizes his conclusions in the following passage： 〃The general theory of worship was the adoration of a deity； first by innumerable human sacrifices； next by the special sacrifice of a MAN for the male gods； of a WOMAN for each goddess。＇1＇ The latter victims were regarded as the living images or incarnations of the divinities in； each case； for no system of worship carried farther the identification of the god with the sacrifice ＇？ victim＇； and of both with the officiating priest。 The connection was emphasized by the priests wearing the newly…flayed skins of the victimsjust as in Greece； Egypt and Assyria； the fawn…skin or bull…hide or goat…skin or fish… skin of the victims is worn by the celebrants。 Finally； an image of the god was made out of paste； and this was divided into morsels and eaten in a hideous sacrament by those who communicated。〃＇2＇
＇1＇ Compare the festival of Thargelia at Athens； originally connected with the ripening of the crops。 A procession was formed and the first fruits of the year offered to Apollo； Artemis and the Horae。 It was an expiatory feast； to purify the State from all guilt and avert the wrath of the god ＇the Sun＇。 A man and a woman； as representing the male and female population； were led about with a garland of figs ＇fertility＇ round their necks； to the sound of flutes and singing。 They were then scourged； sacrificed； and their bodies burned by the seashore。 （Nettleship and Sandys。）
＇2＇ A Lang； Myth； Ritual and Religion； vol。 ii； p。 97。
Revolting as this whole picture is； it represents as we know a mere thumbnail sketch of the awful practices of human sacrifice all over the world。 We hold up our hands in horror at the thought of Huitzilopochtli dropping children from his fingers into the flames； but we have to remember that our own most Christian Saint Augustine was content to describe unbaptized infants as crawling for ever about the floor of Hell！ What sort of god； we may ask； did Augustine worship？ The Being who could condemn children to such a fate was certainly no better than the Mexican Idol。
And yet Augustine was a great and noble man； with some by no means unworthy conceptions of the greatness of his God。 In the same way the Aztecs were in many respects a refined and artistic people； and their religion was not all superstition and bloodshed。 Prescott says of them＇1＇ that they believed in a supreme Creator and Lord 〃omnipresent； knowing all thoughts； giving all gifts； without whom Man is as nothinginvisible； incorporeal； one God； of perfect perfection and purity； under whose wings we find repose and a sure defence。〃 How can we reconcile St。 Augustine with his own devilish creed； or the religious belief of the Az