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there IS a very slow amelioration； but the briefest glance at the history of the Christian churchesthe horrible rancours and revenges of the clergy and the sects against each other in the fourth and fifth centuries A。D。； the heresy…hunting crusades at Beziers and other places and the massacres of the Albigenses in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries； the witch…findings and burnings of the sixteenth and seventeenth； the hideous science…urged and bishop…blessed warfare of the twentieth horrors fully as great as any we can charge to the account of the Aztecs or the Babyloniansmust give us pause。 Nor must we forget that if there is by chance a substantial amelioration in our modern outlook with regard to these matters the same had begun already before the advent of Christianity and can by no means be ascribed to any miraculous influence of that religion。 Abraham was prompted to slay a ram as a substitute for his son； long before the Christians were thought of； the rather savage Artemis of the old Greek rites was （according to Pausanias）＇1＇ honored by the yearly sacrifice of a perfect boy and girl； but later it was deemed sufficient to draw a knife across their throats as a symbol； with the result of spilling only a few drops of their blood； or to flog the boys （with the same result） upon her altar。 Among the Khonds in old days many victims （meriahs） were sacrificed to the gods； 〃but in time the man was replaced by a horse； the horse by a bull； the bull by a ram； the ram by a kid； the kid by fowls； and the fowls by many flowers。〃＇2＇ At one time； according to the Yajur…Veda； there was a festival at which one hundred and twenty…five victims； men and women； boys and girls； were sacrificed； 〃but reform supervened； and now the victims were bound as before to the stake； but afterwards amid litanies to the immolated （god） Narayana； the sacrificing priest brandished a knife and severed the bonds of the captives。〃＇3＇ At the Athenian festival of the Thargelia； to which I referred in the last chapter； it appears that the victims； in later times； instead of being slain； were tossed from a height into the sea； and after being rescued were then simply banished； while at Leucatas a similar festival the fall of the victim was graciously broken by tying feathers and even living birds to his body。＇4＇
＇1＇ vii。 19； and iii。 8； 16。
＇2＇ Primitive Folk； by Elie Reclus （Contemp。 Science Series）； p。 330。
＇3＇ Ibid。
＇4＇ Muller's Dorians Book II； ch。 ii； par。 10。
With the lapse of time and the general progress of mankind； we may； I think； perceive some such slow ameliorations in the matter of the brutality and superstition of the old religions。 How far any later ameliorations were due to the direct influence of Christianity might be a difficult question； but what I think we can clearly seeand what especially interests us hereis that in respect to its main religious ideas； and the matter underlying them （exclusive of the MANNER of their treatment； which necessarily has varied among different peoples） Christianity is of one piece with the earlier pagan creeds and is for the most part a re…statement and renewed expression of world…wide doctrines whose first genesis is lost in the haze of the past； beyond all recorded history。
I have illustrated this view with regard to the doctrine of Sin and Sacrifice。 Let us take two or three other illustrations。 Let us take the doctrine of Re…birth or Regeneration。 The first few verses of St。 John's Gospel are occupied with the subject of salvation through rebirth or regeneration。 〃Except a man be born again； he cannot see the kingdom of God。〃 。 。 。 〃Except a man be born of water and the Spirit； he cannot enter into the kingdom of God。〃 Our Baptismal Service begins by saying that 〃forasmuch as all men are conceived and born in sin； and that our Saviour Christ saith； None can enter into the kingdom of God except he be regenerate and born anew of water and the Holy Ghost〃； therefore it is desirable that this child should be baptized； 〃received into Christ's Holy Church； and be made a lively member of the same。〃 That； is to say； there is one birth； after the flesh； but a second birth is necessary； a birth after the Spirit and into the Church of Christ。 Our Confirmation Service is simply a service repeating and confirming these views； at an age （fourteen to sixteen or so） when the boy or girl is capable of understanding what is being done。
But our Baptismal and Confirmation ceremonies combined are clearly the exact correspondence and parallel of the old pagan ceremonies of Initiation； which are or have been observed in almost every primitive tribe over the world。 〃The rite of the second birth；〃 says Jane Harrison；＇1＇ 〃is widespread； universal； over half the savage world。 With the savage to be twice…born is the rule。 By his first birth he comes into the world； by his second he is born into his tribe。 At his first birth he belongs to his mother and the women…folk； at his second he becomes a full…fledged man and passes into the society of the warriors of his tribe。〃 。 。 。 〃These rites are very various； but they all point to one moral； that the former things are passed away and that the new…born man has entered upon a new life。 Simplest of all； and most instructive； is the rite practised by the Kikuyu tribe of British East Africa； who require that every boy； just before circumcision； must be born again。 The mother stands up with the boy crouching at her feet； she pretends to go through all the labour pains； and the boy on being reborn cries like a babe and is washed。〃＇2＇
＇1＇ Ancient Art and Ritual； p。 104。
＇2＇ See also Themis； p。 21。
Let us pause for a moment。 An Initiate is of course one who 〃enters in。〃 He enters into the Tribe； he enters into the revelation of certain Mysteries； he becomes an associate of a certain Totem； a certain God； a member of a new Society； or Churcha church of Mithra； or Dionysus or Christ。 To do any of these things he must be born again； be must die to the old life； he must pass through ceremonials which symbolize the change。 One of these ceremonials is washing。 As the new…born babe is washed； so must the new…born initiate be washed； and as by primitive man （and not without reason） BLOOD was considered the most vital and regenerative of fluids； the very elixir of life； so in earliest times it was common to wash the initiate with blood。 If the initiate had to be born anew； it would seem reasonable to suppose that he must first die。 So； not unfrequently； he was wounded； or scourged； and baptized with his own blood； or； in cases； one of the candidates was really killed and his blood used as a substitute for the blood of the others。 No doubt HUMAN sacrifice attended the earliest initiations。 But later it was sufficient to be half…drowned in the blood of a Bull as in the Mithra cult；＇1＇ or 'washed in the blood of the Lamb' as in the Christian phraseology。 Finally； with a growing sense of decency and aesthetic perception among the various peoples； washing with pure water came in the initiation…ceremonies to take the place of blood； and our baptismal service has reduced the ceremony to a mere sprinkling with water。＇2＇
＇1＇ See ch。 iii。
＇2＇ For the virtue supposed to reside in b