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ill…power they were conscious of in themselves。 This mysterious power in all things they called Wakonda； and through it all things were related to man and to each other。 In the idea of the continuity of life a relation was maintained between the seen and the unseen； the dead and the living； and also between the fragment of anything and its entirety。〃＇2＇ Thus an Omaha novice might at any time seek to obtain Wakonda by what was called THE RITE OF THE VISION。 He would go out alone； fast； chant incantations； and finally fall into a trance （much resembling what in modern times has been called COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS） in which he would perceive the inner relations of all things and the solidarity of the least object with the rest of the universe。
＇1＇ Summarized in Themis； pp。 68…71。
＇2＇ A。 C。 Fletcher； The Significance of the Scalp…lock； Journal of Anthropological Studies； xxvii （1897…8）； p。 436。
Another rite in connection with initiation； and common all over the pagan worldin Greece； America； Africa； Australia； New Mexico； etc。was the daubing of the novice all over with clay or chalk or even dung； and then after a while removing the same。＇1＇ The novice must have looked a sufficiently ugly and uncomfortable object in this state； but later； when he was thoroughly WASHED； the ceremony must have afforded a thrilling illustration of the idea of a new birth； and one which would dwell in the minds of the spectators。 When the daubing was done as not infrequently happened with white clay or gypsum； and the ritual took place at night； it can easily be imagined that the figures of young men and boys moving about in the darkness would lend support to the idea that they were spirits belonging to some intermediate worldwho had already passed through death and were now waiting for their second birth on earth （or into the tribe） which would be signalized by their thorough and ceremonial washing。 It will be remembered that Herodotus （viii） gives a circumstantial account of how the Phocians in a battle with the Thessalians smeared six hundred of their bravest warriors with white clay so that； looking like supernatural beings； and falling upon the Thessalians by night； they terrified the latter and put them to instant flight。
＇1＇ See A。 Lang's Myth； Ritual and Religion； i； 274 sq。
Such thenthough only very scantily describedwere some of the rites of Initiation and Second Birth celebrated in the old Pagan world。 The subject is far too large for adequate treatment within the present limits； but even so we cannot but be struck by the appropriateness in many cases of the teaching thus given to the young； the concreteness of the illustrations； the effectiveness of the symbols used； the dramatic character of the rites； the strong enforcement of lessons on the nature and duties of the life into which the candidates were about to enter。 Christianity followed on； and inherited these traditions； but one feels that in its ceremonies of Baptism and Confirmation； which of course correspond to the Pagan Initiations； it falls short of the latter。 Its ceremonies （certainly as we have them to…day in Protestant countries） are of a very milk…and…watery character； all allusion to and teaching on the immensely important subject of Sex is omitted； the details of social and industrial morality are passed by； and instruction is limited to a few rather commonplace lessons in general morality and religion。
It may be appropriate here； before leaving the subject of the Second Birth； to inquire how it has come about that this doctrineso remote and metaphysical as it might appearhas been taken up and embodied in their creeds and rituals by quite PRIMITIVE people all over the world； to such a degree indeed that it has ultimately been adopted and built into the foundations of the latter and more intellectual religions； like Hinduism； Mithraism； and the Egyptian and Christian cults。 I think the answer to this question must be found in the now…familiar fact that the earliest peoples felt themselves so much a part of Nature and the animal and vegetable world around them that （whenever they thought about these matters at all） they never for a moment doubted that the things which were happening all round them in the external world were also happening within themselves。 They saw the Sun； overclouded and nigh to death in winter； come to its birth again each year； they saw the Vegetation shoot forth anew in springthe revival of the spirit of the Earth； the endless breeding of the Animals； the strange transformations of Worms and Insects； the obviously new life taken on by boys and girls at puberty； the same at a later age when the novice was transformed into the medicine… manthe choupan into the angakok among the Esquimaux； the Dacotah youth into the wakan among the Red Indians； and they felt in their sub…conscious way the same everlasting forces of rebirth and transformation working within themselves。 In some of the Greek Mysteries the newly admitted Initiates were fed for some time after on milk only 〃as though we were being born again。〃 （See Sallustius； quoted by Gilbert Murray。） When sub…conscious knowledge began to glimmer into direct consciousness one of the first aspects （and no doubt one of the truest） under which people saw life was just thus： as a series of rebirths and transformations。＇1＇ The most modern science； I need hardly say； in biology as well as in chemistry and the field of inorganic Nature； supports that view。 The savage in earliest times FELT the truth of some things which we to…day are only beginning intellectually to perceive and analyze。
＇1＇ The fervent and widespread belief in animal metamorphoses among early peoples is well known。
Christianity adopted and absorbedas it was bound to dothis world…wide doctrine of the second birth。 Passing over its physiological and biological applications； it gave to it a fine spiritual significanceor rather it insisted especially on its spiritual significance； which （as we have seen） had been widely recognized before。 Onlyas I suppose must happen with all local religionsit narrowed the application and outlook of the doctrine down to a special case〃As in Adam all die； so in CHRIST shall all be made alive。〃 The Universal Spirit which can give rebirth and salvation to EVERY child of man to whom it comes； was offered only under a very special formthat of Jesus Christ。＇1＇ In this respect it was no better than the religions which preceded it。 In some respectsthat is； where it was especially fanatical； blinkered； and hostile to other sectsit was WORSE。 But to those who perceive that the Great Spirit may bring new birth and salvation to some under the form of Osiris； equally well as to others under the form of Jesus； or again to some under the form of a Siberian totem…Bear equally as to others under the form of Osiris； these questionings and narrowings fall away as of no importance。 We in this latter day can see the main thing； namely that Christianity was and is just one phase of a world…old religion； slowly perhaps expanding its scope； but whose chief attitudes and orientations have been the same through the centuries。
＇1＇ The same happened with regard to another great Pagan doctrine （to which I have just all