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ht： and I approached the presence of the Gods beneath and the Gods above； and stood near and worshipped them。〃 During the night things happened which must not be disclosed； but in the morning he came forth 〃consecrated by being dressed in twelve stoles painted with the figures of animals。〃＇1＇ He ascended a pulpit in the midst of the Temple； carrying in his right hand a burning torch； while a chaplet encircled his head； from which palm…leaves projected like rays of light。 〃Thus arrayed like the Sun； and placed so as to resemble a statue； on a sudden the curtains being drawn aside； I was exposed to the gaze of the multitude。 After this I celebrated the most joyful day of my initiation； as my natal day ＇day of the New Birth＇ and there was a joyous banquet and mirthful conversation。〃
＇1＇ An allusion no doubt to the twelve signs of the Zodiac； the pathway of the Sun； as well as to the practice of the ancient priests of wearing the skins of totem…animals in sign of their divinity。
One can hardly refuse to recognize in this account the description of some kind of ceremony which was supposed to seal the illumination of a man and his new birth into divinitythe animal origin； the circling of all experience； the terrors of death； and the resurrection in the form of the Sun； the symbol of all light and life。 The very word 〃illumination〃 carries the ideas of light and a new birth with it。 Reitzenstein in his very interesting book on the Greek Mysteries＇1＇ speaks over and over again of the illumination （） which was held to attend Initiation and Salvation。 The doctrine of Salvation indeed （） was； as we have already seen； rife and widely current in the Second Century B。 C。 It represented a real experience； and the man who shared this experience became a or divine man。＇2＇ In the Orphic Tablets the phrase 〃I am a child of earth and the starry heaven； but my race is of heaven （alone）〃 occurs more than once。 In one of the longest of them the dead man is instructed 〃after he has passed the waters （of Lethe） where the white Cypress and the House of Hades are〃 to address these very words to the guardians of the Lake of Memory while he asks for a drink of cold water from that Lake。 In another the dead person himself is thus addressed： 〃Hail； thou who hast endured the Suffering； such as indeed thou hadst never suffered before； thou hast become god from man！〃＇3＇ Ecstacy was the acme of the religious life； and； what is especially interesting to us； Salvation or the divine nature was open to all mento all； that is； who should go through the necessary stages of preparation for it。＇4＇
＇1＇ Die hellenistischen Mysterien…Religionen； by R。 Reitzenstein； Leipzig； 1910。
＇2＇ Reitzenstein； p。 12。
＇3＇ These Tablets （so…called） are instructions to the dead as to their passage into the other world； and have been found in the tombs； in Italy and elsewhere； inscribed on very thin gold plates and buried with the departed。 See Manual of Greek Antiquities by Percy Gardner and F。 B。 Jerome （1896）； also Prolegomena to Greek Religion by Jane E。 Harrison （1908）。
＇4＇ Reitzenstein； pp。 15 and 18； also S。 J。 Case； Evolution of Early Christianity； p。 301。
Reitzenstein contends （p。 26） that in the Mysteries； transfiguration （）； salvation （）； and new birth （） were often conjoined。 He says （p。 31）； that in the Egyptian Osiris…cult； the Initiate acquires a nature 〃equal to God〃 （）； the very same expression as that used of Christ Jesus in Philippians ii。 6； he mentions Apollonius of Tyana and Sergius Paulus as instances of men who by their contemporaries were considered to have attained this nature； and he quotes Akhnaton （Pharaoh of Egypt in 1375 B。C。） as having said； 〃Thou art in my heart； none other knows Thee； save thy son Akhnaton； Thou hast initiated him into thy wisdom and into thy power。〃 He also quotes the words of Hermes （Trismegistus）〃Come unto Me； even as children to their mother's bosom： Thou art I； and I am Thou； what is thine is mine； and what is mine is thine； for indeed I am thine image （）；〃 and refers to the dialogue between Hermes and Tat； in which they speak of the great and mystic New Birth and Union with the Allwith all Elements； Plants and Animals； Time and Space。
〃The Mysteries；〃 says Dr。 Cheetham very candidly； 〃influenced Christianity considerably and modified it in some important respects〃； and Dr。 Hatch； as we have seen； not only supports this general view； but follows it out in detail。＇1＇ He points out that the membership of the Mystery…societies was very numerous in the earliest times； A。D。； that their general aims were good； including a sense of true religion； decent life； and brotherhood； that cleanness from crime and confession were demanded from the neophyte； that confession was followed by baptism （） and THAT by sacrifice； that the term （illumination） was adopted by the Christian Church as the name for the new birth of baptism； that the Christian usage of placing a seal on the forehead came from the same source； that baptism itself after a time was called a mystery （）； that the sacred cakes and barley…drink of the Mysteries became the milk and honey and bread and wine of the first Christian Eucharists； and that the occasional sacrifice of a lamb on the Christian altar （〃whose mention is often suppressed〃） probably originated in the same way。 Indeed； the conception of the communion…table AS an altar and many other points of ritual gradually established themselves from these sources as time went on。＇2＇ It is hardly necessary to say more in proof of the extent to which in these ancient representations 〃things said〃 and 〃scenes enacted〃 forestalled the doctrines and ceremonials of Christianity。
＇1＇ See Hatch； op。 cit。； pp。 290 sq。
＇2＇ See Dionysus Areop。 （end of fifth century）； who describes the Christian rites generally in Mystery language （Hatch； 296）。
〃But what of the second group above…mentioned； the 〃things SHOWN〃？ It is not so easy naturally to get exact information concerning these； but they seem to have been specially holy objects； probably things connected with very ancient rituals in the pastsuch as sacred stones； old and rude images of the gods； magic nature…symbols； like that half…disclosed ear of corn above…mentioned （Ch。 V。）。 〃In the Temple of Isis at Philae；〃 says Dr。 Cheetham； 〃the dead body of Osiris is represented with stalks of corn springing from it； which a priest waters from a vessel。 An inscription says： 'This is the form of him whom we may not name； Osiris of the Mysteries who sprang from the returning waters' ＇the Nile＇。〃 Above all； no doubt； there were images of the phallus and the vulva； the great symbols of human fertility。 We have seen （Ch。 XII） that the lingam and the yoni are； even down to to…day； commonly retained and honored as holy objects in the S。 Indian Temples； and anointed with oil （some of them） for a very practical reason。 Sir J。 G。 Frazer； in his lately published volumes on The Folk…lore of the Old Testament； has a chapter （in vol。 ii） on the very numerous sacred stones of various shapes and sizes found or spoken of in P