the evolution of theology-第4章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



It　was　against　this　use　of　idolatrous　symbols　and　emblems　in　a

monotheistic　worship　that　the　second　commandment　was

directed；　whereas　the　first　is　aimed　against　the　graver　sin　of

direct　polytheism。　But　the　whole　history　of　Israel　shows　how

utterly　and　how　early　the　law　must　have　fallen　into　desuetude。

The　worship　of　the　golden　calf　and　of　the　calves　at　Dan　and

Bethel；　against　which；　so　far　as　we　know；　neither　Elijah　nor

Elisha　said　a　single　word；　the　tolerance　of　high　places；

teraphim　and　betylia；　the　offering　of　incense　for　centuries　to

the　brazen　serpent　destroyed　by　Hezekiah；　the　occasional

glimpses　of　the　most　startling　irregularities　sanctioned

apparently　even　in　the　temple　worship　itself；　prove　most

decisively　that　a　pure　monotheism　and　an　independence　of　symbols

was　the　result　of　a　slow　and　painful　course　of　God's　disciplinal

dealings　among　the　noblest　thinkers　of　a　single　nation；　and　not；

as　is　so　constantly　and　erroneously　urged；　the　instinct　of　the

whole　Semitic　race；　in　other　words；　one　single　branch　of　the

Semites　was　under　God's　providence　educated　into　pure

monotheism　only　by　centuries　of　misfortune　and　series　of

inspired　men　（vol。　iii。　p。　986）。





It　appears　to　me　that　the　researches　of　the　anthropologist　lead

him　to　conclusions　identical　in　substance；　if　not　in　terms；　with

those　here　enunciated　as　the　result　of　a　careful　study　of　the

same　subject　from　a　totally　different　point　of　view。



There　is　abundant　evidence　in　the　books　of　Samuel　and　elsewhere

that　an　article　of　dress　termed　an　ephod　was　supposed　to

have　a　peculiar　efficacy　in　enabling　the　wearer　to　exercise

divination　by　means　of　Jahveh…Elohim。　Great　and　long　continued

have　been　the　disputes　as　to　the　exact　nature　of　the　ephod

whether　it　always　means　something　to　wear；　or　whether　it

sometimes　means　an　image。　But　the　probabilities　are　that　it

usually　signifies　a　kind　of　waistcoat　or　broad　zone；　with

shoulder…straps；　which　the　person　who　〃inquired　of　Jahveh〃　put

on。　In　1　Samuel　xxiii。　2　David　appears　to　have　inquired　without

an　ephod；　for　Abiathar　the　priest　is　said　to　have　〃come　down

with　an　ephod　in　his　hand〃　only　subsequently。　And　then　David

asks　for　it　before　inquiring　of　Jahveh　whether　the　men　of　Keilah

would　betray　him　or　not。　David's　action　is　obviously　divination

pure　and　simple；　and　it　is　curious　that　he　seems　to　have　worn

the　ephod　himself　and　not　to　have　employed　Abiathar　as　a　medium。

How　the　answer　was　given　is　not　clear　though　the　probability　is

that　it　was　obtained　by　casting　lots。　The　Urim　and

Thummim　seem　to　have　been　two　such　lots　of　a　peculiarly

sacred　character；　which　were　carried　in　the　pocket　of　the　high

priest's　〃breastplate。〃　This　last　was　worn　along　with　the　ephod。



With　the　exception　of　one　passage　（1　Sam。　xiv。　18）　the　ark　is

ignored　in　the　history　of　Saul。　But　in　this　place　the　Septuagint

reads　〃ephod〃　for　ark；　while　in　1　Chronicles　xiii。　3　David　says

that　〃we　sought　not　unto　it　＇the　ark＇　in　the　days　of　Saul。〃

Nor　does　Samuel　seem　to　have　paid　any　regard　to　the　ark　after

its　return　from　Philistia；　though；　in　his　childhood；　he　is　said

to　have　slept　in　〃the　temple　of　Jahveh；　where　the　ark　of　Elohim

was〃　（1　Sam。　iii。　3）；　at　Shiloh　and　there　to　have　been　the　seer

of　the　earliest　apparitions　vouchsafed　to　him　by　Jahveh。

The　space　between　the　cherubim　or　winged　images　on　the　canopy　or

cover　（Kapporeth）　of　this　holy　chest　was　held　to　be　the

special　seat　of　Jahvehthe　place　selected　for　a　temporary

residence　of　the　Supreme　Elohim　who　had；　after　Aaron　and

Phineas；　Eli　and　his　sons　for　priests　and　seers。　And；　when　the

ark　was　carried　to　the　camp　at　Eben…ezer；　there　can　be　no　doubt

that　the　Israelites；　no　less　than　the　Philistines；　held　that

〃Elohim　is　come　into　the　camp〃　（iv。　7）；　and　that　the　one；　as

much　as　the　other；　conceived　that　the　Israelites　had　summoned　to

their　aid　a　powerful　ally　in　〃these　（or　this）　mighty　Elohim〃

elsewhere　called　Jahve…Sabaoth；　the　Jahveh　of　Hosts。　If　the

〃temple〃　at　Shiloh　was　the　pentateuchal　tabernacle；　as　is

suggested　by　the　name　of　〃tent　of　meeting〃　given　to　it　in

1　Samuel　ii。　22；　it　was　essentially　a　large　tent；　though

constituted　of　very　expensive　and　ornate　materials；　if；　on　the

other　hand；　it　was　a　different　edifice；　there　can　be　little

doubt　that　this　〃house　of　Jahveh〃　was　built　on　the　model　of　an

ordinary　house　of　the　time。　But　there　is　not　the　slightest

evidence　that；　during　the　reign　of　Saul；　any　greater　importance

attached　to　this　seat　of　the　cult　of　Jahveh　than　to　others。

Sanctuaries；　and　〃high　places〃　for　sacrifice；　were　scattered　all

over　the　country　from　Dan　to　Beersheba。　And；　as　Samuel　is　said

to　have　gone　up　to　one　of　these　high　places　to　bless　the

sacrifice；　it　may　be　taken　for　tolerably　certain　that　he　knew

nothing　of　the　Levitical　laws　which　severely　condemn　the　high

places　and　those　who　sacrifice　away　from　the　sanctuary　hallowed

by　the　presence　of　the　ark。



There　is　no　evidence　that；　during　the　time　of　the　Judges　and　of

Samuel；　any　one　occupied　the　position　of　the　high　priest　of

later　days。　And　persons　who　were　neither　priests　nor　Levites

sacrificed　and　divined　or　〃inquired　of　Jahveh；〃　when　they

pleased　and　where　they　pleased；　without　the　least　indication

that　they；　or　any　one　else　in　Israel　at　that　time；　knew　they

were　doing　wrong。　There　is　no　allusion　to　any　special　observance

of　the　Sabbath；　and　the　references　to　circumcision　are　indirect。



Such　are　the　chief　articles　of　the　theological　creed　of　the　old

Israelites；　which　are　made　known　to　us　by　the　direct　evidence　of

the　ancient　record　to　which　we　have　had　recourse；　and　they　are

as　remarkable　for　that　which　they　contain　as　for　that　which　is

absent　from　them。　They　reveal　a　firm　conviction　that；　when　death

takes　place；　a　something　termed　a　soul　or　spirit　leaves　the　body

and　continues　to　exist　in　Sheol　for　a　period　of　indefinite

duration；　even　though　there　is　no　proof　of　any　belief　in

absolute　immortality；　that　such　spirits　can　return　to　earth　to

possess　and　inspire　the　living；　that　they　are；　in　appearance　and

in　disposition；　likenesses　of　the　men　to　whom　they　belonged；　but

that；　as　spirits；　they　have　larger　powers　and　are　freer　from

physical　limitations；　that　they　thus　form　a　group　among　a　number

of　kinds　of　spiritual　existences　known　as　Elohim；　of　whom

Jahveh；　the　national　God　of　Israel；　is　one；　that；　consistently

with　this　view；　Jahveh　was　conceived　as　a　sort　of　spirit；　human

in　aspect　and　in　senses；　and　with　many　human　passions；　but　with

immensely　greater　intelligence　and　power　than　any　other　Elohim；

whether　human　or　divine。　Further；　the　evidence　proves　that　this

belief　was　the　basis　of　the　Jahveh…worship　to　which　Samuel　and


his　followers　were　devoted；　that　there　is　strong　reason　for

believing；　and　none　for　doubting；　that　idolatry；　in　the　shape　of

the　worship　of　the　family　gods　or　teraphim；　was　practised　by

sincere　and　devout　Jahveh…worshippers；　that　the　ark；　with　its

protective　tent　or　tabernacle；　was　regarded　as　a　specially；　but

by　no　means　exclusively；　favoured　sanctuary　of　Jahveh；　that　the

ephod　appears　to　have　had　a　particular　value　for　those　who

desired　to　divine　by　the　help　of　Jahveh；　and　that　divination　by

lots　was　practised　before　Jahveh。　On　the　other　hand；　there　is

not　the　slightest　evidence　of　any　belief　in　retribution　after

death；　but　the　contrary；　ritual　obligations　have　at　least　as

strong　sanction　as　moral；　there　are　clear　indications　that　some

of　the　most　stringent　of　the　Levitical　laws　were　unknown　even　to

Samuel；　priests　often　appear　to　be　superseded　by　laymen；　even　in

the　performance　of　sacrifices　and　divination；　and　no　line　of

demarcation　can　be　drawn　between　necromancer；　wizard；　seer；

prophet；　and　priest；　each　of　whom　is　regarded；　like　all　the

rest；　as　a　medium　of　communication　between　the　world　of　Elohim

and　that　of　living　men。



The　theological　system　thus　defined　offers　to　the　anthropologist

no　feature　which　is　devoid　of　a　parallel　in　the　known　theologies

of　other　races　of　mankind；　even　of　those　who　inhabit　parts　of

the　world　most　remote　from　Palestine。　And　the　foundation　of　the

whole；　the　ghost　theory；　is　exactly　that　theological　speculation

which　is　the　most　widely　spread　of　all；　and　the　most　deeply

rooted　among　uncivilised　men。　I　am　able　to　base　this　statement；

to　some　extent；　on　facts　within　my　own　knowledge。　In　December

1848；　H。M。S。　Rattlesnake；　the　ship　to　which　I　then

belonged；　was　anchored　off　Mount　Ernest；　an　island　in　Torres

Straits。　The　people　were　few　and　well　disposed；　and；　when　a

friend　of　mine　（whom　I　will　call　B。）　and　I　went　ashore；　we　made

acquaintance　with　an　old　native；　Paouda　by　name。　In　course　of

time　we　became　quite　intimate　with　the　old　gentleman；　partly　by

the　rendering　of　mutual　good　offices；　but　chiefly　because　Paouda

believed　he　had　discovered　that　B。　was　his　father…in…law。

And　his　grounds　for　this　singular　conviction　were　very

remarkable。　We　had　made　a　long　stay　at　Cape　York　hard　by；

and；　in　accordance　with　a　theory　which　is　widely　spread　among

the　Australians；　that　white　men　are　the　reincarnated　spirits　of

black　men；　B。　was　held　to　be　the　ghost；　or　narki；　of　a

certain　Mount　Ernest　native；　one　Antarki；　who　had　lately　died；

on　the　ground　of　some　real　or　fancied　resemblance　to　the　latter。

Now　Paouda　had　taken　to　wife　a　daughter　of　Antarki's；　named

Domani；　and　as　soon　as　B。　informed　him　that　he　was　the　ghost　of

Antarki；　Paouda　at　once　admitted　the　relationship　and　acted　upon

it。　For；　as　all　the　women　on　the　island　had　hidden　away　in　fear

of　the　ship；　and　we　were　anxious　to　see　what　they　were　like；　B。

pleaded　pathetically　with　Paouda　that　it　would　be　very　unkind

not　to　let　him　see　his　daughter　and　grandchildren。　After　a　good

deal　of　hesitation　and　the　exaction　of　pledges　of　deep　secrecy；

Paouda　consented　to　take　B。；　and　myself　as　B。's　friend；　to　see

Domani　and　the　three　daughters；　by　whom　B。　was　received　quite　as

one　of　the　family；　while　I　was　courteously　welcomed　on

his　account。



This　scene　made　an　impression　upon　me　which　is　not　yet　effaced。

It　left　no　question　on　my　mind　of　the　sincerity　of　the　strange

ghost　theory　of　these　savages；　and　of　the　influence　which　their

belief　has　on　their　practical　life。　I　had　it　in　my　mind；　as　well

as　many　a　like　result　of　subsequent　anthropological　studies；

when；　in　1869；　I　wrote　as　follows：





There　are　savages　without　God　in　any　proper　sense　of　the　word；

but　none　without　ghosts。　And　the　Fetishism；　Ancestor…worship；

Hero…worship；　and　Demonology　of　primitive　savages　are　all；　I

believe；　different　manners　of　expression　of　their　belief　in

ghosts；　and　of　the　anthropomorphic　interpretation　of　out…of…the…

way　events　which　is　its　concomitant。　Witchcraft　and　sorcery　are

the　practical　expressions　of　these　beliefs；　and　they　stand　in

the　same　relation　to　religio