ETHICS AND RELIGION. 731 



generations which stood nearest the revelation were least affected 

 by it. 



Religion consists of creed and ritual. What is the origin and 

 nature of these facts ? The religious creed is the embodiment of 

 man's view of the supernatural constitution of the universe. It 

 defines the origin and nature of the powers which stand outside of 

 human life, and the manner in which they brought into being the 

 whole system of things ; it describes the character of the relations 

 between them and men, resulting from the attributes of the dei- 

 ties. From these premises the ritual law prescribes the processes 

 by which the favor of the supernatural powers is to be secured. 



The main article of the creed, the theology or doctrine of the 

 deity, is the result of reflection. Man demands a ground for the 

 external world, which he naturally at first thinks of as animated 

 by spirits like his own. To these spirits he ascribes passions such 

 as he is conscious of in his own nature. Every object becomes for 

 him a living creature ; he refers every phenomenon to an invisible 

 spiritual nature. In process of time he separates the agent from 

 the object or phenomenon, and regards it as an independent power, 

 endowed with such qualities as are suggested by the particular 

 conditions of the case. A deity thus arises, who is gradually in- 

 vested with a history. Myths which embody natural phenomena 

 or ritual processes, legends which spring from vague recollections 

 of historical occurrences, symbolical stories expressing ethical and 

 other thought gather around his person, and gradually build up 

 for him a distinct individuality. The qualities ascribed to him 

 are modified generation after generation and age after age in ac- 

 cordance with the social development of the community. Starting 

 from his undefined, primitive character, the deity becomes a war- 

 rior or a sage, malevolent or beneficent according to the conditions 

 which determine his growth. His ethical nature at any given time 

 will reflect the moral ideas of the community at that time. Man's 

 consciousness of the two opposing elements of good and evil in 

 nature will lead him to apportion beneficial and hurtful attributes 

 and acts among the gods. Those of them who are good will be 

 credited with the best qualities that men can think of, and the bad 

 will tend to become as bad as can be. The latter may then retain 

 their independence and autonomy (as in the Persian religion), or 

 they may bo degraded to a subordinate position and retain their 

 power and existence only through the sufferance of the supreme 

 Deity (as among the Hebrews). 



This process of constructing the deity supposes a parallel pro- 

 cess of self -analysis by man. He finds himself forced by all the 

 conditions of life to inquire into his own nature and needs, and 

 thus gradually builds up an anthropology. This belongs in itself 

 to the domain, not of religion, but of science. But it is the neces- 



