748 ECCLESIASTICAL INSTITUTIONS. 



polytheistic ; and in the mystery plays of the Middle Ages 

 marks of polytheism were still more distinct. Nay, even 

 belief in a devil, conceived as an independent supernatural 

 being, implies surviving polytheism. Only by Unitarians of 

 the advanced type, and by those who are called theists, is a 

 pure monotheism accepted. 



Further, we may remark that where polytheism under 

 its original form has been suppressed by a monotheism more 

 or less complete, it habitually revives under a new form. 

 Though the followers of Mahomet shed their own blood and 

 the blood of others, to establish everywhere the worship 

 of one god, the worship of minor gods has grown up afresh 

 among them. Not only do the Bedouins make sacrifices 

 at saints tombs, but among more civilized Mahometans there 

 is worship of their deceased holy men at shrines erected 

 to them. Similarly, throughout mediaeval Christendom, 

 canonized priests and monks formed a new class of minor 

 deities. As now in Fiji &quot; nearly every chief has a god in 

 whom he puts special trust ; &quot; so, a few centuries back, every 

 knight had a patron saint to whom he looked for succour. 



That modifications of Ecclesiastical Institutions result from 

 causes of this kind, is sufficiently shown by the fact, so 

 familiar that we do not observe its significance, that churches 

 are named after, or dedicated to, saints ; and that such 

 churches &quot; as were built over the grave of any martyr, or 

 called by his name to preserve the memory of him, had 

 usually the distinguishing title of Martyrium, or Confessio, or 

 Memoria, given them for that particular reason.&quot; It may, 

 indeed, be alleged that these usages were rather survivals 

 than revivals ; since, as Mosheim says, the early Christian 

 bishops deliberately adopted them, believing tha.t &quot; the people 

 would more readily embrace Christianity &quot; if they &quot; saw that 

 Christ and the martyrs were worshipped in the same manner 

 as formerly their gods were.&quot; But taken either way the 

 facts show that monotheism, and the sacerdotal arrangements 

 proper to it, did not become complete. 



