778 ECCLESIASTICAL INSTITUTIONS, 



merciless indiscriminate slaughter; and Samuel &quot;cried unto 

 the Lord all night &quot; because Saul, though he had &quot; utterly 

 destroyed &quot; the Amalekites, had not killed their king and all 

 their cattle : reminding us of the Fijian who, not having 

 done his utmost in slaying, worked himself into a &quot;religious 

 frenzy,&quot; calling out continually &quot; the god is angry with mo.&quot; 

 This preliminary brief survey prepares us to find that iu 

 early stages of social evolution along with sacerdotal fnnc- 

 tions go military functions. Let us look at these under 

 their leading aspects. 



629. The truth that in the normal order the chief, 

 who is originally the greatest warrior, is also the primitive 

 priest, implies union of military and sacerdotal functions in 

 the same person. At first the head fighter is the head 

 propitiator of the gods. The frescoes and inscriptions of 

 Egypt and Assyria, presenting the king as at once leader in 

 war and leader in worship, illustrate a connexion habitually 

 found. 



This connexion is even closer than at first appears; for 

 among the most important sacrifices made by kings to gods, 

 are those made on the eve of battle to gain divine favour, or 

 after victory in token of thanks. That is to say, the king 

 discharges his function of religious propitiator in the most 

 conspicuous way, at the time when his military headship 

 is exercised in the most conspicuous way. 



With but small modification, this connexion of func 

 tions is occasionally shown where the leadership in war is 

 not exercised by the ruling man or body, but by an 

 appointed general; for in such cases generals assume 

 priestly functions. The Mexicans furnished an instance. 

 The office of high-priest &quot; involved, almost always, the duties 

 of Tlacochcalcatl, or commander-in- chief of the army.&quot; 

 So was it with the ancient civilized peoples of Europe. At 

 Rome, &quot; before setting out on an expedition, the army being 

 assembled, the general repeated prayers and offered a sacri- 



