780 ECCLESIASTICAL INSTITUTIONS. 



&quot;teaches them the place, time, and manner proper for attacking 

 wild beasts or the enemy. On an approaching combat, he rides round 

 the ranks, striking the air with a palm bough, and with a fierce counte 

 nance, threatening eyes, and affected gesticulations, imprecates evil on 

 their enemies.&quot; 



And we are told that among the Khonds 



&quot; The priest, who in no case bears arms, gives the signal to engage 

 after the latter offering, by flourishing an axe in the air, and shouting 

 encouragement to defiance.&quot; 



Tc raise the courage of the soldiers by hopes of help from 

 the gods, was in like manner a function of the priest among 

 Spartans. 



&quot; Every expedition and every council of war was preceded by a 

 sacrifice. A priest, called the fire-bearer (nvpffuj^os), carried before the 

 army a burning brand, which was kept always alight, taken from the 

 altar in Sparta on which the king had offered sacrifice to Zeus 

 Agetor.&quot; 



And the Hebrews similarly availed themselves of the 

 agency of the priest in promising supernatural aid; as 

 witness Deuteronomy, xx, 1 4 



&quot; And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the 

 priest shall approach and speak unto the people, And shall say unto 

 them, Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies : 

 let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye 

 terrified because of them ; for the Lord your God is he that goeth with 

 you to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.&quot; 



In some cases of which I have notes, the functions of the 

 priests who accompanied the armies, are not specified. On 

 the Gold Coast, where &quot; war is never undertaken by kings or 

 states without consulting the national deities,&quot; the &quot; fetish- 

 men accompany the warriors to the field.&quot; And Herrera 

 describes the armies of the Yucatanese as having &quot; two Wings 

 and a Center, where the Lord and the High Priest were.&quot; 

 But the military functions of the priest during active war, 

 are in other cases somewhat different. Among the primitive 

 Germans 



&quot;The maintenance of discipline in the field as in the council was 

 left in great measure to the priests ; they took the auguries and gave 



