RELIGIOUS RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT. 829 



increase iu the number of these supposed supernatural beings, 

 since the aggregate of them is now continually added to; 

 and there is a strengthening tendency to think of them 

 as everywhere around, and as causing all unusual occur* 

 rences. 



Differencies among the ascribed powers of ghosts soon 

 a rise. They naturally follow from observed differences among 

 the powers of living individuals. Hence it results that 

 while the propitiations of ordinary ghosts are made only 

 by their descendants, it comes occasionally to be thought 

 prudent to propitiate also the ghosts of the more dreaded 

 individuals, even though they have no claims of blood. 

 Quite early there thus begin those grades of supernatural 

 beings which eventually become so strongly marked. 



Habitual wars, which more than all other causes initiate 

 these first differentiations, go on to initiate further and 

 more decided ones. For with those compoundings of small 

 societies into greater ones, and re-compounding of these into 

 still greater, which war effects, there, of course, with the 

 multiplying gradations of power among living men, arises 

 the idea of multiplying gradations of power among their 

 ghosts. Thus in course of time are formed the conceptions 

 of the great ghosts or gods, the more numerous secondary 

 ghosts or demi-gods, and so on downwards a pantheon: 

 there being still, however, no essential distinction of kind ; as 

 we see in the calling of ordinary ghosts manes-gods by the 

 Romans and elohim by the Hebrews. Moreover, repeating 

 as the other life in the other world does, the life in this 

 world, in its needs, occupations, and social organization, there 

 arises not only a differentiation of grades among super 

 natural beings in respect of their powers, but also in respect 

 of their characters -and kinds of activity. There come to be 

 local gods, and gods reigning over this or that order. of phe 

 nomena ; there come to be good and evil spirits of various 

 qualities; and where there has been by conquest a posing 

 of one society upon another, each having its own system 



