34: THE ORIGIN OF ANDIAL-WOKSHIP. 



in one caso only, we might set it down to some whim of 

 thought or some illusive occurrence. But appearing as it 

 does with multitudinous variations among so many un 

 civilized races in different parts of the world, and having 

 left equally numerous traces in the superstitions of the 

 extinct civilized races, we cannot assume any special or 

 exceptional cause. Moreover, the general cause, whatever 

 it may be, must be such as does not negative an aboriginal 

 intelligence essentially like our own. After studying the 

 grotesque beliefs of savages, we are apt to suppose that 

 their reason is not as our reason. But this supposition is 

 inadmissible. Given the amount of knowledge which 

 primitive men possess, and given the imperfect verbal 

 symbols used by them in speech and thought, and the con 

 clusions they habitually reach will be those that are rela 

 tively the most rational. This must be our postulate; 

 and, setting out with this postulate, we have to ask how 

 primitive men came so generally, if not universally, to be 

 lieve themselves the progeny of animals or plants or inani 

 mate bodies. There is, I believe, a satisfactory answer. 



The proposition with which Mr. McLennan sets out, 

 that totem-worship preceded the worship of anthropomor 

 phic gods, is one to which I can yield but a qualified as 

 sent. It is true in a sense, but not wholly true. If the 

 words &quot; gods &quot; and &quot; worship &quot; carry with them their or 

 dinary definite meanings, the statement is true; but if 

 their meanings are widened so as to comprehend those 

 earliest vague notions out of which the definite ideas of 

 gods and worship are evolved, I think it is not true. The 

 rudimentary form of all religion is the propitiation of dead 

 ancestors, who are supposed to be still existing, and to be 

 capable of working good or evil to their descendants. As 

 a preparation for dealing hereafter with the principles of 



