70 SEMITIC LANGUAGE 



intermediary in which Semitic ideas may have penetrated to remote 

 peoples, as, for example, to the Incas or the Indian tribes of our own 

 continent. 



The most that can be said is that in certain particulars there may 

 be found in all religions concepts similar to those held by the Semites 

 at certain stages of their development. Neither, on the other hand, 

 does our subject necessarily limit us to a consideration of the relation 

 of Semitics to those great religions which fall either entirely within 

 the field of Semitics, such as the Babylonian, Israelitish, and Jewish, 

 or to the various forms of Christianity which are based upon the 

 religious ideas of the Semites, and more especially upon those of 

 Israel and Judah. The subject calls for a discussion not of Semitics 

 in relation to religions, but in its relations to religion. 



The subject tacitly and properly assumes that religion is natural 

 to man, and, if so, that men are universally religious. This fact 

 also bears upon the subject. Go the wide world around, if you have 

 any doubt about that. Pass through its cities, its towns and hamlets 

 and rural regions, and note on every hand what myriad mute, yet 

 convincing, testimonies there are to the religious nature of man. 

 Here are its grand cathedrals; on every street arise its pointing 

 spires, its mosques and minarets, its temples and pagodas; on high- 

 way and byway are its chapels, its capellas of saints, its sacred 

 stones. Or, reflect a little along historical lines. How much, for 

 example, of the best artistic creation of the ancient Babylonians and 

 Assyrians drew its inspiration from the religious spirit and relig- 

 ious genius? The fervor of adoration was felt in every chisel-stroke 

 which brought to form their imaginary deities, and their religious 

 sense found finest satisfaction in weaving into their decorative 

 work their conventionalized sacred trees and other emblems of their 

 religious world. With the exception, perhaps, of the animal form, 

 which they studied closely from nature, they are at their best in the 

 religious sphere. Look at the Greeks, the world's preceptors in this 

 region, to whom, more than to any others, it was "the eternal law 

 that first in beauty shall be first in might." Their art was born of 

 their religion. By art they bodied forth their gods, and gave to 

 them most glorious form. By the perfect sculpture of their temples 

 they strove to express the excellency of their religion. 



Literature brings unimpeachable witness to the same fact. Even 

 their letters, said the ancients, they learned in the kindergarten of 

 the gods. As their art did, so their literature drew much of its power, 

 permanence, and beauty from religion. Peasant and prince alike 

 have been caught up by its power and taught majestic speech. The 

 Chrysostoms of Judaism were its prophets, and its national library 

 its books on religion. And these, mark you, have preserved its 

 people in their solidarity through all the catastrophes of war, 



