THE PRIMITIVE IDEA. OF GOD. 259 



precisely the same modification of a religious idea, that 

 of the promised seed of the woman, which underlies 

 all the biblical development of the doctrine of the 

 Saviour, and in corrupt forms figures in a host of 

 superstitions, both ancient and modern. 



Perhaps even the old Phoenicians, in the worship of 

 their Moloch, or Melkart, scarcely carried the idea of 

 mediatorial atonement to so tragic a pitch of grandeur 

 as did the Mexicans in their annual sacrifices to Tez- 

 catlipoca. Their priests selected one of the most beau- 

 tiful young men, at once a representative of the god 

 and a sacrifice, and after feasting and honouring him 

 as the impersonation of deity, slew him upon the high 

 altar in the presence of adoring thousands, and held 

 up his dripping heart as a sign that the sins of the 

 people were atoned for. 



The Messianic idea has, however, engrafted itself on 

 the American religions in quite another way. All the 

 Indian nations have traditions of a great benefactor, a 

 teacher of arts, and introducer of humanity and civili- 

 zation. Among the Peruvians he is Manco Capac ; 

 among the Mexicans, Quetzalcoatl ; among the Crees, 

 Gepuchican ; among the Micmacs, Glooscap ; and 

 the Iroquois form of the tradition forms the basis of 

 Longfellow's "Hiawatha." He is represented as a 

 benevolent hero, or demi-god of the olden time, who 

 has left the world or been spirited away, and is to re- 

 turn. We may compare him with Vishnu, Odin, and 

 Balder, with Horus, with Hercules, and a hundred 

 other heroes and demi-gods of the eastern continent, 



