THE ABORIGINES OF NORTH AMERICA, 233 
But a modified belief of immortality is very general among 
these rude tribes. So with the sense of sin and the doctrine 
of sacrifice. These are taught by nature. They are not the 
last products of Christian civilisation, but are found in the 
low stages of savagery. The ethnic conscience seems to point 
to the same beliefs and doctrines as fundamental in the Bible, 
and in the natural constitution. 
II. The classification of the native religions is very sug- 
gestive. These religions may be divided by geographical 
districts into several classes. (1) Shamanism. This is the 
religion of the Hskimos, Aleutians, and many of the hyper- 
borean tribes. It is peculiar to the fishermen of the north, 
and is seldom found among other tribes. (2) Next to this 
is Animism. ‘This is more common among the hunters 
than any other class. It is found in its highest stage of 
development in the tribes which formerly inhabited the 
whole region which lies between Hudson Bay and the 
chain of the Great Lakes. It is a system which makes its 
abode in forests and amid rocks, and is a powerful super- 
stition. (3) Animal-worship is another system. This pre- 
vailed among the people which were given to the mingled 
hunting and agricultural life. It was most powerful among 
the tribes which formerly had their habitat between the chain 
of the Great Lakes and the Ohio River, and in the same 
belt of latitude as one goes farther west. (4) Sun-worship 
of an inferior kind was prevalent among the tribes south of 
this belt, including the Mobilian tribes on the Gulf Coast, and 
‘the Pueblo tribes of Colorado, Arizona, and Utah; also in 
Peru. It was also prevalent among the Mound Builders. (5) 
The Elemental worship, which included the rain, lightning, the 
god of death and of war. ‘This was common in Mexico and 
NewMexico. (6) Anthropomorphism, a religion which gave 
human attributes to the divinities, but assigned to them 
supernatural powers. This prevailed in Central America. 
These were the different religions which existed among the 
civilised and uncivilised tribes. Is it not surprising that, under 
such elaborate and well-organised systems, there ehowld have 
been so much of the natural effect of conscience ? most authori- 
ties agree on the point. Notwithstanding the superstitions 
which prevailed, and which resulted in so intricate ceremonies 
and mysteries, the individual conscience maintained its force, 
and often asserted itself in expressions which are quite mar- 
vellous in their resemblance to the thoughts contained in reve- 
lation. These are not the results of education, nor are they 
taught by a priesthood, but they come from “primitive beliefs,” 
