CXXVIII ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT [eth. ans. 20 



is tlie longing for superlative happiness, and it remains as the 

 motive of religion in all stages of culture. Religion is thus a 

 theorv or doctrine of securing happiness. The happiness 

 desired may be in the immediate future or the remote future; 

 it mav be for time or it may l)e for eternity, or it may lie for 

 both time and eternity. If we are to understand the nature of 

 religion we must always conceive it to be a system of securing 

 su})erlative happiness. The motive of religion is the gain of 

 liap})ness, and the methods of religion are the methods of 

 obtaining happiness. 



We are now to explain what methods of securing superlative 

 happiness are devised in savagery. 



Elsthetic joys are the primary pleasures. Such joys are 

 founded on the pleasures of physical activity; not the activity 

 of labor itself, but on social activity. The dance is the prime- 

 val ceremony of religion; connate with it is the joy of feasting, 

 so that both feasting and dancing constitute connate religious 

 ceremonies that are universal in savage society. The festival 

 is a religious ceremony of savagery. Preparation for the 

 highest eujovment of the festivjd is often found in the practice 

 of fasting, so fasting becomes antecedent to festival. The 

 pleasures of love naturally arise through the social pleasures 

 of the festival and are often added. Therefore superlative 

 happiness consists in the revelry of the festival. 



Days come and wants are renewed. PlentA' brings joy, but 

 hunger brings pain. The memory of want is the mother of 

 fear. The experience of hunger is the primitive motive to 

 industry, but industry has precarious rewards in savagery. 

 The hunt may l)e in vain. The tree may not yield its fruits. 

 The savage seems forever to be the victim of chance. The 

 seasons come with heat and cold, witli sunshine and with 

 storm, and these vicissitudes press upon the savage a load of 

 care and thought, for good and evil are de])endent on the 

 changes of nature. Over this nature he seeks to gain control. 

 Primitive man knows of control only as conti'ol of motive. 

 The ghosts of the world must be controlled in the interest of 

 the ])eople of tiie tribe. Ere he has learned to ])lant he attempts 

 to allure, and before he attempts to control he attempts to 



