TITLES. 165 



but one word for a supernatural being. And since in early 

 belief, the other-self of the dead man is equally visible and 

 tangible with the living man, so that it may be slain, 

 drowned, or otherwise killed a second time since the re 

 semblance is such that it is difficult to learn Avhat is the 

 difference between a god and a chief among the Fijians 

 since the instances of theophany in the Iliad prove that the 

 Greek god was in all respects so like a man that special 

 insight was required to discriminate him; we see how natu 

 rally it results that the name &quot; god/ 7 given to a powerful 

 being thought of as usually, but not always, invisible, is 

 sometimes given to a visible powerful being. Indeed, as a 

 sequence of this theory, it inevitably happens that men 

 transcending in capacity those around them, are suspected 

 to be these returned ghosts or gods, to whom special powers 

 are ordinarily ascribed. Hence the fact that, considered as 

 the doubles of their own deceased people, Europeans are 

 called ghosts by Australians, Xew Caledonians, Darnley 

 Islanders, Kroomen, Calabar people, Mpongwe, &c. Ileiice 

 the fact that they are called by the alternative name gods by 

 Bushmen, Bechuanas, East Africans, Fulahs, Khonds, Fiji 

 ans, Dyaks, Ancient Mexicans, Chibchas, &c. Hence the 

 fact that, using the word in the above sense, superior men 

 among some uncivilized peoples call themselves gods. 



The original meaning of the word being thus under 

 stood, we need feel no surprise on finding that &quot; God &quot; be 

 comes a title of honour. The king of Loango is so called by 

 his subjects; as is also the king of Msambara. At the pres 

 ent time among wandering Arabs, the name &quot; God &quot; is ap 

 plied in no other sense than as the generic name of the most 

 powerful living ruler known to them. This makes more 

 credible than it might else be, the statement that the Grand 

 Lama, personally worshipped by the Tartars, is called by 

 them &quot; God, the Father.&quot; It is in harmony with such 

 other facts as that Radama, king of Madagascar, is addressed 

 by the women who sing his praises as &quot; O our God; &quot; 

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